Insulating a coop, necessary or busy work?

[patandchickens]

Well, if you're smelling ammonia, you will pretty much *have* to open the windows if that is your only means of ventilation, yes. Hopefully it will be warmish and not too windy for a few days

It might be worth thinking about how you can create more ventilation on a day-in day-out basis (without getting it too drafty, or, since you are uninsulated, too cold). There are ways of retrofitting it.

Good luck,

Pat

 

[AtRendeAcres]

You can also use horse stall sprinkled over litter (it gets the amonia smell out)

I use PDZ at Agway I think $10 for a $50 lb bag which last me about a year!

 

[d.k]

*Hey, I'm in FL and also giving serious thought to insulating at least a bit-- from the HEAT, so I don't think it's necessarily a waste where YOU folks are at all!!!

 

[HR Patterson]

I am also thinking of doing some remodeling when the chicken house arrives and considered insulating (NEPA winters are bad) but what about summer? If the coop is airtight in winter, even with windows open, how well will it be ventalated in the summer? Esp. on those hot humid days with no breeze? my .02

 

[2 Beauts]

What if you insulated on just the west and north sides? Or, you could try caulking ALL the joints to take care of the drafts.

Can you just use the heat lamp from the brooder and hang it from the ceiling?

 

[Oblio13]

We had a pretty cold winter here in central New Hampshire. Our coop's not insulated, and the birds seemed fine.

I'm about to build another, larger coop. I'm thinking about putting a sod roof on it, which is supposed to provide insulation in the winter and evaporative cooling in the summer.

 

[Mrs MIA]

We insulated with the 2" foamboard between plywood on our 8x8' coop. The breeders coop is going to have the same thing. In the 8x8', we have a 250 wt heat lamp on the waterer to keep it from freezing, and there are cross-vents at the ceiling that allow moisture out and fresh air in. When we get to -30, -40°F, we have a heat lamp hanging directly over the girls so they have a little more heat, but that's usually only in Jan/Feb. Lime sprinkled in their dropping pit keeps the ammonia smell down, or muck it out every couple of weeks. I just constantly add litter to the floor and mix it with a rake. Just a couple of weeks ago I did a full clean out and replaced everything. They're happy campers now. But as the adopted momma hen to Penelope No-Toes, I can testify that birds left without adequate shelter or heat will lose bodyparts.

(she lost her toes from frostbite just before we got her).

Take the time to insulate now... you'll be happy you did.

 

[Winter]

I know Eglus are not popular on this board, but I chose one for my chickens because of the insulation as well as convenience and aesthetic. I think double wall of the eglu will prove to be quite effective in the cold.
There is an interesting blog from someone who kept her chickens all winter in the mountains in colorado in an eglu and they seemed to do fine.
The other consideration for me was that the coop will be easy enough to move the garage if the situation became dire. We have -40 degree nights here in winter sometimes.
Here is a link to the blog, good photos of her chickens in the snow.
http://woodycreekchicks.blogspot.com/

 

[Stonebriar Farm]

Mrs. AK-Bird-Brain :

We insulated with the 2" foamboard between plywood on our 8x8' coop. The breeders coop is going to have the same thing...

Mrs. AK Did you insulate the roof as well? I'm using metal roofing so it will match the house and was just wondering if I should insulate the rafter spaces as well. We're not quite as cold as you are but it does get chilly near Ottawa.​

 

[Oblio13]

Quote:
Since heat rises, most heat loss is through the roof.