Old fridge boxes as coop insulation

[Northern Flights]

I have been fighting with myself (and blacked out after just one punch ) about what to use as insulation in our coop and came up with a plan: Ima gonna use old, discarded and slated for the dump anyways fridge boxes, cut to fit inside the wall studs. (No vapour barrier for obvious reasons) I shall likely double or triple them up and should get ~r8 — or better — no polystyrene nor other world polluting/resource plundering substances needed. The coop was already built pretty much completely draft free, but it should now get good heat retention and severely limit cold seeping through the OSB, but the structure will still "breathe" a bit, which is ideal, no? I can also put a layer of cardboard on the studs themselves to prevent further heat loss and not have to worry if the hens nibble at it, unlike just about every other insulating material. I can even glue it to the ceiling, which is a fibreglass cover for a pick-up truck. It too has air spaces inside but the cardboard should make it much less likely to transfer heat/cold.

I shoulda thunked of it sooner, cause'n I have used the same material to insulate the inside of a shipping container I use as a workshop, mostly to keep heat out when the summer sun heats up the walls something fierce and it keeps frost from forming on the walls inside when it is mind-numbingly cold too. Only one layer mind you.

This situmication will require at least two layers — or three — glued together and to the walls using white glue. (Also non toxic)

Now who's a clever bunny? Pics to follow...

 

[snow5164]

You are
Our first house had shredded newspapers in the walls... it had settled to the bottom 12 inches . No wonder that house was so cold !!

 

[Chickassan]

Go ahead, I did the boxes last winter when it got colder than a witches teat. Not one single bite was taken from it. I would advise making it easy out for summer especially if you have ants, they'll set up shop in it. I figure hobos use boxes and they stay warm, come to find out hobos are crazy smart.

 

[Northern Flights]

You are
Our first house had shredded newspapers in the walls... it had settled to the bottom 12 inches . No wonder that house was so cold !!

I considered chewing up the sheets of corrugated cardboard into a pulp, then spraying it out of my mouth and hope it would stick, but I gave up after gnawing on it for derned close to 5 minutes. When I regained consciousness an hour later I had an overwhelming desire to nibble through the base of a young Aspen and construct a dam across the creek.

Go ahead, I did the boxes last winter when it got colder than a witches teat. Not one single bite was taken from it. I would advise making it easy out for summer especially if you have ants, they'll set up shop in it. I figure hobos use boxes and they stay warm, come to find out hobos are crazy smart.

I always wanted to be a hobo, but I failed the entrance exams. I settled for engineering instead. Way easier and far more alcohol abuse. Bonus!

I shall first try for an "interference" fit for the glued sheet sandwiches, trying my best not to eat too much white glue. Memories of my childhood reveal a most peculiar penchant for white glue... Didn't affect me one bit.

edit: I just noticed that I wrote "sheet sandwiches". My apologies for the foul language.

 

[aart]

The coop was already built pretty much completely draft free, but it should now get good heat retention and severely limit cold seeping through the OSB, but the structure will still "breathe" a bit, which is ideal, no?

With adequate ventilation, which is essential all year round, a coop will not 'hold heat'.

fridge boxes

Just what are these...got a pic?
Maybe triple corrugated cardboard that refrigerators are shipped in?

 

[Northern Flights]

You got it Pontiac, no need for a photo. Fridge=refrigerator for us simple minded folk. As for adequate ventilation preventing heat retention, I shall respectfully disagree with you my fine feathered friend. The entire upper section of our coop has ample ventilation (see here and here) yet the interior nevertheless responds very slowly to outside temp changes — even without the cardboard. I think I somehow managed to build it with few if any drafts where it matters. The cardboard should merely prevent the walls and ceiling from becoming the cooling elements in a deep-freezer. (Refreezerator?) The 3/4" OSB floor already has 2 inches of polystyrene under it, plus 4 inches at least of wood chips.

Besides, with only 4 hens, no water inside and the litter cleaned daily there is no excessive moisture being generated. As is often said in the semi-circles I easily get lost in, it's jack squat to begin with.

 

[aart]

The entire upper section of our coop has ample ventilation (see here and here)

Clever and attractive, for sure....adequate, I doubt it.
Are those the only vent holes in the coop?
No windows for light?
You're near Williams Lake BC?

That a cool plastic shelter to the right of coop!

 

[Northern Flights]

The upper side walls are also cedar pickets, but not carved up with big gaps like the front. I used just the straight lower parts of the pickets and spaced them ~1/8". I tested using a "smoke" machine while building it and I am satisfied with the ventilation, as well as with drafts. (More like none of those)

The coop hygrometer has never read more than 60%, even when it was >95% outside while raining. It jumps only a little when 4 soggy hens bust in for the night. Humidity around here will only drop even more when the temps go south for the winter. I'm really not at all worried about ventilation to honest. It's the main reason we moved to the Cariboo, the dry climate. The eastern Fraser Valley was a perpetually damp, rotting quagmire we were only all too happy to flee.

Yes, I am very happy with that greenhouse, as are the birds. It warms quite a bit in the sun when the vents are closed and is dry as a chip inside. Great for the hens to loaf around in when the weather is bad or they are locked in the run. Good extra dry, varmint free storage too.

And we are about an hour's drive outside Williams Lake and over 1500 feet higher, pretty much lost out on the tundra without a compass.

 

[aart]

It's the main reason we moved to the Cariboo, the dry climate.

Ahhh, drier climate and elevation will definitely help...and sounds like you are monitoring it well.

I will still suggest some windows for light in winter, top hinged for more ventilation in summer(or maybe it's not hot or humid in summer either).

 

[Northern Flights]

Oh it's hot here in summer all right, but rarely terribly humid. Unless it rains for 40 days and nights as it did for most of our alleged "summer" this year it's nice and dry.

You are quite correct to suggest a window, one was and is sorely missed. I assumed due to the size of the coop (4x4x8 ish...) that a window would not be needed, but I was very wrong about that. Next spring I shall put in a window of some description. With a screen of course to keep out the flies etc. Coated and multi-paned. Great idea about the top hinged thingy. Done like dinner.

I'm going to cut in an egg-snatching door or two as well. I grow weary of crawling about the floor every morning with chickens all over my back. They love it of course.