Insulation in our coop?

[Wooden_Pony]

Hi everyone, new here. BUT, not new to the chicken world. It's been years since I had some.

I guess it is not like ridding a bike. Because I feel like a big old dummy with them

I have a quick question about our new coop we will be starting on this weekend.

Should we insulate it?

I am in Northern CA so we do not have ice storms during the winter but we do freeze. And for the most part our summers are nice. A few week long heat waves 100's and up.

I was so little when my Dad built our coop I just do not remember if he insulated it. I would check it to see if it had some but it burnt down during a grass fire at the ranch years ago.

Thank you for your help and I have LOVED sitting back and reading everything posted for the last few months!!

 

[DrakeMaiden]

I think that depends upon what breed of chickens you have. I would suspect you probably wouldn't need insulation most of the time, but occassionally you do get a freeze down there, right? You could always add extra straw around the inside perimeter for insulation on the really cold nights.

 

[Wooden_Pony]

Oh sorry chicks include...

3 Americanus
1 Rhode Island Red
1 Barred Rock

and showing up on Wednesday they ordered my

2 BABY Standard size Blue Cochins, my 7 year old daughter wanted some nice "Pet Chicks"

 

[silkiechicken]

Well, I guess you could insulate it if you want but those chickens are pretty cold hardy. I even have a scrawny leghorn who sleeps outside with all the other birds and does fine in the winter. We also don't have ice storms or anything up here. It usually gets into the teens at night every once in a while and a week or two total of snow since it's been warming up over the past 15 years or so. My birds are fine without the insulation, they just eat more food. I would think the important thing would be a draft free place to sleep... if the choose to sleep inside

 

[Standard Hen]

I would not tnink you need insulation,,I am in New England and we have real winter. My coops are not insulated or heated and they do just fine, they all cuddle and I add cracked corn to their winter feed. Dry,draft free is what is important. NOW if it makes you feel better you could insulate I suppose!!!

 

[Wooden_Pony]

Thanks everyone!!

I finally got a hold of my Dad he laughed at me when I asked him if our old coop was insulated.

He said we were back then poor cattle ranchers and did not have the extra money to insulate a coop for the chickens

Now, off to pick up the rest of my hinges for doors ect.

 

[Standard Hen]

Yup, they did just fine in the old days. Most times they did not even have a coop, they just hunkered down in the barn etc. Now I am talking of the standard cold hardy breeds. I really do not know how alot of the little banites, silkies, ornamental type breeds would fare because I do not have any.

 

[CutestChickenFarmer]

I think I read on here somewhere that any insulation that's added to coops gives mites and such places to hide. Kind of like a bed with permanent sheets, I suppose.

Myself, I'm looking into some of the Amish-built sheds around here that are sturdy and well made to convert into a coop. They build them with windows, air vents, and locking doors, and the craftsmanship just can't be beat.

All I would need to do is fashion a chicken door (simple enough even with my negligible carpentry skills) and add a roosting system. Even though our winters in Delaware can be pretty cold (January is really the only wicked month), with a well-made wooden structure, I don't think you can ever go wrong.

As I understand it, a well-maintained floor, with regular attention given to the pine shavings or straw, makes all the difference in the world.

 

[Standard Hen]

Those Amish sure do know how to build. I have seen a few of their things and they are nice and very sturdy. Check into and see if they do make chicken coops, you never know. They might have them available down your way.

 

[silkiechicken]

Quote:
I have silkies and found that even they sleep outside most of the time, but when they get real cold, will all go inside to sleep...

My leghorn, which is the small one of the standards, always tries to sleep under the rooster no matter the time of year.

It only started to happen when all the girls saw a chick sleeping under the broody every night and they all got the bright idea to use the rooster as their hen.