insulating the coop?

[sianara]

Quote:
Heated waterers were the BEST poultry investment I ever made. I use heavy duty extension cords to the coops. This year I mounted them UP high so the snowblower didn't run into them. My yard kinda looked like a shanty town all winter long with 5 extension cords up in the air running to the outside electricity of the house (on circuit breakers) but it worked great. They were all mounted safely too.

 

[sianara]

Quote:
This winter I added one of those dollar stick on closet lights with batteries to the big coop. I mounted it on a swing arm so I can see into the nests. I only use it if I go to the coop when it's dark (obviously

)and want to look for eggs (like when I come home from work in the darkest days of Winter and am REALLY craving eggs for dinner

)

 

[teach1rusl]

Quote:
This is definitely a personal choice. When I first got chickens I put a small heater out there. VERY BIG MISTAKE. It almost started a fire, I learned real fast that time.

Thankfully, that's a long way off now

but safety is a huge issue if you choose to use a heat source during the coldest times. Do your research if you choose to use a heat lamp or some other type of heat source in the future. There are very safe options out there (sweeter heater, flat panel heaters) but they are somewhat costly.

 

[cpwhip]

I have a coop thats raised off the ground should that be covered in the winter to help keep the coop warm?
its hot now and the chicks lay under it to stay cool but I wonder what to do once winter is here?
as you can see in the picture this coop has 3 front windows and one long window in the back for ventilation
it also has a ridge vent on the roof if I close all windows front and back in the winter will the roof ridge vent sufficient ventilation?
I live in Maryland and the last 3 winters have been very cold and I'm just not sure what to do to keep them healthy and keep their water
from freezing this winter. I'm 3 weeks new at keeping chickens I have 8- 6 week old Red Sexlinks and I have no idea how hardy this breed is
do you? also I was thinking about adding foam board insulation then covering it with ply wood but some say thats good while others say its not
so I am more confused then ever please help!

 

[Monk]

I have Red SexLinks and they do well in the winters in Central New York. My coop is raised type also and insulated(see My BYC page), no other forms of heat or a light left on. If those windows are faced south, it would help alot in the winter. As far as water I do have a heated waterer.
This was taken during a relative mild winter. I wish I took pics this past winter, it was brutal snowwise.

 

[JackE]

I don't really see ANY advantage with insulation in the winter. Unless you have some kind of heater in there, the inside will be as cold as the outside. I can see some benefit in the summer, if you use it up under the roof, to soak up a little of the roof heat. Other than that, You are just supplying mice with nest material. My coop is WIDE open in the front, year round. None of my chickens seemed to mind the winter cold in the least. I ran an extension cord to power up a homemade water heater (Idea I got from this site) and that was it. NO heatlamps or any other artifical heat source.
Jack

 

[cpwhip]

Thank you! the coop is sitting with the windows facing southwest. I purposely chose this location because
theres a mix of trees some evergreen and some not so in the summer 75% of the coop /run area is shaded
and in the winter the coop will get full sun with a little bit of a wind break from the evergreens. so I guess I wont
do anything except get a heated waterer and maybe some bales of straw to create even a better wind break.
is there any such thing as a battery power waterer? I have no electric near the coop.

 

[NorthernOntario]

Anyone have pics handy of how they manage to insulate the roof while maintaining ventilation? At this point, my ceiling is completely open.

 

[mxmarg]

Anyone have pics handy of how they manage to insulate the roof while maintaining ventilation? At this point, my ceiling is completely open.

This very question is what brought me here today! I have roof venting too. So in insulating my roof with the board type sheets, how much space should I leave between the insulating board and the crack we've left at the apex of the roof? Thank you!

 

[Rooster Rules]

This very question is what brought me here today! I have roof venting too. So in insulating my roof with the board type sheets, how much space should I leave between the insulating board and the crack we've left at the apex of the roof? Thank you!

My question is this, what dimension is the rafter lumber, what thickness of SM styroboard are you planning on. If you have a gable type roof, would not hurt to have open attic space, if your roof sheeting is just over the insulation board, not quite as efficient
I would vent either right through roof top, or up on the walls, with vents that can opened/closed to control air flow. Thus allowing rising ammonia dn moisture to purge up and out, but we both know heat will rise.
Another thing, like Jack, if I did not live in a super cold climate like I do, I would not insulate, but would allow good ventalation. I live where -30 to -40, can happen every winter, and where 0 to -10 are normal winter nights, so we need a little more. If I lived where it went down to 0f once in while and the average was 10 to 20 above, I would not insulate...