Who insulates their coop in Texas?

[beatrixkiddo]

I live in central Texas and I was wondering if I really need to insulate my coop? I have 4 RIR's and 2 EE's. My coop is draft free and has straw in it to help keep them warm.

 

[Cats Critters]

I'm not in Texas, I'm in PA where it is currently about 20 degrees and my coop has no insulation, with healthy happy birds. So I don't think you need insulation.

 

[screager312]

I'm in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas (10 miles north of Mexico) and in the process of planning/building my coop. The temps this week range from the highs in the 80's and as low as mid 30's. I think tonight the low will be in the 60's, today was windy as heck but warm. I don't plan on insulating my coop/tractor but will make ot draft free.

 

[Chicken.Lytle]

I live about a stone's throw from Houston. My winterizing effort was minimal.

They have not complained about it yet. And they do know how to complain !

 

[kitkatnoah]

I'm just outside of Houston & I don't insulate my coop. I do have straw on the coop floor & in any crevices in the corners. I do have adequate ventilation & my flock seems to be doing just fine. Last week it got down to 25 degrees, I checked on the chickens & their coop was warm, so I had no more worries.

 

[Kacey's Krazee's]

I'm about midway between Houston and Dallas. I live down in a valley, and my temps are always cooler than the surrounding area. I don't have insulation on my
coops, but have covered the outside open walls with tarps, and plastic sheeting. My original coop has more plywood on the sides, and about half is all wire. The second coop is completely open air, and this is also covered with tarps and sheeting. I am raising chicks in there, and they are doing fine. We have had at least one night down to 18, and several around 21. The chicks are doing fine. No heat lamp.

 

[elmo]

My new coop is fully insulated with radiant roof sheathing, but that's more to try to keep the coop cooler in the summer. Because I have tiny bantams, I do provide a little supplemental heat on freezing nights in the form of a De Longhi oil filled radiator. With the coop insulation, I can set the heater on its lowest setting and the coop stays 10-15 degrees warmer than the outside on the few truly cold nights we get here in the DFW area.

Last August during our heat wave, the insulated coop heated up inside more slowly than the outside air. Every little bit helps.

 

[cfdf]

I live in Central Texas too, just outside of Waco. I did not insulate my coop. So far so good. The problem I think we have here is the ever changing weather. We go from 80 one day and 20's the next. This doesn't give our chickens time to get acclimated to the temperature before it changes again. I have rigged up a heat source in my coop for the cold night's in the 20's. The first few cold spells I didn't have heat and I noticed my bantam's were shivering. The standards seemed fine but did have all their feathers fluffed out for warmth. After I added the heat the bantams stopped shivering and the standards seemed happier. I turn the heat on late at night and off in the morning. It doesn't raise the temperaature too much but it does seem to take the chill off. I guess if I would have insulated I might not be adding the additional heat. This is my first winter with my chickies so I'm still trying to figure it out too. As some of the others stated, the heat is more of a problem than the cold. I might look at adding insulation this summer. It's a guessing game until you've had chickens for a while a can see what works best for you and your chickens. So, to answer your question, if your chickens look comfortable and not shivering they will be fine without the insulation. You might want to start thinking about the summer heat though. It will be here before you know it.

 

[Tiffrz-N-Kidz]

I am in north central Texas, and I have a series of doghouses set up inside the predator resistant pen, all with deep bedding and roosts inside.

They prefer to sleep on top of the houses like a bunch of Snoopy dogs.

 

[Mac in Wisco]

When I lived in Abilene, I put insulation under the roof of our small coop to minimize the radiant heat during the summer. It made a huge difference.