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Owners of acreage or hobby farms are in a unique position. Whether they own a handful of horses, goats, cows, chickens or dogs (or maybe all?) they need practical solutions to protecting their animals from the winter weather. Unfortunately, most solutions are geared toward large-scale commercial applications and therefore cost prohibitive. Is the only option to not have animals around your spread? There may be at least another solution in radiant barrier.
Heat lamps and ceramic heaters can get costly, and a great deal of the heat produced is lost in the open spaces of barns and stalls. Many types of animals habitually group together out of either a communal instinct or a primal need to share body heat. Radiant barrier plays into those needs.
Unlike heat lamps or heaters which produce external sources of heat, radiant barrier serves as a way to contain heat by blocking its ability to pass to cooler spaces. For example, if radiant barrier were to line a stall where three goats slept at night, the radiant barrier would effectively contain the body heat those goats generated, preventing much of its loss to the elements. If the stall were to have a top as well as a slightly raised floor, heat conservation would increase still further.
Radiant barrier is made of 99% aluminum baked over a woven polyester scrim. The scrim makes the product durable and easy to handle, while the aluminum provides a highly reflective surface.
Place radiant barrier along the inside of that chicken coop you’re building, along all four sides, top and bottom. Use it to line dog houses as well.
In some cases you may want to cover the barrier with chicken wire or random 1×1 strips of wood in the event your animal likes to chew.
Aluminum insulation, also called radiant barrier or reflective foil, is an engineering marvel, one every small-time farmer or backyard animal lover should know about.
In areas of the country where the winter season brings fierce weather, it can be a real challenge to keep animals like chickens and goats warm enough to survive the elements. Sure, large-scale farmers have the kind of operation that incorporates special housing and heat sources to protect their flock. Until now, hobby farmers have had little choice but to make big investments or hope for mild temps.
This ingenious material is lightweight and easy to handle. It consists of a woven polyester scrim sandwiched between twin panels of 99% aluminum. The result is a strong, reflective film capable of reflecting radiant heat back to its source.
Imagine lining your chicken coop with aluminum insulation. That includes the ceiling, four walls, and beneath the wooden floor. The product will contain the chicken’s body heat rendering the space warm and toasty.
The same approach applies to the little den you probably build each winter for your goats. While there’s concern they may eat something they shouldn’t, again you can line the areas beyond their reach – ceiling and between stall walls. For warm-blooded goats, this can be especially helpful. You can even add a low-watt heat lamp to add in extra warmth.
I haven’t tried the product with other farm animals, but did decide to line the house of my two new puppies. As you might imagine, they eat everything, so I had to be extra careful during the application to pull the roll very taught. I used firring strips to help protect the seams and keep the dogs from getting purchase on the edges with their mouths.
This winter, consider installing aluminum insulation on your hobby farm.