Insulating a chicken coop for the winter with your own hands: technology, photos, videos

Insulating the roof of a chicken coop

When planning a construction, it is recommended to think about the attic and make a structure with a reliable black ceiling. Subsequently, bedding and feed material can be stored there.

In relation to the finished structure, almost the same materials are used (to insulate the roof, additional waterproofing and vapor barrier are used), only the fastening methods change:

Vapor barrier (vapor barrier films, membranes) is the protection of insulation from moisture that is produced inside the building.
Waterproofing (roofing felt) serves the same purposes, but is laid outside to protect the insulation from precipitation and condensation formed due to temperature changes.

Step-by-step instructions for insulating a chicken coop

Based on cost, the most convenient type of insulation is polystyrene foam and mineral wool. Before starting insulation, the following tools are required:

electric drill;
roulette;
screwdriver;
level;
assembly knife for cutting foam plastic;
construction stapler;
hacksaw.

Next, the material is calculated for the entire room. List of materials:

timber for making a frame (4/4cm);
sheets of polystyrene foam or polystyrene foam;
self-tapping screws (for installation in wooden walls), dowels (for hard surfaces);
mineral or basalt wool;
vapor barrier film;
any available panel material (plasterboard, plywood, reinforcing mesh).

The walls are insulated first. The procedure is as follows:

Along the entire surface of the walls, timber is vertically reinforced at a distance of 60 cm (the width of the insulation). To do this, a beam of the required length is mounted with fasteners (screws, dowels) to the wall, thereby creating a frame for laying insulating material.
The vapor barrier is fixed with the rough side to the wall. The film is secured with double-sided tape or a construction stapler.
The next thing to install is insulation. This can be a sheet of foam plastic, mineral wool, or both, depending on the thickness of the walls and climatic conditions. The material is installed on top of the film and tightly joined to the beam. The foam is fastened using umbrella dowels (large diameter cap).
The final stage is to cover the foam sheet with panels or attach a reinforced mesh. Next, the walls are plastered with cement mortar.

To insulate the roof from the inside, use the same sequence of actions as for the walls. Before the cold weather begins, it is necessary to check the condition of the roof to prevent it from leaking. After the work has been done to insulate the room, the outside walls can be insulated in the same way, but plastered fairly well.

Insulation quality control

It is impossible to visually assess the quality of insulation, because possible imperfections are located inside. Usually for these purposes they resort to a thermal imager, but in the case of a chicken coop this is not advisable. Therefore, quality control is carried out at the stages of material selection and proper installation. Possible errors may lead to the following:

if the material is chosen incorrectly, cracks appear due to shrinkage;
If the installation rules are not followed, the vapor barrier seal is damaged, and the lack of ventilation leads to the walls getting wet and freezing.

To be sure of the quality of the purchased material, you need to pay attention to the following points:

proven, well-known brand of the manufacturer;
selection of material with suitable characteristics;
product integrity.

High-quality installation of insulation will guarantee their long-lasting service and preservation of heat in the room throughout the winter.

What symptoms indicate that a chicken cannot lay an egg? More details about this, as well as what to do in this case, are written here.

How to properly raise Linda geese at home? We talked about this in our article.

Cost of insulation

Depending on the size and manufacturer, the price of packaging varies:

Foam plastic - from 2000-2500 rub.
Mineral wool from 400-1000 rub.
Basalt wool from 400-1200 rub.
Foil penofol - from 300-1700 rub.
Waterproofing – from 250–400 rub.
Penoplex - from 100-400 rub.
Vapor barrier - from 200-2000 rub.

Insulating a chicken coop is a necessary measure for wintering chickens, which guarantees the preservation of livestock and egg production for the entire period. Properly organized insulation allows you to create optimal conditions for birds at different times of the year.

We insulate the walls

It is better to build a home for chickens from natural wood. If the climate in the region is mild, then the building is made of boards. In more severe conditions, logs and timber are used.

Depending on the building materials from which the poultry house is made, the method of work and thermal insulation material are chosen. It can be mineral wool, moss, penoplex and much more.

Insulation is carried out on the outside of the building and on the inside. The outer side of the wall is plastered. If cracks appear on the walls after drying, they are covered with clay mortar and sand.

Mineral wool

When using mineral wool, it is necessary to prepare the sheathing of beams in advance. The beams are laid vertically. The distance between them is left 10 mm less than the width of the insulation.

After installation of the lathing, heat and vapor barrier is made using foil. This must be done, since mineral wool tends to absorb moisture. Then mineral wool is placed in the sheathing and secured to the wall.

Penoplex

Penoplex is made on the basis of polystyrene and is produced in the form of dense slabs measuring 120x60 cm. The structure of the material is fine-celled. When joining parts, no gaps are formed, since each element is equipped with a solid L-shaped edge.

The material has high heat-protective properties and does not emit harmful substances or unpleasant odors. Penoplex is used both in regions with harsh climatic conditions and in hot ones, since the material can withstand temperatures from -50 to +75 °C.

The service life of the insulation is about 50 years. The material is toxic when burned and is used only with plaster, which is its disadvantages.

Other ways to insulate the walls of a chicken coop

Polystyrene foam is another thermal insulation material used to insulate the walls of a barn. This is a lightweight material consisting of foamed polystyrene granules.

Each manufacturer has its own density and strength of the material. Antiperen, which is included in some types of foam, has anti-fire properties.

Polystyrene foam will be an excellent choice for insulating the walls of a chicken coop due to its advantageous price-quality ratio

Therefore, it is better to insulate walls with a material that includes this component:

The insulation is glued to the wall from the inside or outside of the room. The surface of the wall must be absolutely flat.
The material is carefully fixed and plastered.
The thickness of the sheet for the facade should be 5-6 cm.

Foam plastic has good thermal insulation properties, a long service life, does not require additional waterproofing, and is inexpensive.

Despite all its advantages, this is a fragile material that does not allow air to pass through well. When ignited, it releases harmful substances.

Calculation of chicken coop parameters

You can very easily calculate the size of the chicken coop using a simple formula: one square meter for four chickens. In addition, you need to think about the foundation for the bird’s future home.

The most important thing for the foundation of a chicken coop is strength. As a rule, the foundation is made of ordinary concrete. There are several reasons for this:

Preventing boards from rotting. If they are isolated from the destructive effects of wet soil, then the building itself will be much stronger and more durable.
Preventing Undermining. It's no secret that foxes and other wild animals, and often domestic dogs, are not averse to eating chicken. Once they hit the concrete base, they won't be able to dig a hole into the coop and cause you any damage.

If you don't want to make a concrete foundation, then just carefully line the entire bottom of the coop with iron sheets.

Insulating the chicken coop

Our conditions are such that if you don’t take care of the question of how to properly insulate the chicken coop for the coming winter, the bird will simply die from hypothermia. How to do this?

First of all, during construction, a vestibule must be built in front of the entrance to the chicken coop. This will stop the flow of icy air directly into the room. Once past the vestibule, he will have time to warm up at least a little.

To retain more heat in the chicken coop, you need to make a vestibule. Click to enlarge.

They are good because they can be regularly replaced with new ones, which means the chicken coop will always be clean. It is customary to line the inside of the roof and walls with felt.

During particularly frosty times of the year, care should be taken to connect heating appliances. They can be different - both incandescent lamps and air heaters. The most important thing is that the heating devices cannot be reached by the chickens.

If desired, you can find special films or heating panels made of metal on the market or in a store. They will release heat into the room using infrared radiation.

This method of heating is convenient and economical, since with its help your birds will be able to survive even the most severe cold without any losses, while the energy consumption will not increase, which means it will not hit your pocket.

It is worth approaching this matter with the utmost care, because it is the work you do that will determine how the birds will feel and how well they will lay eggs.

Some tips

Following our advice, your chicken coop will be a reliable home for birds. Click to enlarge.

So, in the chicken coop it is necessary to equip a convenient place where the chicken can safely lay eggs. To do this, you need to install a box filled with sawdust in a secluded corner.

Also, the bird's home requires constant cleaning, so during construction it is best to immediately take this circumstance into account and make the floor slightly inclined towards the door.

Fences for bird walks should be dug into the ground. This is done for greater reliability and to ensure that predators cannot get to the chickens.

You should not purchase a large mesh barrier mesh, since in this case the chickens may escape from the enclosure.

We looked at how to build and insulate a chicken coop. As you can see, everyone can do this.

How to insulate a chicken coop, barn, barn cheaply

Often in a subsidiary plot or on a small farm there is a need to insulate rooms and buildings where animals and poultry are kept. Usually these structures are not permanent, made of boards and plywood.

The goal of insulation is to maintain a positive temperature all winter without heating or with its minimum power - up to 2 kW for a building of about 30 square meters, and also to make the insulation extremely cheap. But that doesn't mean bad. Savings occur on finishing, “branded” materials, fastening design, and also because it is done with your own hands.

Simple cracks - large heat leaks

It is necessary to insulate a chicken coop, barn, and barn in a comprehensive manner. Most heat escapes with air exchange. No heating can withstand a draft...

First of all, you need to install the second glass on the sealant, if there is a window. Effective insulation of windows - for the winter, install a polyethylene film over the glass 15 mm over the slats on the sealant - a double-glazed window for a chicken coop. At a minimum, it is necessary to seal the cracks in windows and frames.

Next, where it opens, you need to put a seal along the contour. Perhaps a store-bought one that sticks on will work as well. Or you need to nail a layer of felt.

But there should be no non-adjustable gaps under doors or windows - this is the basis for insulating any building.

How to insulate a chicken coop?

Where it is necessary to insulate a chicken coop, poultry house or barn, there are often large quantities of natural insulation materials “under your feet” - straw, hay and wood shavings (small sawdust is not suitable).

To prevent any living creatures from growing in them, they need to be prepared. You will need lime (fluff, crumbly) and this is the main cost - one volume of lime per 10 volumes of material. And also, boric acid and copper sulfate are excellent anti-rotting agents.

In order for the material to be used in panels, it must be strengthened by adding 1 part of cement to 10 parts of material. A solution is made with the addition of antiseptics and mixed with the required volume of shavings, hay, and straw. It is laid in panels, on the ceiling when wet, and when dried it gains strength. It is advisable to prepare hay and straw with a length of 20 - 30 mm, which is sometimes problematic and labor-intensive. But it is the finely cut material that is easy to use and has the best heat-saving properties.

An alternative to all this is the use of polystyrene foam, a very cheap insulation material, especially if purchased in bulk. Sometimes it is cheaper, and most importantly faster and easier to install.

But lining with foam plastic will disrupt the steam exchange in the wood; over time, the structures may begin to rot and rot.

However, more often than not this is not critical for a chicken coop; besides, with other insulation materials you have to use vapor barriers, which also negatively affects the wood. Therefore, insulating a barn, poultry house, or chicken coop with polystyrene foam, as a very cheap insulation material, can be recommended as a way out of the situation.

We insulate the ceiling in a chicken coop or barn

First of all, we insulate the attic floor. You will have to use a vapor barrier, you can use ordinary thick polyethylene film. Without it, the insulation will get wet faster than dry. We cover it with overlaps, over the entire area of the ceiling with an overlap on the walls.

If nothing will be stored in the attic, then it is enough to cover it with treated (but without cement) hay-straw in a layer 20 - 25 cm thick. But if you plan to walk regularly, then it is better to make the flooring on a sheathing with a height of at least 20 cm, taking into account the ventilation. gap (insulation thickness 17 cm).

Dense foam from 25 kg/m3. with a minimum thickness of 12 cm, you can lay it without lathing in two layers with bandaging the seams in the layers, and throw boards and plywood on top of it, on which you can walk.

When using polystyrene foam, it is advisable to seal all the cracks with polyurethane adhesive crumbs.

How to insulate the walls of a barn, stable...

The plank walls need to be converted into shields. There should be a dense layer on the inside that prevents steam, and on the outside it should be more vapor-permeable. If there is no dense layer of material from the inside, then it is advisable to apply a vapor barrier from the inside in front of the straw insulation, just like on the roof.

The order of work is to install from the outside (or from the inside, which is better?) vertical beams 12 cm thick with a pitch of 600 mm and between them pour organic insulation with cement sequentially, filling the missing cladding from the bottom up. Coat the outer cladding with something water-repellent, for example, even waste oil.

The peculiarity of using polystyrene foam on walls is the absence of a vapor barrier and careful sealing of cracks. Dense foam plastic can be glued to the walls, and on top of it glue some kind of protection from ultraviolet radiation and water - the same thin plywood, which can be coated with paint on top. The recommended foam thickness is 10 cm.

We insulate floors and soil

Usually in a chicken coop, barn, or barn, the floors are made over compacted soil with some kind of bedding. Their insulation often comes down to adding natural (unprocessed) straw, hay, and shavings to the living creatures. You just need to remember to turn the contaminated layer over and change it in time.

In winter, soil is a natural heater for outbuildings, barns, and garages. Positive temperatures can be maintained by the heat of the earth. For this to happen, it is important to insulate the soil around the perimeter of the barn or poultry house to a width equal to the freezing depth in the given area.

It is best to butt end-to-end extruded polystyrene foam with a thickness of 8 cm or more to the foundation. But this is not cheap. Another option is the same hay and straw 15 - 20 cm thick, protected from precipitation by shields, slate with a slope, and from soil vapor - by roofing felt. Or simply - hay with a thickness of 50 cm, covered with boards - a pile. Even when wet, such a layer will give the desired effect....

As you can see, insulating a chicken coop or barn can really not be expensive at all. Such insulation, as a rule, is done by hand, but the labor intensity is not small, and the quality will depend on the care of execution...

Best answers

Galina M:

There is no need for a refrigerator if you can’t insulate the entire shed, insulate at least part of it. In villages, chickens winter normally, but only insulated sheds and I agree you can buy an infrared lamp (special for farm animals).

keep it at home

Vladimir:

Anyway, it will be warmer in the refrigerator

Alena Bykova:

Try insulating the shed

Alex U:

can the shed be insulated? lay down straws... cover the walls with something suitable...

Ali Baba:

It’s better if it’s new and already cut up - so that the pieces don’t freeze and each leg is in a separate bag)))))))

rrr:

in a normal barn chickens never freeze

Kotyara:

Insulate the shed with polystyrene foam and screw in a blue lamp... they will be warmer))))))))

Andrey ▒▒▒▒▒▒▒:

If there is no heating, then insulation is useless. Where does the heat come from? 4 frozen chickens will not heat the room. Either provide some heat, or bring chickens into the house.

Sergey Igorevich:

Insulate the barn and put up perches for the chickens; it’s cold on the ground, they need something to sit on...

Olga:

weirdos

Yuri:

Buy them a rooster, it will quickly warm them up)))

Lisa Halanay:

Instead of laying straws in the barn, you should throw a haystack there - the chickens will not freeze in the hay. And why a refrigerator? Make a small pen in your house and let them live until spring. In the warmth and light, even artificial light, chickens lay eggs well in winter.

Doberman Crystal:

I now have three elite chickens imported from China sitting in my apartment in a large exhibition dog cage. If the bird is cold, be sure to bring it somewhere warm; no amount of straw or hay will help. For a couple of months you will live with cheerful cackling)))) For domestic chickens, the favorable winter temperature is +10 degrees. Below it is already dangerous.

How to insulate windows and doors with your own hands

Heat leaks out of the coop due to drafts and through poorly fitted doors and windows. In order not to freeze chickens, before the cold weather, work is carried out to seal cracks and restore the integrity of door and window frames.

During construction, a double frame is provided for the window. It is better to make the opening itself on the south or east side to increase the flow of light. When cold weather sets in, a sheet of dense polyethylene is attached to the frame, filling the cracks with foam rubber or felt.

The door frame is insulated around the perimeter with a tape of felt or thick fabric, and the threshold is raised so that it does not blow across the floor. The door is covered on both sides with insulation - an old carpet, rug, felt.

General requirements

To create favorable conditions for the winter in a bird house, you need to satisfy a number of requirements:

The optimal air temperature for chickens is +15 °C, the minimum permissible is +10 °C. When the room cools to zero degrees or below, the bird stops laying eggs.
Keeping pets on bare concrete or soil is unacceptable. The floors should be insulated and a deep bedding should be made of straw, peat mixture or sawdust with shavings, as shown in the photo.
It is important to eliminate drafts arising from cracks in door and window frames. The door for the walk should close tightly.
It is recommended to insulate the walls of the chicken coop from the outside. Chickens can peck at the insulating material inside.
Full insulation involves covering the door panels.

No matter how carefully you try to insulate the chicken coop with your own hands, you will need to install one or more heaters indoors for the winter. With the arrival of frost, the temperature in the bird house will definitely drop to a minimum if heating is not provided. General information about the proper arrangement of a poultry house is given by an expert in the following video:

Note. The technology for building a shed from foundation to roof is described in detail in a separate manual.

Answers from experts

Vera Semyonova:

You think about insulation, but don’t think about all sorts of rats and ferrets. And Isovere this rubbish calmly makes nests. If it’s polystyrene foam, not the one that crumbles, but polystyrene foam. And it would be nice to use small chain-link to make a straight box. Why am I writing this because we lost both young chickens and quails, they were hanging on the wall in cages.

matilda:

This is youth, this is what I understand. her chickens care more than dances. Well done

Alexey Kochetkov:

isover :), and the door too, and film.

Lydia S.:

It depends on what kind of winter you have. We had brick walls with adobe in one barn, and brick and cement walls in the other. In one half there were cattle (two cows), and in the other, through a wicker net, there were chickens. And nothing, everything was ok. When it was very cold, they turned on the red lamps. But the lowest temperature was -25°C.

andromeda andromedovna:

Start from the floor

Liana:

Vera is right. . cover the walls and floor with metal mesh... and then lay down the plank floor... insulate the floor with 20-30 cm of sawdust... Over the winter, a ferret can suppress all the chickens and rats for nothing... I can ferret both a duck and a young goose... I will have to insulate the door and cracks.. T* in winter indoors d.b. not lower than +10* ..and lighting and heating with lamps are required.. Chickens will not lay eggs without light.. Dry brooms from any grass. . one for 1 winter day—that’s an average of 5 chickens.. (vitamin supplement).. Good luck..

Spark of God (gender husband):

Did you mean to write: so that chickens lay eggs in winter? Then insulate the door, at least with “isover”, and the roof and hang a light bulb so that there is light. But the chickens will live anyway, the main thing is that there is a roost!

Natalie Mur):

In our wooden barn, which was not particularly insulated, chickens lived and wintered; in the coldest weather, they turned on the heater (stove-tram) and they definitely needed light! There were no choreas in our village.

Phil Casidi:

The decision on how to heat a shed is best made at the stage of its design and construction. But, if you are planning to insulate a building that is already in use, then you can do it in two ways: decorate the walls and roof with thermal insulation materials or install a stove. You can also combine these two methods. To insulate a barn, a clay-sawdust mixture is often used, applied to walls previously lined with shingles (willow twigs can be used instead). It is attached at an angle of 45 degrees, starting from the corner of the wall. The clay is mixed with water and sawdust until a creamy consistency is obtained. After this, you can begin to apply the solution with a large spatula. The layer of such plaster should be at least 3-5 centimeters. This method is considered popular and quite effective, but modern materials can also be used. Details: ogodom /uteplit-saray-obshit-postroit-obogret

Elena Nikolaeva (Shchepkova):

Polystyrene foam, roll insulation (can be foil), etc. And it shouldn’t blow from anywhere. Sawdust is better for bedding. They will also absorb excess moisture. Water in a nipple-cup drinker: less evaporation and contamination. It's quite affordable. Ceilings higher than 1.8 m are not advisable. In a well-insulated and draft-protected room, a 75-watt light bulb is sufficient to maintain an acceptable temperature.

Vladimir Bulanov:

Well, it depends where. The cold triggers bend quickly.

Elena..-):

The chicken coop can be insulated with polystyrene foam, felt, sawdust, straw: The barn must be equipped with a vestibule at the entrance. It will serve as a barrier when winter air rushes into the room. The next step is to insulate the floor, roof and walls of the chicken coop using suitable material. In severe frosts, the chicken coop can be equipped with heating devices. The main condition is that they must be located in places inaccessible to chickens. Special panels for heating in winter are sold on the market. They are made of metal and film insulation and release heat inside the chicken coop using infrared radiation. Such heating does not require increased use of electricity, so it will not affect your costs.

Do-it-yourself natural insulation of a chicken coop

All the above efforts to organize heating of the poultry house can go to waste if the heat is not retained in the room. Therefore, it is necessary to insulate the floor, walls, ceiling, doors and windows.

To insulate the floor, peat, sawdust, small shavings or straw are used, which are covered in a continuous layer 8–10 cm thick.

Sawdust is an excellent option for floor insulation. But before that, you need to cover the floor with slaked lime to prevent the appearance of ticks and fleas. The litter itself can serve as a source of heat. How to properly organize such natural heating is shown above in the subsection “Without the use of electricity.”

Materials for the interior lining of a chicken coop can be very different: boards, plywood, plasterboard, OSB boards, lime-whitened plaster. Mineral wool or polystyrene foam are most often used as insulation - these are the most practical options.

The same technology can be used when using polystyrene foam as insulation. The joints between sheets of polystyrene foam can be sealed with polyurethane foam. Since chickens quickly peck at the foam, it is sheathed on the outside with any suitable material. When insulating walls with this material, you can do without lathing.

To do this, perform the following actions:

Sheets of foam plastic laid on the floor are primed and plastered (cement plaster).
Three days later, the foam is attached to the walls using “fungi” - fasteners with a wide plastic cap. The gaps between the sheets are sealed with polyurethane foam.
The polystyrene foam is again covered with plaster, then the plaster is whitened with lime.

If the construction of a chicken coop is just planned, then it is advisable to build it already insulated. Here is a well-proven insulated design option:

inside 3 mm plywood, painted with oil paint;
then 10 mm foam sheets;
the next layer is made of 20 mm boards;
The outside of the chicken coop is lined with galvanized iron.

Ceiling insulation

The ceiling is usually insulated with mineral wool or polystyrene foam. The process of laying insulation is the same as described above for walls: creating sheathing, laying vapor barrier film, laying insulation, installing finishing material (plywood, lining, OSB boards, etc.). If there are floor beams on the ceiling, then these beams can be used instead of sheathing.

Doors and windows

The windows in the chicken coop are made with double glass and cannot be opened, since they do not serve for ventilation, but only for natural light.
In winter, the window can be further insulated by covering the window opening with transparent plastic film. Doors, both large and small, for releasing birds must close tightly. They can be insulated by covering them with felt.

So, it is imperative to prepare the chicken coop for winter. Without insulation of the floor, ceiling, walls, windows and doors, proper organization of heating and ventilation, the living conditions for the chickens will be uncomfortable. At best, they will survive the cold, but you can forget about fresh eggs for the entire winter period. Therefore, it is better not to save money and equip the poultry house with everything necessary, especially since the results of this work will last for at least several years.

Floor insulation

Thermal insulation work on arranging a chicken coop begins from the floor. Any material can be chosen from insulation materials. This could be peat moss, straw or sawdust shavings.

To create a temperature of +26… +28 °C, deep bedding is required. If you lay a thin layer of insulation, the thermal insulation properties will be low.

Due to its low thermal conductivity, peat moss is often used as a thermal insulation material.

Moss peat for insulating the floor of a chicken coop

Peat moss is a universal material with absorbent properties. It efficiently absorbs moisture and chicken droppings.

Thanks to this, there are no unpleasant odors in the room, which makes the material an ideal insulation material. Birds do not suffer from dermatitis and various skin diseases, since their paws always remain dry.

In spring, the litter is removed and the beds are fertilized with it.

Straw as insulation for a chicken coop

The use of straw is the most popular option for floor insulation , since it has the ability to accumulate heat and retain it for a long time.

The material is laid more than 20 cm thick. During operation, the straw cakes and its layer becomes smaller. Because of this, the temperature in the room decreases.

To prevent this, 10 cm of straw is regularly added on top. To make the bedding soft, dry grass is laid on top of the straw. The material to be laid must be of high quality, free from mold. Otherwise, the mold will spread throughout the deck and expose the birds to serious illness.

Wood shavings and sawdust for heating the chicken coop

Tree shavings make good bedding for a chicken coop. It is poured in a thin layer onto the main flooring to add softness.

Coniferous sawdust is considered the best because it contains essential oils. The floor surface is covered with pine sawdust and small shavings in a ratio of 1:3. The litter tends to cake, so it is regularly loosened.

Insulation of the ceiling and roof of the chicken coop

The ceiling covering is insulated in the same way as the walls. A rough board is used as the first layer, then a waterproofing material, usually garden polyethylene, is installed. Then a sheathing is created, only the width between the bars should be slightly less than the heat insulator.

Thus, the ceiling lathing goes in increments of 0.57 - 0.58 m. The distance is reduced purposefully to be able to lay the insulation more tightly on the ceiling so that the sheets do not fall out.

Next, a heat insulator is laid - polystyrene foam or mineral wool, which is covered with a vapor barrier fabric.

Moisture-resistant plywood, OSB sheets or moisture-proof chipboard are used as the final finishing of the ceiling covering.

Ceiling and roof

Insulation of the ceiling area is carried out in a similar manner to the walls. The first layer of waterproofing fabric is attached to the ceiling rough board using a stapler.

Next, a wooden beam is mounted on top of the insulation. The spacing between the beams is a few centimeters less than the width of the thermal insulation material. As a rule, this distance is 57-58 cm.

Reducing the distance helps to secure the insulation more tightly to the ceiling. After laying the foam or mineral wool, a layer of vapor barrier is applied.

The final stage is to cover the ceiling area with OSB sheets. Alternatively, plywood or moisture-resistant chipboard can be chosen.

Insulation of chicken coop walls

Wall insulation is carried out both outside and inside. This depends on the materials that make up the house. If you plan to keep chickens all year round, then you take the construction of a chicken coop seriously. The walls are erected from solid building materials (brick, foam block). The surface of the walls must be plastered and whitened with slaked lime.

In regions with harsh climatic conditions, walls are additionally insulated with sheets of foam plastic or penoplex. Let's consider the characteristics of these materials.

Styrofoam

Polystyrene foam is polystyrene granules, foamed and compressed to the required thickness. The bulk of the material is occupied by air, which gives high thermal insulation and lightness to the product. Foam from different manufacturers has different strengths and densities.

It is worth giving preference to polystyrene foam, which contains anti-peren - an important component that protects the insulation from fire.

Used as a thermal insulation material, widely used in construction:

for the foundation (protection from soil pressure, the influence of cold);
for the floor (laying on the floor before the screed);
for walls (fastening from the outside and inside);
for the roof (installed in two ways - warm roof 70 mm sheet of foam in combination with bitumen and cold);
for the facade (a sheet 50-60mm thick is used, glued to smooth walls with special glue, fixed, plastered).

When purchasing polystyrene foam, you should know certain nuances in advance - the higher the density (stability), the lower the thermal insulation of the material. A low degree of strength and density implies protection from mechanical damage. The latest characteristics are used for insulation of frame and other premises.

A big advantage when choosing polystyrene foam as insulation is:

excellent thermal insulation;
its availability;
relatively low price;
durability;
does not require additional waterproofing, is resistant to moisture;
light weight;
ease of installation.

The disadvantages include:

low strength of the material;
does not allow air to pass through;
release of gases during fire that are hazardous to health.

Penoplex

Penoplex is a new generation of thermal insulation boards. It is a dense slab with a fine-cell structure, measuring 120 by 60 cm. The basis of penoplex is also polystyrene. A special feature of penoplex is the presence of a solid L-shaped edge, which allows joining of slabs without gaps.

In addition to the same purposes as the use of polystyrene foam, it is suitable for pipe insulation. It also has some properties:

high thermal protection;
does not emit fumes or harmful odors;
an extended temperature range (from -50 to +75 degrees Celsius) makes penoplex suitable for different climatic zones;
does not absorb moisture;
long service life (about 50 years);
withstands sharp freezing.

The disadvantages include:

not used without lining (plaster);
toxic when burned;
poor rodent barrier.

Foiled penofol

A relatively new type of insulation. It is a material characterized by high thermal protection qualities; it consists of a layer of polyethylene foam and reflective foil. The thickness of the base varies from 2 to 40 mm. Foamed polyethylene blocks direct heat transfer. It can be installed in combination with other thermal insulation materials.

If the walls of the chicken coop are thin (barn type of construction), the work on insulation will be much more. Insulation is achieved by combining different types of materials. Additional materials are mineral and basalt wool - used for thermal insulation of walls and ceilings. These insulation materials withstand temperature changes well, are hygroscopic, have fire-fighting properties and are easy to use.

Repair and wall covering

It is recommended to insulate the walls of the chicken coop in winter with foam foil. If the material used is not wood, the best insulation for the walls in the chicken coop will be slab materials and basalt-type wool.

Insulation with penoplex and polystyrene foam is best done from slabs. Installation will not take much effort and time, but for installing mineral wool, the opposite will happen.

It’s worth considering in more detail how to insulate a chicken’s home from the inside. Initially, you need to make a sheathing for the walls , which has parameters of 50x50 cm. After you have nailed the first beam, you need to level it in a vertical or horizontal position. The distance of the beam from the wall depends on what kind of insulation material it is. For example, if you take mineral wool with a parameter of 60 cm, then the distance between the boards will be 59 cm.

If you insulate the chicken coop according to the instructions, moisture will not leak out

If everything is calculated correctly, then this is how you can tightly and reliably insulate the poultry house. To strengthen wooden walls, you need to use nails and screws. If the wall is made of expanded clay block or foam block, then the grid should be strengthened with dowel nails. It is also necessary to install a vapor barrier film if a mineral product is used as insulation. During installation, you need to consider some details :

you need to decide on the outside and inside;
the material must be secured using special staples, which are attached with a stapler;
sheets should be placed on top of each other at a distance of approximately 3 cm;
The seams should be tightly glued with a certain solution.

Do not forget that the quality of the product will depend on whether it was cold in the chicken coop or not.
If the installation process is carried out correctly and carefully, then moisture will be absorbed steadily into the chicken coop. Once the film has been properly stabilized, the insulation itself can be applied. The material should be placed close to each other, and the thickness should be approximately 4 cm. If holes form between the materials during installation, they can be easily eliminated using construction foam. However, it is better to avoid this, otherwise heat will accumulate in such places.

also need to stock up on a certain fastener that can be combined with ordinary nails. Approximately 5 dowels should be used on one slab, and then a vapor barrier film should be applied.

You can insulate a poultry house quickly and efficiently, but you need to take into account that modern materials can be used if the chicken house is not built of wood.

Are chickens afraid of frost and can they winter in a greenhouse?

Important! At sub-zero levels, the productivity of chickens will drop sharply, but they will not die and will be able to survive. If the birds have been acclimatized to the surrounding conditions, then the lowest temperature they can tolerate is – +7 °C

If the birds have been acclimatized to the surrounding conditions, then the lowest temperature they can tolerate is – +7 °C.

In this case, the chicken coop should be well ventilated and free of drafts. Some summer residents use a greenhouse as a home for chickens. This is the most suitable place for birds, where they will receive enough light and be able to rummage in the ground all day.

Warming the floor of the room

Insulating a chicken coop with your own hands begins with choosing the material. It is divided into two types: shallow underlying layer (usually laid in one layer); underlying deep layer (usually laid in several layers).

You need to choose the right insulation for the chicken coop. It is recommended to use those components that create a deep bedding on the floor.

Because of this scheme, a biochemical process occurs that takes place in the inner layer of the litter. It is customary to use natural ingredients for it, which are the warmest, highest quality and inexpensive. How can you insulate the inside of a chicken coop for the winter :

straw;
wood sawdust;
peat;
hay;
moss.

In this video you will learn how to insulate a chicken coop:

They were called ancient and folk, as they were used a long time ago. Despite this, they remain popular in our time, as the materials are clean and help retain heat as much as possible.

It is also worth considering that moss has the ability to absorb fetid odors and droppings, thanks to which it is possible to partially maintain cleanliness. But this may cause problems with caking of the litter. It is light, so pressing will take the chickens most of their time.

Straw has the ability to retain heat for a long time, since the litter will go deep about 19 cm. Once it is laid, you can add another 4-6 cm, because straw also eliminates problems with moisture, thanks to which the birds will be healthy and able to lay eggs. fresh eggs.

It is not recommended to use modern materials for insulation, which do not absorb droppings and moisture well, especially if the installation is made of wood. After all, during cleaning during the dry period, difficulties may arise with modern materials, but with natural ingredients everything will be different.

How and with what to insulate walls

A warm barn for chickens is unthinkable without good thermal insulation of the walls. Plank walls are insulated in several layers - inside and outside. A vapor-proof layer is needed inside, and a more “breathable” material outside. If there is no additional layer of thermal insulation on the inside of the walls, you can use straw.

Outside, vertical beams are installed every 60 cm; the thickness of the beam should be 12 cm.

These beams act as lathing, which is then filled with natural insulation mixed with cement. The top layer is a facing layer and serves for decorative purposes. You should definitely think about the waterproofness of the walls, so it would be good to treat the facade with a water-repellent solution.

If you use polystyrene foam to insulate the walls, you must seal the gaps between the slabs well.

Foam boards are attached to the walls with glue, and then additionally covered with plywood sheets. If desired, the walls can be painted in any color or varnished. It is best to use polystyrene foam no thinner than 10 cm.

Insulation of chicken coop windows and doors

Windows and doors significantly cool the room. To prevent drafts from entering, it is necessary to insulate the openings. If the frames in the chicken coop are made of wood, then the glazing should be double.

At the same time, as additional insulation, it is recommended to apply sealant around the perimeter of the frame where the glazing bead passes. If the room is cold enough, then the window is covered from the outside with plastic film.

Don't forget about the ventilation system. The window must be equipped with a window.

The door is also insulated using thermal insulation material. Pre-treated with a protective coating against moisture. Felt is used as insulation.

A rubber seal is glued around the perimeter of the box, where the canvas adheres. As an alternative to wooden windows and doors, you can install metal-plastic structures.

Windows and doors

Another source of cold penetration into the room are window and door openings. Frames made of wood must have double glazing.

The air cushion between the glasses provides high-quality thermal insulation. For additional insulation when installing glass on the frame, you can use sealing material. An alternative can be silicone - acrylic sealants.

Silicone is applied in a thin layer to the surface of the bead installation areas. As an additional means of heat conservation, a polyethylene film is installed on the outside around the entire perimeter.

For better fastening, a thin-walled wooden strip is used. Or a similar window glazing bead. The window is made with an opening sash. This solution will allow ventilation. And in the warm period it will become a good ventilation area.

The wooden door leaf is treated with moisture-resistant impregnation over its entire surface. This allows minimizing geometric expansion due to changes in ambient temperature and moisture.

The inner surface of the door over the entire area is finished with a heat insulator. It is better to use felt or similar material. A rubber seal is glued in the area where the leaf adheres to the door frame. An alternative to wooden windows and doors can be metal-plastic products.

Insulation of windows and doors

The main part of the heat is evaporated from the chicken coop through the cracks in the window and door openings. Therefore, all holes are sealed with foam rubber, fabric, cotton wool and other available materials.

The insulated door should fit snugly against the walls to avoid drafts

To reduce heat loss, install one small window in the room, from which there will be enough lighting. The window is located on the south or east side.

Insulation:

Window. The window structure is equipped with two frames. In summer, the frame is removed and a mesh is installed instead, thanks to which the room is well ventilated. In winter, the window is covered with transparent polyethylene foam and trimmed around with felt material or other insulation.
Doors. The door is removed from its hinges and insulated from the outside and inside. The inside of the door is upholstered with dense material; film, foam rubber and felt are used for upholstery on the outside. Such insulation will qualitatively protect the poultry house from drafts.

Insulating the chicken coop floor

Birds spend a lot of time on the floor, so floor insulation must be done carefully. Before spreading the litter, the floor is inspected and any cracks are sealed. In winter, they use a deep type of bedding (an embankment 20-30 cm high).

To date, non-replaceable fermentation deep litters have proven themselves (Biogerm Germany, Netto Plast China). The cost varies from 2000-2500 rubles per 0.5 kg (for an area of 10 m²). They are a powdery product made from a mixture of bacteria and other microorganisms that are harmless to animals. The principle of operation is the biochemical processing of bird droppings inside the litter. The vital activity of bacteria generates heat (25-35 degrees) playing the role of a heater, and also eliminates odors of vital activity.

A big plus of this type of litter is the absence of daily cleaning of chicken droppings. The only requirement when using a mixture of bacteria in floor materials is to loosen the trampled litter 2 times a week. This is done to allow oxygen to penetrate into the inner layers. The supply of oxygen is an important element for the proper functioning of bacteria.

It is necessary to keep the litter dry during the winter season. Wet litter disrupts the work of microorganisms and the process of heat production stops. This leads to increased humidity and decreased temperature in the chicken coop.

It is also important to know that damp litter is a source for the favorable development of helminths, chicken mites, pathological microorganisms that cause coccidiosis and diseases of the respiratory system of birds. Suitable raw materials for bedding include peat moss, sawdust, hay, and straw.

The best choice for winter floor insulation is peat. This natural material has a number of useful properties:

Suitable raw materials for bedding include moss peat, sawdust, hay, and straw. The best choice for winter floor insulation is peat. This natural material has a number of useful properties:

absorbs moisture well;
eliminates odors from bird waste products;
has a soft consistency;
retains heat (chickens' paws do not freeze);
non-waste material (afterwards used as fertilizer).

A combination of raw materials for floor mats is possible. For example: straw (15 cm), sawdust (5-10 cm), peat moss (up to 10 cm).

It is not recommended to line the floor with sawdust only. The sawdust quickly becomes wet, and there is also a risk of birds eating the sawdust.

As the top layer of litter becomes dirty, replace it with a new one. And the bottom layer (10-15 cm) is left.

Deep litter: natural insulation of the chicken coop

In the village, where chickens were kept in the same room with cows and sheep in winter, no heating devices were required: the animals heated themselves. But even in a chicken coop you can do without infrared heaters if you provide deep bedding for the birds. For this:

pour slaked lime on the floor (1 kg of lime per square meter of chicken coop);
Add a layer of straw or sawdust. The thickness of the initial layer should not exceed 10 cm.

During the winter, the bedding layer will be trampled and wet, so it is necessary to loosen it with a pitchfork and add fresh straw. The litter, thanks to the composting processes occurring in it, will generate natural heat, and if there are no drafts in the room, and the wind does not whistle from all the cracks, in most cases this heat will be enough to maintain the optimal temperature in the chicken coop. Even in severe frosts, when keeping chickens on deep litter, the most minimal heating is required.

skol00 FORUMHOUSE Member

My chicken coop is not insulated, the floor is concrete, I cover it with straw. They can easily withstand temperatures down to -25, maybe more - I don’t know, I just live in the south of Ukraine. Chickens don't freeze.

The optimal temperature in the chicken coop in winter is +12 - +17 degrees.

An important point: deep litter in the chicken coop requires ventilation, otherwise ammonia emissions will accumulate in the house.

We insulate the ceiling and roof

If a farmer breeds chickens all year round, then the building is built with an attic. This allows you to store bedding, food and much more there.

But drafts moving through the attic remove heat from the house. To retain heat, the roof must be insulated. Insulation and implementation techniques are chosen depending on the structure of the roof. As a rule, the upper part of the building is insulated with mineral wool or penoplex.

Step-by-step description of the process of insulating the roof and attic

Before you begin insulating the poultry house, it is necessary to remove the bad parts of the wooden coverings.

If the boards have areas damaged by rot or mold, these areas are replaced with new parts. Before installation, new boards are treated with an antiseptic.

Step by step description:

It is customary to insulate the ceiling with mineral wool. It is laid on boards, covered with a vapor barrier film on top and secured on the underside of the frame boards with a construction stapler. For additional protection, a second layer of mineral wool is laid on top using the same principle.
The entire structure is lined with clapboard. The material is fixed with metal clamps.
To protect against parasites and rodents, the material is treated with special agents and then painted.

Attic and roof in the chicken coop

After the main part of the poultry house has been insulated, many believe that the repair work is completed. However, the roof, ceiling and attic are also important components that determine whether heat will be retained.

The attic is needed to store important components and floor mats. Strengthening occurs in almost the same way as with walls; hand-made and rolled materials are used . They can be simply laid out in the attic, since it doesn’t take much effort to secure them.

Insulating a chicken coop for the winter is not a difficult task. It is necessary to pay attention not only to the main part of the house, but also to the ceiling, roof and attic.