# Winter heating and insulation



## doodlehike (Jul 27, 2013)

We bought a house with a nice, big coop in middle Tennessee where the winters are not too bad (very rare snow and temps generally around or slightly below freezing overnight). The coop sits on the back side of a hill where there is a lot of protection from wind, however, it was built like a tobacco barn with spacing between the boards. It's been great through the summer with lots of ventilation, but I'm worried about winter. Should we line the coop inside with plastic or other insulating material? Do we need a heat lamp or other source of heat? The idea scares me as I can just picture my coop up in flames.


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## Bee (Jun 20, 2013)

doodlehike said:


> We bought a house with a nice, big coop in middle Tennessee where the winters are not too bad (very rare snow and temps generally around or slightly below freezing overnight). The coop sits on the back side of a hill where there is a lot of protection from wind, however, it was built like a tobacco barn with spacing between the boards. It's been great through the summer with lots of ventilation, but I'm worried about winter. Should we line the coop inside with plastic or other insulating material? Do we need a heat lamp or other source of heat? The idea scares me as I can just picture my coop up in flames.


You don't need to insulate or heat the coop. You can take some cardboard and tack up over the cracks located around the roosting areas but I wouldn't get too enthusiastic about it blocking off all the cracks.

What you can do~and your coop sounds ideal for it~is to use deep litter in your coop to keep your bird's feet warm and create a warmth from the composting process. The good ventilation you have in your coop would be excellent for this method.

There are threads here about the process that can give you more info on it and you will be glad you tried it. It keeps down smell and flies, as well as making a healthier coop environment for your birds.


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## doodlehike (Jul 27, 2013)

Thanks for the info, Bee! I'll look into the deep litter.


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## Chicka-Js (May 3, 2013)

Doodlehike where in middle TN are you I'm just outside of Nashville


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## doodlehike (Jul 27, 2013)

I work in Nashville at Value Vet on Nolensville Rd and live in a tiny town East of Carthage (East of Nashville) called Elmwood.


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## Chicka-Js (May 3, 2013)

Ha! Small world. We are in Madison now(rivergate) but I started in Lebanon just across the bridge from Gallatin then I lived in Hartsville for just over a year got married and moved to east Nashville and then Madison. We got our chickens from a farm in Carthage


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## Apyl (Jun 20, 2012)

No need. We're in central Wisconsin here, got down to -40 last winter and everyone survived without insulation or heat.


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## Sundancers (Jun 20, 2012)

No heat and no insulation here in Va. To be honest they are a rather hardy breed that can do well for themselves. (till we as humans think we know what is best for them. )

Best of luck...


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## Nm156 (May 16, 2015)

No added heat or insulation here..


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Nm156 said:


> No added heat or insulation here..


Remind everyone how cold it gets in your neck of the woods.


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## Nm156 (May 16, 2015)

Feb. 2015...............


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

You're not kidding! That is real cold. Lately I've been on a kick reading about all those in the 18-1900's seeking the north or south pole and living in weather that's frequently -40 or so. I cannot imagine.


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## chickenqueen (Jan 9, 2016)

Nm,I have cold winters,too,but I put lights out in the coop.I know the cold is more of an inconvenience than anything but it makes me feel better.It's still cold,the water would freeze if I didn't have the heated waterer,but the chill is off.If it's 10 degrees or colder in the daytime,I don't let them out and at 20 degrees,I put out 2 lights.Like I said,they probably don't need it but it makes me feel better.And on those really cold nights,they get extra treats right before roosting time so they have full bellies and digest it it all at night,keeping them warm and cozy.(I hope!)


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## Nm156 (May 16, 2015)

I forgot that that coop(8x10 metal shed) did have insulation.It was used more to block drafts than to trap heat.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Do you end up with condensation dripping from the roof? I did in mine down in TN during the Winter time and had to cover the ceiling to prevent it getting everything wet.


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## Nm156 (May 16, 2015)

Yes it dripped every time it got above freezing.


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

We had some Styrofoam sheet insulation thatwe put on the ceiling just to stop condensation. No heat in our coop either, but we don't get nearly so cold as Nm.


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## Nm156 (May 16, 2015)

From an 8 x 10 shed to a 4 coop junkyard!!!!!!!!


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Proof that four is never enough.

To solve my drip issues I stapled heavy duty plastic to the roof joists.


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## chickenqueen (Jan 9, 2016)

I use a metal shed also,but I don't recall moisture on the ceiling.I will watch for it this year and take necessary precautions.I may even get some styrofoam this week and put it up anyway.If nothing else it's extra insulation.So far it's warmer than usual and would be a good time to do it instead of waiting until I have a problem and have to address it in freezing temps.


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

What should generally help is ventilation. It may work if you run it half a day every day. Or maybe just make some vent holes way up the wall.


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## IncubatorWarehouse (Nov 28, 2016)

I live in Idaho, it gets pretty dang cold here too. Most of my standard breed chickens do just fine, but I did notice a Mille that I had was not handling the snow very well. She was the only one I ever had an issue with, never ran a heater or insulation besides some straw on the ground. Best of luck.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

seminolewind said:


> What should generally help is ventilation. It may work if you run it half a day every day. Or maybe just make some vent holes way up the wall.


Ventilation doesn't solve the issue with an uninsulated metal roof. It's caused by the warm bodies, the moisture they give off rising to the cold metal and condensating.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

IncubatorWarehouse said:


> I live in Idaho, it gets pretty dang cold here too. Most of my standard breed chickens do just fine, but I did notice a Mille that I had was not handling the snow very well. She was the only one I ever had an issue with, never ran a heater or insulation besides some straw on the ground. Best of luck.


Most will shovel paths for their birds. Don't want them to have to touch now do we? When I still had my flock of Guineas I didn't let them out if we had any snow because they took straight to the trees to avoid touching it. Luckily living in TN the snow never stayed.


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