Refective insulation, do they peck it?

[Badchickenpun]

My wife is obsessed with methods to keep the chickens warm. Winter is unpredictable. Wind chill in the single digit's now, in the 50s next week. She has read some crazy ideas online, none of which make much sense to me for various reasons.
Has anyone here used Refective insulation of any kind? Board or roll type? Has your chickens pecked and/or ate it? The roll refective, closed cell or open cell seems ideal, cheap and eas to install. Should create good void in wall to stop temp transfer.

 

[3KillerBs]

Should create good void in wall to stop temp transfer.

I don't know if the chickens eat that kind of insulation, but this void would be PERFECT rodent habitat.

 

[texsuze]

I used a roll of insulation in the ceiling only of one of the chicken coops. It came in a thin roll of 3 materials sandwiched together and was leftover from the barn building project. Installed white side to the inside/thin yellow insulation mat/reflective side against the metal roof. Girls have never jumped up to try to eat it.

However, on some of the south-facing inside walls of my barn I put in the light blue sheets of rigid "styrofoam"? type house insulation. This was 12 years ago with no chickens interested in pecking. Until this summer... My EE pullet, Bonita, and her BA sister, Penny, are obsessed with pecking this blue insulation. I've plastered duct tape over the pecks but will be covering this particular insulation with poster board next week to keep girls off. My point being, I believe certain chickens will go for any insulation they might have access to, so either install it within the walls of the coop, or cover it with screen or hardware cloth.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

I'm in a colder climate than 95% of people on here. No insulation, no heat, no problems.

Wind chill means nothing to birds inside a coop at night. There should be no wind in there. Draft free ventilation. Wind breaks in the run area are essential.

My current temps are 20 F at night and today is warm at 36 F and sunny. A broody and her ten two week old chicks are out of the coop as soon as the auto door opens in the morning. My winter temps will hit -30 F with a week or two of highs in single digits.

No heat, no insulation and no problems.

 

[Canadian Wind]

I agree with those that use no insulation. Unless you live in the Arctic Circle, and even then, if the birds are acclimated, then you won't need it. Same goes for most livestock, except for 'exotics', imo.

 

[Folly's place]

Yes, chickens will peck and eat any insulation if they have access to it. And cavities in the coop are great rodent habitat, we had that happen here.
Also, as already mentioned, draft free is the important thing, with good overhead ventilation. An insulated roof is nice to manage summer sun, as long as it's not available to either the chickens, or rodents.
Mary

 

[Badchickenpun]

You are all saying exactly what I have said

 

[CKfarm22]

You are all saying exactly what I have said

Correct. You are right. Chickens do not need heat in their coop if they have enough ventilation. Actually, heat is worse than you think it is. It can cause respiratory infections in birds if moisture gets too high. The only thing you should really be worried ab is making sure, there is enough ventilation (minimum1 sqft per bird), no drafts and a water heater!

 

[Shylo]

My wife is obsessed with methods to keep the chickens warm. Winter is unpredictable. Wind chill in the single digit's now, in the 50s next week. She has read some crazy ideas online, none of which make much sense to me for various reasons.
Has anyone here used Refective insulation of any kind? Board or roll type? Has your chickens pecked and/or ate it? The roll refective, closed cell or open cell seems ideal, cheap and eas to install. Should create good void in wall to stop temp transfer.

I just insulated my small coop with a roll of of reflective closed cell insulation. They leave that alone but are pecking at the metallic tape. I need to fix it somehow.

 

[saysfaa]

Picture I took of my friend's chicken eating foil faced insulation. It once reached the floor; they've eaten enough of it that she had to jump to reach it now.