Vapor Barrier for Unfaced Insulation and Fastener Questions

[Mandy83Ala]

Hey there,
I am building my coop and was planning on insulating the walls and under the floor with unfaced fiberglass insulation. I will seal all cracks with caulk or great stuff to ensure no critters can nest in floor or walls. I am planning on adding a plastic vapor barrier and sealing with a polyurethane caulk. After doing research, some say a vapor barrier is not needed. Do I need a vapor barrier?

-Coop is 8x8: 8'tall in front dropping to 6'tall in back.
-Roof will have a 1' overhang on front 8' wall and back 6' wall.
-(2) 1'long x 8"wide soffit vents on each end of roof overhang (total 4 vents).
-I will have 3 windows for summer air flow, which will be closed for cold winter months.

If I use a vapor barrier, can I install the plywood with screws instead of nails or will this ruin the vapor barrier? I visualize the screws ripping and twisting the vapor barrier as I fasten the screws and I don't have a nail gun so it would be much easier with screws. Thanks in advance!

 

[3KillerBs]

Is there a particular reason for installing insulation?

If your coop is adequately ventilated there will be no heat-retention benefits to insulating the walls.

 

[Mandy83Ala]

Is there a particular reason for installing insulation?

If your coop is adequately ventilated there will be no heat-retention benefits to insulating the walls.

It gets quite cold here in Illinois. I thought I would add insualtion to keep the warm air inside the coop. Does it seem like I will have adequate venting? I think I will. The vents in the soffit will be holes with hardware cloth stapled over the holes. Is that good?

 

[21hens-incharge]

It gets quite cold here in Illinois. I thought I would add insualtion to keep the warm air inside the coop. Does it seem like I will have adequate venting? I think I will. The vents in the soffit will be holes with hardware cloth stapled over the holes. Is that good?

Fresh air is much more important than warm air.
Chickens create a LOT of moisture from their breath and the droppings. Ventilation up high allows that moist air to escape (along with heat). The birds have built in down coats to stay warm.

 

[Mandy83Ala]

Fresh air is much more important than warm air.
Chickens create a LOT of moisture from their breath and the droppings. Ventilation up high allows that moist air to escape (along with heat). The birds have built in down coats to stay warm.

Thanks again. Do you think my venting design will be enough winter venting and air flow?
I am planning to add 2 vent to each side of roof overhang for a total of 4 vents. All windows will be closed in winter.

 

[21hens-incharge]

Thanks again. Do you think my venting design will be enough winter venting and air flow?
I am planning to add 2 vent to each side of roof overhang for a total of 4 vents. All windows will be closed in winter.

How many birds?
I keep a thermometer with a humidity gauge inside the coop and another outside. My goal is to keep them close in reading. If my inside humidity is 10% higher than outside I open windows, remove all poop, and add fresh dry pine shavings. My coops have fully open sofits. So far I have only ever had one chicken get minor frostbite.....a leghorn of course.

 

[Mandy83Ala]

How many birds?
I keep a thermometer with a humidity gauge inside the coop and another outside. My goal is to keep them close in reading. If my inside humidity is 10% higher than outside I open windows, remove all poop, and add fresh dry pine shavings. My coops have fully open sofits. So far I have only ever had one chicken get minor frostbite.....a leghorn of course.

I will have 15 chickens, which 5 are leghorns. I could leave the overhang uncovered, will that be enough ventilation? Temps get quite low here, below zero is not unusal.

My main concern is the vapor barrier and the insulation. I think insulation would be beneficial in my climate, although I am not certain about the vapor barrier.

But I will make sure to add adequate ventilation

 

[DobieLover]

I will have 15 chickens, which 5 are leghorns. I could leave the overhang uncovered, will that be enough ventilation? Temps get quite low here, below zero is not unusal.

You already saw my coop.
It is not insulated.
I am in the same zone as you.
My chickens have gone through nights as low as -23F and several below zero nights with subsequent days not going into double digits.
You do NOT need insulation.
You DO need MORE VENTILATION.
Please go back and look again at my coop and the way the ventilation is installed.
If you build large over hangs to protect from blowing rain and snow, you can easily have high vents open year round. If you find they allow a draft on the roosted birds, you can baffle them.
This is another reason I always recommend walk-in style coops. The height allows lots of room to create the draft effect to move damp stale air out and fresh air in and affords ample opportunity for high vents.

 

[Mandy83Ala]

You already saw my coop.
It is not insulated.
I am in the same zone as you.
My chickens have gone through nights as low as -23F and several below zero nights with subsequent days not going into double digits.
You do NOT need insulation.
You DO need MORE VENTILATION.
Please go back and look again at my coop and the way the ventilation is installed.
If you build large over hangs to protect from blowing rain and snow, you can easily have high vents open year round. If you find they allow a draft on the roosted birds, you can baffle them.
This is another reason I always recommend walk-in style coops. The height allows lots of room to create the draft effect to move damp stale air out and fresh air in and affords ample opportunity for high vents.

Thanks so much! I don't see your coop or I can't find it. Would you mind sharing a couple images of the ventilation you have? Thanks in advance

Also my roof will be 1' overhang on the 8'wall and 6'wall. It's a clope roof design. Which means that the vents on the higher side won't be "covered" by the overhang, the overhang will be extended above the vents,if that makes sense.

 

[DobieLover]

Thanks so much! I don't see your coop or I can't find it. Would you mind sharing a couple images of the ventilation you have? Thanks in advance

Whoops! I seem to have confused you with another peep I was trying to help. Sorry!
Click on the My Coop link under my username and it will bring you to the article. LOTS of pictures and I try to explain what I did and why.