Should I insulate?

[Vicker]

Search the web for "open air coops". You'll find the reasoning behind not insulating. I'm using an open air coop this year. Of course, we don't have extreme cold temps, but we do have some nights in the single digits. I feel bad for them when the wind is howling with icy teeth, so I put temporary plastic panels over some of the openings. This may be totally unnecessary since all kinds of other birds survive just fine roosting in leafless trees.

 

[aart]

Ok now that we have covered the lack of need for insulation in the COLD ...... what about the excessive heat ?? Metal storage building for coop. It is under a tree but the blazing sun hits the front of it every afternoon Sooooo..... do I need to do anything for that ?? Oh ya I’m talking ..... 100+ degrees...... not really looking for slow roasted chicken.. haha

Start a new thread?

 

[Vicker]

Ok now that we have covered the lack of need for insulation in the COLD ...... what about the excessive heat ?? Metal storage building for coop. It is under a tree but the blazing sun hits the front of it every afternoon Sooooo..... do I need to do anything for that ?? Oh ya I’m talking ..... 100+ degrees...... not really looking for slow roasted chicken.. haha

We have long stretches of triple digit heat here. I have a big, uninsulated metal a-frame coop that I placed under a tree for shade last summer. It has expanded wire panels on two ends. The back wall where they roost is solid halfway up, though. I faced the openings north and south and hung shade cloth over the opening behind the roost on the south side. The temp inside was amazingly cooler than the outside. The birds seemed less stressed with this system than they have with previous coop designs.
This winter, I rotated the coop with openings facing E and W. I replaced the shade cloth with a plastic panel behind the roosting area to block the wind.

 

[Jedstar]

Ok now that we have covered the lack of need for insulation in the COLD ...... what about the excessive heat ?? Metal storage building for coop. It is under a tree but the blazing sun hits the front of it every afternoon Sooooo..... do I need to do anything for that ?? Oh ya I’m talking ..... 100+ degrees...... not really looking for slow roasted chicken.. haha

As long as they have a big yard pen they are open to go out to with trees. They will stay out in the wind and shade. Mine sit out under my banana trees.

 

[CindyinSD]

Mine last summer went into my white tarped chicken tractors for shade in the hot part of the day. They actually WERE a lot cooler than outside. You can give them shallow pools to walk in and cool their feet. I iced the water for my Cornish Cross chickens on a few super hot days. Some folks make ice rings with treats frozen inside to float in the water buckets, set up misters and fans... but I have a lot of birds. I just make sure they have some shade to go to, and plenty of fresh water at all times.

 

[jgarner1327]

New shed going in this week that I'll convert to a coop as it warms up. My question is should I insulate, and if yes, with what?

It's an 8x8 wood shed that I'll use as a coop and storage area. As installed, it's bare framing, so I can do whatever, but whatever I do (if anything) I'd like it to be economical! I'm in Colorado SPrings

Your suggested are welcome!

I bought a 7x10 wooden shed at Costco and insulated the walls and ceiling with R13 fiberglass and then covered walls and ceiling with 1/2" plywood. The size of R is determined by the size of the wall studs. Mine were 2x4's. For the floor, I put plywood on the OSB because OSB wouldn't last a year in this weather, and got a remnant of linoleum from a rug outlet store (they sell remnants cheaper out of their remnant room) which I put on the floor since it's wet here in Oregon. Linoleum is easy to keep clean and sweep up the old straw. We get temps occas down into the twenties, but usually 30's in winter and can get up to 90's in summer. I didn't insulate the doors. Should have, I will someday. I bought two heat lamps to hang in the coop, and I'm assuming you don't have outlets in the shed, so you will need to use heavy duty extension cords (one per lamp) that are OK to use outside. Grounded plugs like youd see on a construction site. They are much thicker than the kind for inside the house. Check them when using to make sure they don't heat up. Don't use regular interior extension cords because they get too hot and could cause a fire. Cheap at Home Depot, metal shop light types - just a hood and a place for a lightbulb. I bought red heat lamp light bulbs at HD also. Hang them high enough that your chickens can't reach them, and at least a foot from the ceiling. I plug in one or two to heat the coop, depending on the outside temp. Don't need them in summer. Good luck!! Your chickens will love this.

 

[rosemarythyme]

We get temps occas down into the twenties, but usually 30's in winter and can get up to 90's in summer.

Obviously you can do as you like, but with such moderate temps no need to provide any form of heat or insulation.

 

[wjlizard]

I built an 8x8 coop and insulated it with r-13. Fiberglass insulation. No worries of mice or mites the interior walls are finished ,painted ,and sealed with caulk. This helps in the summer as well as winter. Is it necessary NO. Just me being me . I don't worry about frozen water . My girls are very happy in their coop-a-cabana(wife is a Barry fan).

 

[Grendal1963]

New shed going in this week that I'll convert to a coop as it warms up. My question is should I insulate, and if yes, with what?

It's an 8x8 wood shed that I'll use as a coop and storage area. As installed, it's bare framing, so I can do whatever, but whatever I do (if anything) I'd like it to be economical! I'm in Colorado SPrings

Your suggested are welcome!

Remember that our grandparents and great grandparents never insulated their coops or used heating lamps chickens are very resilient as long as coop is closed in but has proper ventilation they will be fine

 

[CityslickerHomestead]

Because I had leftover insulation from building my house, I insulated my coop. My coop is small, built from the same materials as my house (2x6, plywood, metal siding) and didn’t cost me too much. The roof isn’t insulated, but is plywood covered in corrugated metal. It is unheated and in winter is a few degrees warmer than outside. I have plenty of ventilation so the interior humidity is never higher than exterior.

I’m in the process of designing my second coop and don’t know if I will insulate or not. I do have leftover insulation, metal siding, and some lumber, but this second one will definitely cost me a lot more than the first. Especially since I plan on making it five times larger than the existing one.

My summers average temp is in the 90s with at least two weeks in the 100s, and winters are supposed to average in the 20-30s, but this winter has been in the 50s with hardly any snow and the last two winters were in the -20s with record-breaking snowfall (over 100 inches) so I have to be prepared for it all.

Ultimately for my second coop, insulation will come down to budget. I’m not worried about mice getting in the walls because we built the coop like we built our house. Even the floor is insulated and completely enclosed. Because of weather extremes, and lack of protection from wind and sun, I am leaning towards insulating my new coop - but time will tell. Where I live there is no protection from the elements. We are on top of a hill surrounded by alfalfa and clover fields. Trees do not grow here unfortunately.