Maine

[CoopChick719]

Ok so I know I have asked this once before. But my coop is well on its way now and time to find out for sure what I should do. I live in central Maine, 8x12 coop, 12 8 week old isa browns. Should I insulate the coop or put plastic between the inside and outside walls. I really want them to be comfortable this winter. They will have ventilation where the roof meets the walls and windows that won't be in in the summer and a screened door for summer and a door in the winter. I just don't know what to do for keeping them warm.....

My coop is the same size as yours. I would insulate better to do it now than regret not doing it. It keeps it Warmer in the winter & cooler in the summer. Just my 2 cents.

 

[superchemicalgirl]

I insulated and would again in a heartbeat. It's so much warmer in the coop than outside in the winter, even with the windows and vents open. You want to be careful about just using permanent plastic - the biddies put off an awful lot of moisture, you want that to be able to move through the walls, if possible.

 

[buckabucka]

There are no rocks here (except a few in my head!)

diana, chickens will do fine either way, but if you are worried about keeping them warm, I would insulate. That way, if there is a really long frigid stretch and you decide to add supplemental heat one night, you won't be just heating the outdoors.

 

[lazy gardener]

Some of the written recommendations are for 1 s.f. of ventilation in the coop per bird. The important thing for ventilation is that it doesn't create a draft on the birds, especially when they are on the roost. Also, any ventilation or openings must be covered with 1/2" hardware cloth to make the coop predator proof. Chicken wire just won't cut it. Weasels can squeeze through chicken wire and can kill an entire flock in a single night. Raccoons and other similar sized predators can rip through chicken wire. It also needs to be secured with something other than the little construction staples. When you said, "They will have ventilation where the roof meets the walls and windows that won't be in in the summer." you lost me. My coffee hasn't kicked in.

I know you didn't ask about ventilation, but it's often overlooked, so I thought I'd address that first! As far as the coop and insulation goes: most folks don't insulate. Many don't do an interior wall. So, unless your exterior wall is metal or corrugated plastic, the double wall option is up to you. Insulation would certainly provide a benefit of heat retention in the winter, and help to keep it from overheating in the summer. Also, be sure you cover that screen door with hardware cloth! Do you have your chicks yet? Sounds like you have a nice coop planned.

 

[ashandvine]

IDK why it makes me so angry when there is an issue with a hatch but it does. I had some eggs under a friend's broody bird and one chick died and I have another one in my shirt because its still got a slightly open umbilical and then there were four more eggs left in there to get cold. My friend just left the eggs in there and took the chicks. Um... for those who don't know there could still be live embryos/chicks in the eggs so bring the eggs in! Get them warm and staying that way-- a crock pot a yogurt maker another bird something. The chicks you just give to the momma. If she is out of the nest clucking like crazy she's waiting for those babies to come meet the world and start learning. I wish the chicks had had a chance to stay with the momma but they are here instead. I have a broody but she hasn't been sitting long enough, though I did put the eggs under her to see if they could possibly still hatch. And to make it worse these are rare birds and I was desperate for a black chick to hatch out in the color project of which I am only two in the US working on and of which I also lost the only cockerel this Spring to an accident . Not one has hatched. Grrr. I know things happen and all that. I am not mad at my friend just... irritated I guess. Exasperated. Disappointed.

 

[diana507]

The wind always blows the opposite way that the ventilation will be where the roof meets. So they shouldn't get a Draft from that. The door will have metal over it not regular screen. I didn't realize till I read what I wrote it disdsound like a regular screen door. And where the windows will be will be metal screen also. The reason I did boarded on the inside and outside is the framing is true 2x6 boards that are real rough cut and it looks alot better and will be easier to throughly cleaned when need be. The outside and inside boards are from my old horse barn I had and my dad sawed the pine lumber and really pretty wide boards. Wanted to re purpose the boards to other animals I love, since I don't have my horse anymore. Yes I do have my chicks they are 8 weeks old and outgrowing their brooder but still getting along nicely, thank god!

 

[diana507]

I insulated and would again in a heartbeat. It's so much warmer in the coop than outside in the winter, even with the  windows and vents open. You want to be careful about just using permanent plastic - the biddies put off an awful lot of moisture, you want that to be able to move through the walls, if possible.

It was banking plastic someone had mentioned on using on the studs before I out the exterior boards on to make sure it weren't drafty. I think I'm gonna go with insulation.

 

[lazy gardener]

The tiny and little chicks spent the night in the old coop. First night out for the tinies. They did great. I swear that this second batch of babies are braver than their brothers and sisters who are 3.5 weeks older! I've been putting the older chicks in the tractor for the past couple of days. They've been using a cat crate as their security blanket. Last night was their first night without supplemental heat. They were up on the roost, but with it being their first night and a window adjacent to either end of the 4' roost, I thought it might be too cold for them, so stuffed them in the cat crate. Someone wanna weigh in and tell me that I should have left them on the roosts??? They are 5 weeks old tomorrow.

 

[buckabucka]

I am wondering about this too, LG. I was going to put mine out this weekend, along with the Ecoglows, but mine are only 3 weeks old and certainly not fully feathered. We've been having a frost every night, so I may wait another week. They hardly ever go under the ecoglow now, but they are in the house where it is 70 degrees.

 

[lazy gardener]

What's a mother to do???