Insulating

[Rooster Rules]

I'm a huge fan of roof insulation if your in the southern states. Anywhere you get 100F regularly you'd want your coop in shade or rigid insulation right under the roof. Chickens can not stand heat period. Even your Mediterranean varieties like Leghorns or Anacona can't stand an over heated coop. On the flip side I've had leghorns in my -30F winters which faired fine excepting the touch of frost bite due to over sized combs. These type of birds and most roosters just need a smearing of petroleum jelly on their combs for those super cold nights to act as insulation. Note that chickens bred for cold climates have more feathers and smaller combs. At -10F the Leghorns would be out on the snow pecking about rather than in the uninsulated coop. At -30F nothing wants to be outside even us humans. Those are the days you don't hear any wild life as everything is hunkered down waiting it out; the sound of your feet falling on crusty snow echoes across the land. That's just nature.

Did not realize Maine was so cold, sounds worse than southern Ontario, do you have an insulated coop, got any pics too share....always enjoy posts from climates like mine....
Up here at -20 to -35, chickadees,ravens,bluejays, snowbirds, are all out as usual, if there is no wind...the wind or lack of it makes a huge difference at those temps

 

[Vinniemac]

I live in South Western Pennsylvania I can't remember the last time it went below zero. Usually the coldest it gets is in the teens.When your talking about insulation in the roof are you talking in the rafters up against the sheathing, Something like a styrofoam.
Vinnie

 

[JackE]

I live in South Western Pennsylvania I can't remember the last time it went below zero. Usually the coldest it gets is in the teens.When your talking about insulation in the roof are you talking in the rafters up against the sheathing, Something like a styrofoam.
Vinnie

Yes, I'm talking about the 2" or so styrofoam sheet insulation you see in Lowes or HomeDepot. You would liquid nail or wire it up there in between the rafters. It would help with the heat soaked up by the shingles. It's on the project list for my coop. But that would be it, no other insulation needed. But of course, I have many home projects to do, so coop roof insulation is on the back burner for now.
Jack