To insulate or not, that is the question

[TillyPeeps]

I too live in the same general area. I live east of dl about 40 minutes. I am in the middle of a coop build for my chicks that hatched August 1st. I plan on some wall and ceiling insulation. Still debating on getting some type of infrared type heater. Let us know what you come up with !

I wrap lower sections of my coop and run during winter with clear tarps and have a sweet coop heater over the roost, and I think it's a great thing to have. I have a few hens are more hardy and don't care about it, but I also have some hens who don't handle -20F cold well love it. Without the heater, I might have a few dead chickens during the coldest nights.

 

[Happy hen lover]

I wrap lower sections of my coop and run during winter with clear tarps and have a sweet coop heater over the roost, and I think it's a great thing to have. I have a few hens are more hardy and don't care about it, but I also have some hens who don't handle -20F cold well love it. Without the heater, I might have a few dead chickens during the coldest nights.

Okay I can see that I only have cold hardy birds and have stayed away from others for that reason. Heaters like that are much safer than lamps!!##_&_#. Too many fires with those things

 

[Oisian]

I've got Seramas and they don't do well below 40 degrees. My roost area is insulated and I use a Cozy heater in there. I also have lots of insulated boxes that they can go into if it gets crazy cold. I wrap the bottom half of the run because the winds can be brutal, but the top half allows for lots of ventilation. The insulation keeps them cool in the summer heat. We had a couple of power outs last winter and the insulation and bedding kept them going.
For my regular chickens, I don't heat, but I do insulate two walls of their roost area to give them a corner to shelter in, if necessary. I don't heat them at all. Their run is open to the weather. I don't heat the water in either coop, but I do check it a couple of times a day.

 

[HensInTheForest]

I am in western WI--we did insulate just the walls but left the floor and roof open/not insulated. LOTS of ventilation like others have said is key and nope we don't use any sort of heat at all! All my chickens did great! if you can wrap your run (assuming you build one) they will then be able to go outside in the winter and not be stuck in the coop

Hi there,

Do you gets eggs in winter? Trying to assess this right now where to insulate our coop being built inside the middle bay of a large pole barn. If we don’t insulate at all will that mean no eggs.

 

[aart]

If we don’t insulate at all will that mean no eggs.

Egg production has nothing to do with insulation, or warmth.
It's all about light, length of day and/or timed supplemental lighting.
First year layers will often lay thru the winter with no supplemental lighting.

 

[4timandlisa]

Hi there,

Do you gets eggs in winter? Trying to assess this right now where to insulate our coop being built inside the middle bay of a large pole barn. If we don’t insulate at all will that mean no eggs.

You won’t get eggs because they freeze in the nest?

 

[HensInTheForest]

Chickens really do well in the cold , their fluffed feathers are like wearing down parkas. My first winter 2020 as a newbie my hubby and I were so fearful of the cold, (that was that terrible polar storm that went clear to Texas)! But unless it's blowing and/or wet they hang outside.
One BYC member here brought up a good point, that if you heat coop they don't grow as "tough" and if you lose power they aren't as capable in cold as those that have been raised with no heat. My first year I kept on a light bulb to keep warm but I didn't last year after seeing them choose to be outside no matter what. Just a FYI.
Now conversely they HATE hot and that's were the work at keeping them cool comes in, which is exactly opposite of what I thought as a newbie.
I did add a heated waterer which keeps water warmish and helps keep them warm in winter though.

You won’t get eggs because they freeze in the nest?

We are building a nest box outside the coop which will have its own electric radiator heater built in. So boxes will be warmer and no freeze.

 

[WIchickMama]

You won’t get eggs because they freeze in the nest?

This happens if they are left in the cold, I didn't have any freeze last year even when -30F+ but I work from home and went out every hour or so.

 

[Rise722]

Actually, by insulating my coop, it is much cooler on the hot days. Insulation is just that - keeping things cool as well as warm.

 

[HensInTheForest]

Egg production has nothing to do with insulation, or warmth.
It's all about light, length of day and/or timed supplemental lighting.
First year layers will often lay thru the winter with no supplemental lighting.

Thanks Aart!! We are glad to have your input!! We won’t worry about the floor at all which is going to help a TON with install. Been stalling this project for 2 weeks.