I'm Just starting to do my coop interior. I plan to use glass board on floor and white hardboard on walls. I know this has probably been discussed before but I don't know if I should insulate the walls or not. Any suggestions?
Vinnie
Vinnie
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I like your coop Jack, and the idea of no insulation, but not sure it would work here in Manitoba Canada(north dakota type weather), -40 is bound to happen a few nights each winter, and -25 to -30, a lot of nights too.If you install insulation, you will also have to install interior walls. Otherwise, the chickens will shred the unprotected insulation. But, if you have interior walls in a chicken coop, you will have provided a nice hidden place for mice, insects and other pests to set up house for themselves, unseen by you. I don't have any insulation in my coop, after all, the chickens already come with excellent insulation of their own. They need no help from us there. I see you are going to use glassboard on the floor. Is the coop going to be big enough for you to go in? If so, I would not use glassboard, I would think that would make for a slippery floor.
Jack
I'll put it this way, Western Canada with the exception of BC coastline, has bitter winters, not always -30 and -40, but many days of 10f to -10f, very typical, but dry. Minnesota and ND, as well as Alaska knows this weather.Yeah, -40 sounds pretty cold to me. In the book that I got my design from, it said that coops like it were used up through Maine and Canada. But I don't know about -40. But still, you have to maintain proper ventilation/fresh air, in the winter also. So if you have your coop properly ventilated, it's still going to be close to the outside temp anyway. Unless you are running a heater, but that is a whole other story in itself. I do see the point of insulating up under the roof, to help with the summer heat though. I'm kicking around the idea of adding styrofoam sheets for my coop's roof. The shingles really suck up the summer sun. Other than that, the coop will stay as it is.
Jack