Insulating coop for winter

[CityChook]

After last winter with the girls refusing to use the run because of the skiff of snow that had blown in, I have been considering plexi "storm windows" for the western side of the run, too.

 

[janinepeters]

Gosh, I'm probably going to ruffle some feathers, here, but I'll add my .02. We did insulate our coop, but think it is even more important to stick with breeds that can cope well with a cold climate.

Since you don't yet have chickens, you have plenty of time to give some thought to breeds. You might consider roundish bodied, well-feathered breeds with small, thick combs. They should cope well with Michigan winters. Those with single combs can suffer frostbite even in an insulated coop, so we avoid those breeds (we live in the northeast). Most of ours have rose or pea combs. Silkies might be more uncomfortable in the cold because their feathers don't insulate as well.

Winter hardy animals can cope with a wide range of temperatures, as long as the temperature gradually changes and their body chemistry has time to adjust. This is what normally happens as the seasons change. For this reason, we believe that heating the coop is unnecessary, and we don't do it.

I have mixed feelings about crowding them into a small space in order to allow body heat to keep them warm. Crowding also predisposes to cannibalism. We have occasionally had problems with feather picking, but only in winter, when they all stay in the coop to avoid the snow and wind. It seems to help to reduce crowding, even though fewer bodies in a given space means less heat.

In short, I don't think keeping them warm is hugely important, as long as you have winter hardy birds not susceptible to frostbite, they have excellent protection from wind, rain, and snow, and plenty of space to allow them to avoid conflict.

 

[CityChook]

Excellent post, Janine.

Wise breed selection is very, very important. particularly when you live in a region with strong temperature extremes (either cold or HOT).

While smaller spaces tend to hold body heat better, they are difficult to manage air quality and poo control. I agree that it's important to give them as much inside space as you possibly can. Especially for folks who have really long winter seasons when their birds may not want to venture out into the snow. IMHO, I think that eliminating draft is far more important than providing heat. That said, I used heat last winter in my coop, but even with it going 24/7, it only averaged about 10-12F. Certainly not the Bahamas by any stretch, but it kept the edge off. What really made the difference was that there was no moving air to chill the chooks. Ventilation is KEY - and keep it up high.