What should i insolate my intire coop with

[justnewhere]

I have a coop but it isnt insolated at all not the walls or anything. I NEED HELP. Around here the coldest it gets is to -15 F what do i use????????

 

[greginshasta]

well, before you start thinking about insulation, the first matter is to be certain that the coop is dry and free of gaps that would allow wind to pass through.

Once that is taken care of, if you post pictures or a detailed description of your coop it will be a lot easier to help guide you as to what materials can be used for insulating the structure.

 

[justnewhere]

I know my coop is draft free but im only goin to hold 5 chickens i read that chickens produce alot of body heat. I dont want to use lamps in my coop but im thinking of insolation that you would use in a house but i dont know if the chickens would eat that. Also i need a material that is helpful and easy to clean. Ive read about the deep leater method but im still not understanding

 

[jjthink]

I only have 2 chickens and they are in a small wooden coop approx. 4' by 6' by 8' tall. Walls are insulated with regular insulation (the kind without formaldehyde). The insulation is covered with a kind of heavy plastic (not terribly aesthetic but it was available) so the chickens don't try to peck at the insulation. The coop has a window, skylight and door that are not insulated as well as a vent toward the top and I'm sure a lot of heat escapes so I also have ceramic heat lamps for when they look really uncomfortable. This coop is located inside another building with a cement floor and there is no worry of rats.... and since the coop is inside the larger building it doesn't get wet.

When I was caring for chickens in a coop that was free standing outdoors, rats did find their way into the insulation in that coop and they nested and generally made a real mess, including eating the chickens food.I had to clean and clean every morning and try to plug holes they had made in the floor (I didn't know for awhile that they were actually in the walls!). We ultimately had to rip all the insulation out and put new in and then covered it and the floor with hardware cloth (heavy wire grid). There was never another rat.

JJ