# Insulate or not?



## lttdoming (May 31, 2013)

I live in Massachusetts and we are seeing our 1st snow flakes today.
In my research I hear some people insulate their coop and some don't.

I have a simple plywood construction coop with 4 full size pullets and 1 silkie.

Do I need to insulate the coop. If so how?

I have local friends that differ on using a heat light during temps below freezing. We live in an area that can loose power. I would hate to heat then something happens. 

I'm just looking for some advice.


----------



## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

All of them can roost together? Then, no, they will keep each other warm. And the Silkie is particularly suited for cold weather. 

And no holes for cold air to go blasting through? It looks like its pretty solid where cold drafts won't be blowing on them. 

The only thing you might need to do if the temps get in to the teens is put vaseline on the big girls' combs to prevent frostbite.


----------



## Apyl (Jun 20, 2012)

I'm in Wisconsin, last winter we got to -40 degrees. I have a plywood coop, no insulation, and no heat . I did not loose a single bird. I do however have my coop with a tarp over it for the time being, but that's because it leaks and we are re-building come spring.


----------



## 7chicks (Jun 29, 2012)

We did insulate ours. Nothing fancy. Just the plain old rolled insulation tacked up between the 2x4 stud walls then we plywood over top of that. (like a house) Pleasant for us too when we sit out there to spend some time with the girls on those long cold winter nights. Our heat for them comes off our woodboiler so it doesn't add any cost to us to heat their home at the same time as ours. Yes, perhaps the girls are a wee bit overly spoiled...  But we wouldn't have it any other way.  PS, I live in Upper Michigan - above Apyl.  We are in the teens at night already. Brrrr. Wish Mr. Stinky would have gotten the memo that its time for him to go to bed for the winter! One of my rat terriers got sprayed in the face by a skunk last night in our back yard.


----------



## 5eggladies (Sep 24, 2013)

Vaseline? Sounds simple, but I'm trying to picture me catching each hen and smearing goop all over her comb. I can't envision a peaceful scene 
How often do you re-apply and any tips on logistics?


----------



## UncleJoe (Jun 23, 2012)

Apyl said:


> I'm in Wisconsin, last winter we got to -40 degrees. I have a plywood coop, no insulation, and no heat . I did not loose a single bird.


While we never get that cold, We will get spells of single digit temps.

No insulation

No heat

No lost birds. Ever.

Chickens have been around loooong before the advent of electricity and they seem to have survived to continue doing what they do; make us breakfast.


----------



## Apyl (Jun 20, 2012)

5eggladies said:


> Vaseline? Sounds simple, but I'm trying to picture me catching each hen and smearing goop all over her comb. I can't envision a peaceful scene
> How often do you re-apply and any tips on logistics?


lol I can picture it.
I've never done Vaseline. From what I read its the action of rubbing the combs that prevents the frost bite not the actual vaseline. I don't rub mine either, I just make sure my coop has ventilation so moisture doesn't build up to sit on the combs to freeze and cause frost bite.


----------



## dcfrenkel (Nov 1, 2012)

*on Coop insulation and Vaseline*



5eggladies said:


> Vaseline? Sounds simple, but I'm trying to picture me catching each hen and smearing goop all over her comb. I can't envision a peaceful scene
> How often do you re-apply and any tips on logistics?


I also live in MA. I have a coop which has a similar build to yours. It is not insulated. I only put a heat lamp above the roost on the nights that is going to be below zero. Some people don't even do that. I have never had a bird freeze to death. I keep different heritage breeds and their mongrel offspring. I do make sure to only have birds that are winter hardy and traditionally raised in New England or places with cold winters at least as bad as ours.

Your birds will be fine. I think that insulating the coop makes us feel good but doesn't make much difference to our chickens. My coop even has a small screen window on two sides, so it is not air tight to say the least. It is surrounded by trees and has a hill on one side so it is a bit protected from strong winds.

I have never seen Vaseline actually work to prevent frostbite. My friend who shows her birds insists on using it even though her birds still lose the points off their combs due to frost bite. The only thing that would work would be to prevent the comb from getting so cold (wool hats). Vaseline is not an insulator.

I have tried several things over the years for the combs. In the end I just accepted that after their first winter my hens and roos just won't have points at the top of their combs. Not the end of the world.


----------



## kessy09 (Jun 16, 2013)

You mean like this?


----------



## Courage (Sep 21, 2013)

robin416 said:


> All of them can roost together? Then, no, they will keep each other warm. And the Silkie is particularly suited for cold weather.


I thought that Silkies aren't good for cold weather because of the fact that their feathers can't hold in the heat well?


----------



## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Silkies originate from the coldest parts of Asia. They've been documented as being around for thousands of years. They actually have a tougher time in the heat than in the cold. They don't like wind much, probably because of their feather type but cold? Doesn't seem to affect them at all.


----------



## Courage (Sep 21, 2013)

Hmm, interesting!


----------



## kahiltna_flock (Sep 20, 2012)

My coop is insulated, but it was given to me that way. We were at -12 last night. This is my second winter with my birds. Last year I worried and did the Vaseline thing. I only kept it up for a bit. We still lost some tips of combs but they all survived. I won't bother with the Vaseline this year. To answer your question of how to do it, wait till they are roosting at night and scoop them up and apply. This year I only kept small combed or hens with no combs from my spring hatch. One less thing


----------



## CherylF (Mar 29, 2013)

I wait until they roost at night to put Vaseline on them. Very easy - helps to have 2 people. They learn to accept it quickly.


----------



## minmin1258 (Nov 5, 2013)

Kessy09 too cute!!! I need 18 of those please, when can u deliver them...lol!!!


----------



## phicri72 (Aug 24, 2012)

If you use supplemental heat, your birds are going to be used to the heat, and not the cold. What happens when in the electricity goes out? We live in Central Indiana and don't insulate. We also use deep litter, so there's built in insulation already, and the decomposition provides a bit of heat as well. Your coop should not be air tight, especially in the winter. While you want to avoid drafts, you do need plenty of fresh air so ammonia can evaporate and not cause breathing issues for you birds. We keep the pop door open, and the ventilation is provided by our roof design. We have metal corrugated roofing that sits over 2x4s, so there is alwaysfresh air moving through the upper area of the coop. Of course we keep the huge widow closed in the winter.


----------



## ThreeJ (Jun 28, 2012)

I have no insulation and only break out the heat lamp on only the coldest days, even then none of the chickens hang out under it. The heat lamp is more to keep the water unfrozen.


----------



## dcfrenkel (Nov 1, 2012)

*Chicken hat*



kessy09 said:


> You mean like this?
> 
> View attachment 13542


I love it!!!!!


----------



## 5eggladies (Sep 24, 2013)

Here is my coop. It's plastic (no longer-used playhouse - reduce, reuse, recycle!). I'm concerned the plastic might not insulate against the cold as well as wood. There is plenty of ventilation, so condensation shouldn't be a problem. Anyone else have plastic? Did the chickens fare well?


----------



## rena88651 (Apr 28, 2013)

The only thing I'm considering insulation is my give gallon poultry waterer.


----------



## phicri72 (Aug 24, 2012)

Well, it does provide insulation in the form of the air between the "layers" of the plastic. I don't know how that would compare to wood R value though. I have seen coops being sold made out of similar plastic however.


----------



## phicri72 (Aug 24, 2012)

TSC, Rural King, Target, etc... sell heated dog water dishes for around $15 if you get the on sale. They have a built in thermostat, so need to worry about turning them on or off. Just sit your waterer on top of the heater that has also been filled with water or sand, since they will conduct heat better than air. We've used this with our plastic waterer, and no solid freeze ups yet. Sometimes the top of the waterer forms a bit of ice, but the water in the "trough" ring is never frozen.


----------



## 5eggladies (Sep 24, 2013)

Well, we've had a few nights in the teens and they seem happy and healthy in the morning! I purchased a heated dish from farm and tractor supply for $19.99. It keeps the water thawed nicely. I did discover that forgetting eggs in the coop overnight makes for frozen eggs in the morning! Some of the shells cracked, too. Oops!


----------

