Insulating with leaves

[MountainDan]

Hey there,

I was wondering if anyone has tried insulating their coop with dried leaf litter? I’ve seen that lots of people use it for bedding but I was thinking of bagging it and stacking it around my coop for the winter, then using it for bedding for as long as it lasts in the spring/summer months. I have 20-some acres of hardwoods and am telling myself how clever and green I am ...and that this might be better for the chickens because if they peck at this it’ll be a natural thing vs fiberglass or polystyrene.
I can’t find anything on the R-value of leaves, but also thought I’d be able to put a much thicker insulation barrier with leaves than with any other material I’d buy just due to economics. The thought is ... collect the leaves when dry, possibly shred them with my mower, put them in plastic bags, then plastic wrap the whole thing to tighten it up a LITTLE (without crushing out the air and thus the insulation value).

Has anyone tried this? Any thoughts?

 

[3KillerBs]

Unless you're in an area that routinely experiences temperatures well below 0, closing up your coop enough to make insulation relevant is more likely to be counterproductive than helpful.

Chickens are already wearing warm down coats 24/7 so heat bothers them much more than cold does and what they need in the winter is excellent, but draft-free, ventilation to remove the moisture that contributes to frostbite.

You can put your general location into your profile and people in your area can give you more targeted advice in re: your conditions.

(Fall leaves are excellent bedding for the run. Many people try to emulate a forest floor as the closest approach to a chicken's natural habitat).

 

[aart]

Has anyone tried this? Any thoughts?

First thoughts about bagged leaves is mold and mice.

Insulation is most often moot, as mentioned already.

Post some pics of your coop, inside and out, and we can guide you to 'winterizing'.

Oh, and.....Yes, we need to know......
Where in this world are you located?
Climate, and time of year, is almost always a factor.
Please add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, and then it's always there!

 

[MountainDan]

Thanks. I live in growing zone 5A, at a pretty good altitude. I know that others as far north as minnesota don’t insulate, but it’s also pretty common practice around here to line a barn with hay bales on the inside for added insulation in winter. I was thinking of doing the same w plastic bags of leaves- line around the inside with the plastic leaf bags. Leaf mold isnt a problem- its what leaves do, and in the spring if they mold i’ll just dump them into the woods, or one of my gardens. That kind of mycelium is good for plants. I have my four chickens set up in 1/4 of a 40’x 15’ outbuilding. I’m going to eliminate drafts on their side but let the other side vent a bit- there are 4 windows.

 

[Alaskan]

my nightmare thought is just that is a PERFECT place for all rodents to hibernate.

A wall of hay or leaves is a great way to insulate against wind, if you have bunches of that....

But the rodents...

 

[MountainDan]

Good watchout. If i see holes in the bags i’ll throw them outside and rip them open.