Just insulating the nesting box area?

[4 the Birds]

It's not necessary and a waste of energy to heat a coop, but it if makes you happy by all means do it. .

(For you newbies it would help if you put your location under your avatar)

We are all about the eggs! Adding a lamp in the coop increases the Winter egg production and the girls love to spread their wings and sun bathe under the lamp on cold Winter days. We sell at least $7 in eggs per day so we don't mind supplying a few dimes of energy of that for the heated water dispensers and a brooder lamp.

 

[FarmingCityGirl]

Your insulation likely wont do anything, it might buy you an extra few minutes before eggs freeze. If you have 12 chickens laying in the same place all day long that might be enough heat to keep them from freezing. I wouldn't fix a problem that doesn't exist yet.

After reading your response, and everyone else's, I think I'll just cross my fingers this winter and hope for the best. Thanks!

 

[FarmingCityGirl]

My only worry would be is that the hens would start to sleep in the nest boxes and you would not be getting such clean eggs anymore

Ahh...you make a nice point I didn't think of. Thank you! People have mentioned buying various gadgets...but I've been trying to do everything as cheaply as possible. Most of our materials used for the coop were extra things stored in the barn anyway, so I don't want to spend money on the 'what ifs'. I think I'm just going to hope for the best this winter.

 

[FarmingCityGirl]

I keep the pop door open to their large run, but it gets harder and harder to tempt them outside.

I've been thinking I had to close their door every winter night to help keep 'em warm...and that means actually going into the run...which I don't want to do...my regular daily chores can be done outside of the run...so I don't have to close their door every night? That would be sooo great. Our run is pretty predator proof...lol...something really big and scary could get in there, but I would probably hear it from our bedroom and come runnin' out in my hair curlers & nightie with a shotgun

 

[FarmingCityGirl]

It's not necessary and a waste of energy to heat a coop, but it if makes you happy by all means do it. .

(For you newbies it would help if you put your location under your avatar)

Okay...I put up a picture of our coop...that we're not heating...and I put up our location...I usually don't do that on the internet...because of scary psychos...but I've come to learn that chicken owners are usually not as scarily psychotic as the general public. So now my posts about winter weather will make more sense. Thanks!

 

[ChickenFarrmers]

1st timer here. After reading quite a bit through this thread, I'm guessing that in Southern Maryland insulating my 8'x8' or 8' x 10' coup won't be necessary for 6-8 birds with our relatively mild winters here?

Thanks for your time!

 

[Alaskan]

1st timer here. After reading quite a bit through this thread, I'm guessing that in Southern Maryland insulating my 8'x8' or 8' x 10' coup won't be necessary for 6-8 birds with our relatively mild winters here?

Thanks for your time!

If you have free or almost free materials....then insulation is nice, it helps the coop stay cooler in the summer and warmer n the winter.

BUT, with that said, you definitely do not need it.

Being in Maryland (hot humid summers, and winters with snow..but I don't think very windy) I would think that what is most important would be:

- Deep overhangs to keep rain out of the coop, and keep the summer sun out.

- Lots of vents to keep your humidity down and so it doesn't get too hot in the summer. One wall solid hardware cloth would probably be best.

 

[Alaskan]

I've been thinking I had to close their door every winter night to help keep 'em warm...and that means actually going into the run...which I don't want to do...my regular daily chores can be done outside of the run...so I don't have to close their door every night?  That would be sooo great.  Our run is pretty predator proof...lol...something really big and scary could get in there, but I would probably hear it from our bedroom and come runnin' out in my hair curlers & nightie with a shotgun

As long as the run is predator proof....there is no reason to close the pop door.

Ventilation is VERY important. My chicken shed has a one foot tall gap along most of the walls. The importance is where it is located (no moving air over the perches!!) and nope, I never close down those large vents/wire walls.

 

[rancher hicks]

Alaskan, if you can provide them with a wind break that might help Too, a bed of straw or hay works wonders. While my runs are covered with clear plastic they are not completely sealed up. Some snow does get in but they don't mind.

I have heated waterers inside the run and they never freeze.

 

[Reurra]

I keep my girls locked up most of the winter. I have been tempted to crack open a window on the opposite side of the coop wall away from the birds to allow air in, but it drops down pretty cold at night. If there is a wall between them and the window, would it hurt to crack the window and inch or so to let air flow? Even if temps drop down to the -20C? (-4F)