Winter insulation

[kesali]

How many of you living in harsh winter conditions have insulated coops? I have seen some coops here in northern Wisconsin that are not insulated, but we can have long periods of -20 to -30F and shorter periods of even colder. I am just building my coop and think it is necessary to insulate it. While I am at it, which is better the styrofoam or the regular rolled insulation? It will be my first winter with chickens and I am not looking forward to it. The chickens probably aren't, either!!

 

[hcppam]

-5 Not insulating, I plan to have a small wattage lamp 40 watt on in their coop, it is tight, and I only have 8 chickens and the average temp is around 15-28 degrees at night

 

[riverchicks]

Also in WI, but not way up north. Hubby is starting our coop tomorrow and we plan to insulate. I'd love to hear opinions on which type of insulation is better. Best of luck with that coop!

 

[teach1rusl]

Not in WI at all...Indiana here. I've never regretted insulating - have found benefits in winter and summer. We just used the (cotton candy) fiberglass kind R13 in the walls, and R19 in the ceiling. Just remember that you still need adeq. ventilation, even with insulation.

 

[chicken grandma]

I used that silver coated styrafoam insulation to insulate my coop. We get down to zero here in W. Michigan and it can stay in the teens for weeks.
The styrafoam is wonderful insulation, but the hens eat it. So I had to put the insulation up and then cover it with cardboard so they would not peck at it!
I highly recommend the insulation. I have an 8X10 coop and it cost me $100. I do use a heat lamp also.

 

[karlamaria]

20 and 30 below here and for weeks at a time off and n all winter, did my coop well and used the fluffy pink stuff, also put in solar windows on 3sides. In the process of having a new run built for the winter with a roof, and will be putting plastic all around it with straw on the ground for there feet. I want my girls happy and not to cold. We will also be putting a heat lamp in.

 

[coldupnorth]

We're in northern Minnesota and have the same kind of weather. Our coop is insulated with regular rollout yellow insulation between the walls and the ceiling. We have ventilation - open 4" along both long sides that we can close when it gets really, really cold. We do use a heat lamp too, because it still gets really cold in there.

 

[True Grit]

We sandwiched 1 inch foil covered foam board between sheets of plywood for all walls, ceiling and floor. I have a hole cut in the ceiling for the heat lamp to hang through over the roost. Never had a snowflake or raindrop in the coop no matter how bad the weather outside. When it is -20 you don't need all that much ventilation open I find (really just a crack) since the air is so dry and I only have 4 chickens. I like it in the summer too.

 

[zekii]

We're in New Hampshire, our winters are cold, weeks of 10 - 0F weather, and occasional weeks of below 0 , and we do get some
good snow storms. We insulated the walls, and roof of our coop. Use rolled batting insulation for the walls, and foam board for the ceiling. The coop is 1 to 3 feet off the ground (on slope) no insulation, be we are using the deep litter method so will have about 4 to 6 inches of composting litter by winter. Don't plan on adding any heat source other than heater for water, and maybe a light to keep the hens laying longer.

Very limited use early this past spring, but we had our 8 week old chicks out in the coop by the end of April under two 60 watt lights, and they all survived and feathered well.
So far this summer the coop inside has remained rather on the cool side compared to the outside temps, and we have had no moisture/mold issues, droppings have dried quickly. So we are happy with the insulation and ventilation so far, but his will be our first winter, so that will be the ultimate test !!!





Clint

 

[KayfromWI]

What kind of paneling do you put over the insulation? I would love something washable. I was thinking of vinyl flooring over the insulation? (I also live in WI and the shed comes next Monday!)