Winter’s coming and you need to winterize the chicken coop and I’m going to show you how to do it for as frugally as possible, in fact this method of insulating my backyard chicken coop was FREE. Read more to find out how I insulated the chicken coop for winter.
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My husband and I had been looking at how to winterize the chicken coop and have seen some amazing ways to do it online from deep littering the bedding in the coop to heated lamps and pop up car ports. This whole method of winterizing the chicken coop was all my husband’s idea. He gets full credit for this one and it’s so simple, I can’t believe we haven’t seen it anywhere else so today, I’m sharing this frugal way of insulating your chicken coop that you can try.
How To Winterize The Chicken Coop
We simply stapled cardboard boxes which had been flattened and cut to size across the beams in the coop then filled the recess with straw. Yep, you read that right. We used cardboard and straw to winterize our chicken coop.
For real! It’s that simple!
Take a look at my YouTube video below to show you what the winterized chicken coop looks like:
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How It Works
The straw traps air and insulates and the cardboard keeps it in place. This method of insulating works really well if you have exposed beams with a bit of a gap before the outer wall. Cardboard also has insulating qualities, if it is the corrugated stuff. You can repurpose shipping boxes, moving boxes and anything else with thick cardboard.
Supplies Needed To Winterize A Chicken Coop
To winterize the chicken coop you will need:
- Staple gun
or stapler
- Staples
- Straw or hay
- Cardboard
- Scissors or craft knife
- Tape measure
- Diatomaceous Earth
(optional)
or staplerMake sure you have plenty of staples for your staple gun, we ran out from some other homestead projects then ran around trying three different stores looking for staples. Be prepared before you start!
How To Winterize Chicken Coops Step By Step
To in order for us to winterize the chicken coop one of us had to get in the coop so we drew straws. Our coop is big and sturdy enough to support my extremely ample figure, however, use caution before climbing into a coop and check for signs of rotting, joints which are not well secured etc. If you have a smaller coop like this one
Related Post: If you have a store bought chicken coop
Step 1: Clean Out The Coop
Clean your chicken coop out thoroughly. I’m talking ceiling to floors clean out here this will help prepare the coop for winter and it’s always good to clean everything out to help keep things sanitary. Dust Diatomaceous Earth 
Step 2: Measure The Distance Between Beams
Grab a tape measure to measure the area where you will be stapling the cardboard. Mark the dimensions on the cardboard.
Step 2: Cut The Cardboard
Cut the cardboard pieces to the dimensions needed. You can overlap the cardboard if needed to get the pieces to fit. I folded and overlapped the cardboard at the corners to ensure a good fit.
Step 3: Staple The Cardboard
Staple your cardboard either on one length ways side or staple at the bottom and a few inches up to make a sort of pocket. Some of the cardboard with the crease or bend comes in very handy for corners!
Step 4: Get Stuffed
Fill your cardboard pocket with as much hay or straw that it will take.
Step 5: Staple It Shut
Staple up the remaining sides. Continue throughout the coop until the sides are covered. We had to cut out holes for the rod/pole holder which we use for the perch.
Ensure you cut space for the perches to go back into the holders.
Learn more about keeping backyard chickens with these posts:
Keeping Chickens Healthy In Winter
Raising Chickens In Your Backyard
Heat Lamp Or No Heat Lamp?
I know many people use heat lamps and supplemental light to keep chickens laying over winter. We’re not going to be using a heating lamp, there have been too many cases of coops catching fire especially across the Wasatch Front and we don’t want to roast the chickens…just yet. We also don’t use supplemental lighting; the chickens need a break from laying and this naturally occurs during winter. We bought breeds of chickens which were cold hardy so we shouldn’t need a heat lamp as long as we can keep the birds dry.
WARNING: Given the materials used in this insulating method, a heat lamp is not suitable and poses a serious fire risk. If you want to use a heat lamp, DO NOT use this way of winterizing your coop.
Winterizing Chicken Coops Summary
This method of insulating a chicken coop has been great. It uses all the cardboard we have from getting our dog food delivered and helps to keep the temperature of the chicken coop cool in summer and warm in winter. We also made sure to insulate the roof to keep the chickens nice and snug over winter. I like to provide them plenty of bedding to hunker down into on the colder nights in midwinter.
What’s your favorite way to winterize your backyard chicken coop?
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That is so simple I think I could even do it! I have been worrying about my chickens being out in a cold Montana winter, even though I bought sturdy resilient breeds. I am going to have to do this this weekend before snow flies. Thank you for sharing.
Hi Cara,
Thank for for stopping by. I hope it works for you in Montana, we used plenty of straw and corrugated cardboard to provide air pockets for insulation. Let me know how it goes!
Very good information and thanks for following my blog.
Thanks for stopping by Marylou 🙂
Straw as a insulation? This is pure invitation for mices and rats
Potentially yes but any chicken coop has a potential with food or water being left out. I have not found any rodent activity in my coop with the insulation in place.
What are you doing with your Windows/ventilation?
Hi Mary, we put a board over the hardware cloth window then open them up partially for ventilation.
I saw a photo on the internet of someone using old towels as drapes/curtains to reduce drafts inside the coop.
I love having backyard chickens. I have learned many interesting and funny things about chickens. For example ; We had some cardboard left over from power tools we purchased. Like most guys I was excited about new power tools and left the boxes in the yard. The chickens were pecking at the cardboard and eating it.
We also put straw for bedding in the laying boxes and on the floor of the coop. The chickens ate that too.
Has anyone else had similar issues or are my chickens exceptional!
My chickens don’t peck at cardboard but one of my dogs eats cardboard whenever he can!
Hello,
I’m wondering how cold it actually gets where you are using this manner of insulation? I live where it gets down to -40 most winters so it is cold.
I have in the past used many different versions of insulation on my coops. I’ve tried cardboard, straw, wool from my wool bags, styrofoam and the list goes on. The chickens either poke holes through it or the mice get it so this last time, my husband and I bit the bullet and built a proper coop that is almost rodent proof and insulated it with actual insulation and boarded up the inside. Cost a lot more but.
-10 F is the coldest I’ve seen it since I moved to Utah not accounting for wind chill factor. My current chickens haven’t pecked through it yet. This batch just might be more interested in other things in the coop/run.
Housing insulation like R-15 insulation and boarding up the inside would be how we would do it if we were to build a new coop so it is permanently in place as well.
Thanks for sharing your insulation tips especially for colder climates.
Have you tried to use Styrofoam? Any cons or pros?
I have tried Styrofoam insulation panels in my pre-fabricated chicken coop for insulation but I found that the chickens pecked at it where is was left uncovered. I stapled cardboard over the Styrofoam and my hens stopped pecking at it so that may be an option for you to try.