Will a trailer coop without insulation be ok for cold winter? pic

[freshegg]

I have a trailer that we turned into a coop work for the winter with no insulation. Its not done have to add nesting boxes and roost. In pic you can see the hardware cloth opening will I have to cover this or leave it for ventilation? we havent used this yet just let turkeys in it but they dont use it just roost on the open door.

 

[d.k]

Very clever idea. As to weather worthiness--- ???? You should definitely cover the open windows with hardware cloth though. Racoons may have a harder time climbing aluminium, but I'd never put it past the buggers to find a way. Besides, you don't want owls taking advantage, either. How's the floor?? What's it made of. . .

 

[Anny]

How cold does it get in the winter around you?

 

[d.k]

* If it's too cold, Home Depot here has some foam board insulation that here costs about $5 a 4x8 sheet. They probably have something similar up there. You might consider something like that.

 

[freshegg]

ok I have hardware cloth over the windows hes back there in pic screwing it on. if I got the insulation board wouldnt I have to put wood over it so they dont peck it apart? the floor is plywood but im thinking of putting lanolium over it. it gets real cold here some nights below zero. I need to know if the ventilation will be ok with the eave area in pick being left like that with hardware clothe? maybe if I got some rubber type tarp material and cover them when its real cold or windy. Ideas?

 

[Sylvie]

Yes they peck apart foam board!!! I just had them do it. They weren't in the coop 30 minutes and there were giant holes. I stapled plastic sheeting over and they can't get to it now. Just waiting for payday to buy something to line the inside over the foam, but the plastic is working so far.

 

[freshegg]

bump need more input on leaving wire open or not

 

[redhen]

hi fresh egg!..i dont live far from greenfield!..

..i'd find a way to cover any wire openings..just in case we get a bad winter...but..make it so you can also open it up when the weather is ok...cause they will still need some sort of ventilation in there....i'm going through this now also...

..trying to fiqure out how to close it up..but still leave something open for ventilation.

...i wish you luck!..Wendy

 

[freshegg]

do you think thick rubber flaps over them would be enough? that way I can tie them up or down as weather changes.
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[Chickenaddict]

I dont see why rubber flaps wouldn't work, Try the deep litter method inside over the winter with either straw or pine shavings or a mixture of both about 6 to 8 inches that way they can dig a deep nest to help keep warm. Depending on what type of chickens you have you shouldn't have a problem keeping them in there over winter but i would definately put in some insulation but make sure to keep plenty of ventilation so things dont get moldy like mine did last year.... Bob vila over here thinks he knows it all but bit his lip pretty hard when he saw the damage from not doing things the right way but rather the cheap way. We glued cardboard over the foam insulation so they couldnt peck at it. It was cheap and we had plenty laying around (hubby loves his beer).