Insulation in the South?

[masanders]

I'm going to be building a coop soon for my flock. I live in SC and was wondering if I need to insulate the coop. I have ISA Browns.

 

[JackE]

Maybe under the roof to help with the summer heat. Other than that, no, insulation is not needed in a chicken coop. The birds already come with perfect insulation of their own.

 

[masanders]

Forgive my ignorance @JackE...but what would I use and how would I do it? This will be the first from scratch habitat I will have built.

 

[Dmontgomery]

You can get sheets of styrofoam insulation. Just nail them down as a base then attach your roofing over that. Option 2, build it like your house. Your ceiling has insulation, then your roof is over your ceiling. This way you can use rolls of insulation.

 

[masanders]

Wow! @Dmontgomery! I completely forgot that insulation came that way. *Insert FACEPALM here* Thanks!

 

[Howard E]

Unless you are using a metal roof, no need for insulation at all. A secondary....if not primary.....benefit of insulation under a metal roof is to prevent moisture condensation. When using a metal roof above livestock, it can literally "rain" INSIDE a building as all the moisture the animals emit condenses on the metal. A barrier of insulation under metal roofing panels limits the condensation. Also, a wide open, well ventilated building gives the moisture a place to go vs. accumulating to the point of condensation.

Rather than insulation, your birds would probably benefit more by having one entire side of their coop wide open with nothing more than hardware cloth covering it to keep predators out. Make it the south wall so the sun shines in all the way to the back in winter.

 

[aart]

Maybe under the roof to help with the summer heat. Other than that, no, insulation is not needed in a chicken coop. The birds already come with perfect insulation of their own.

Ditto Dat^^^.......especially if coop is in direct sun for any or all of the day.

 

[FlyWheel]

I've lived here in the northern part of the SC midlands for 15 years and the temps here have rarely gotten below 20F. I have never insulated my coop and the chickens never seemed to mind, they just get somewhat 'downier' during the winter months. It is amusing to watch them deal with the occasional few inches of snow though. Make sure their water doesn't freeze, and if any of your birds have large combs smearing some petroleum jelly on them can help prevent frostbite.

I think you should be more concerned about summer heat, especially if it is excessively humid where you live. Make sure your coop has more than enough ventilation and shade in their pen (if they are penned and not free-roaming). make sure to mix some electrolytes in their water and keep it cool. I like to take a couple 'Gatorade' bottles filled with water, freeze them and drop them into the chicken's waterer every morning. My birds really suffered during this last heat wave, I lost one to the heat last July.