To insulate or not to insulate...

[Julieschicks]

Finally building out our big coop. Been going back and forth on whether to insulate it. I’m thinking it’s not necessary, but wanted to get some other opinions. We’re just south of Houston, so it gets hot and humid in the summers, but we have very mild winters and it rarely gets below freezing. The building is hardie siding with a metal roof and we’ll sheath the interior with osb. The front door will be a storm/screen door. The front 2/3 of the building will be storage and we’ll put in a wall of chicken wire and have the back 1/3 be the actual coop area. Along with the 2 front windows plus the screen door, there will be a 2x3 window on the side wall opposite the wall in the picture. There will be vent holes under the soffit all along both sides and vent holes in the gable areas on both ends. So, would you go through the effort of also insulating? I’m thinking the air gap between the siding and osb should be enough and all the venting in the top should let out enough hot air.

 

[Kiki]

You may want to read this:
Comparing my insulated and non-insulated coops

 

[IdyllwildAcres]

I would skip the OSB interior walls, just gives space for mice. Insulate the ceiling for summer heat.

Gary

 

[Kiki]

No way in the world I would insulate my coop.
I actually have an "open air" coop...I just noticed your location.
You will cook your birds for sure if you insulated it.
You should probably add more windows too.

 

[Julieschicks]

You may want to read this:
Comparing my insulated and non-insulated coops

Very interesting! Will definitely skip the insulation.

You should probably add more windows too.

I considered adding more, but wasn’t sure where we could fit more based on how we’ll be using the the front storage area. We need all the wall space. The front wall is south facing, so maybe we should add a window in the north facing back wall?

 

[PirateGirl]

I don't think you need to insulate for cold, but depending on your summers there may be ways to insulate to help keep the heat out.

 

[cholland]

If anything you may want to insulate the bare metal roof to prevent condensation when it does get cold. Otherwise in your location you will want a lot of ventilation. But only on one side in the colder months so it is not drafty.

 

[Julieschicks]

I would skip the OSB interior walls, just gives space for mice. Insulate the ceiling for summer heat.

Gary

It’s on a concrete floor, so we shouldn’t have any issues with mice. And we wouldn’t have a way to vent the soffit if we insulate the ceiling. Something the think about though.

 

[kwhites634]

Finally building out our big coop. Been going back and forth on whether to insulate it. I’m thinking it’s not necessary, but wanted to get some other opinions. We’re just south of Houston, so it gets hot and humid in the summers, but we have very mild winters and it rarely gets below freezing. The building is hardie siding with a metal roof and we’ll sheath the interior with osb. The front door will be a storm/screen door. The front 2/3 of the building will be storage and we’ll put in a wall of chicken wire and have the back 1/3 be the actual coop area. Along with the 2 front windows plus the screen door, there will be a 2x3 window on the side wall opposite the wall in the picture. There will be vent holes under the soffit all along both sides and vent holes in the gable areas on both ends. So, would you go through the effort of also insulating? I’m thinking the air gap between the siding and osb should be enough and all the venting in the top should let out enough hot air. View attachment 1283372

I wouldn't. Just provide them some shade; a tarp over the run gives plenty of shade, plus keeps most of the rain out. Mine comes about 2/3 down the sides, so plenty of ventilation and overheating isn't a problem.

 

[kwhites634]

No way in the world I would insulate my coop.
I actually have an "open air" coop...I just noticed your location.
You will cook your birds for sure if you insulated it.
You should probably add more windows too.

Hate to disagree with you Kiki, but insulation protects against cold AND heat.