10 Tips for a Cooler Coop - Page 2

We also put in a fan but it's a smaller one that mounts and then the fan head itself is adjustable to go up or down.  Also have been doing the 2 liter bottle filled with water and frozen.  We had company come over on Sunday and asked why we were giving our birds Mt. Dew.     The windows have been open and of course they have their enclosed run.  We haven't put the shingles on yet, so the shaker roof and the roof vent are a great idea and practical since we wouldn't be backstepping any.  Thanks for the ideas everyone!

My first summer with my girls I discovered on really hot days they wouldn't go inside the coop at night.  Turned out it was cooler outside so that is where they chose to stay.   

I cut a 4" hole to the top corner of the wall (at the apex of the roof) and put in a small computer case fan (12 volts) powered by a small solar panel.   Worked great because it was only on when the sun was out... which just happened to correspond to when it was heating up in the coop.

I live in Central FL, it gets VERY hot and humid here in the summer.  It's already getting that way now.  I am going to try the frozen 2 liter idea, but wanted to know about battery powered fans.  I ordered two from a boat supply site the other day.  They can be mounted up high.  Has anyone tried this? I don't have power in my coup.

Any other ideas for my girls? So far, when it's the hottest part of the day (3-4pm), they are going inside.

Thanks.

Good ideas everyone !

My husband just cut some plywood to fit the 2 windows on the south side(gets sun). They tilt out at the bottom and sit on the flower boxes I had under the windows, away from the window itself. That way the air is still circulating, the sun doesn't shine in and in case a bad storm comes up, the rain can't blow in. They are easily removed at night since they just "sit" there leaned up against it. So far the heat isn't as bad as when the sun was shining in. I also spray the roof with water and this am sprayed their run. Supposed to get in  90's today.  Merry

My main coop has a tin roof and it gets hot even though it is white.  I have sprinkled it down during very hot weather but we are in a drought now.  I am freezing 2 liter bottles too.  I will just place them in the shade where the chickens like to hang out.  I do run a fan in the coops as well but it seems that it does not really make much difference.  I like the roof turbine idea.

my chickens have their mister - but so far i'm not to impressed with the performance - due to my water hose set up.  I have one hose goin to the coop with a spliter - one end has the auto waterer which is always on ( going to be placing frozen bottles in it also. the other side has the water timer on it, then the hose going to the mister.  I relocated the mister from the side to the top of the coop/run.  I placed it in the middle so that the tractor sitting next to the coop & the mini coop inside the BIG coop can benefit from the mister too.

I also placed a fan on the ground that pushes air through all 3 pens.  I set the fan on a timer so that it runs from 2pm to 5:50pm.

I found that i need to run the mister on a higher pressure hose so i can give the mister more pressure.  It works right now, but would mist better with a little more pressure.  one of my cheap hoses is showing wear from holding the water pressure for the whole setup.

i think the frozen bottles inthe water will help alot. i dont like hot water, either do my chickens

This is kind of OT but for my chicken run I put an old truck topper in there. I painted the top white and open the window in the back and front.  My chickens love it when it's really hot, they go in there, and if there is any breeze the topper catches it and makes it cooler for them.  This keeps them from going into the coop or shade trees where they might not get that breeze.
Just thought I would share.
Julie

I left the eaves open when I built this coop and cut big windows in the side with doors that hinge up.  The eaves are screened to keep critters out and I stuff the opening to the outside with insulation in the winter.  The box fan has its own thermostat and I set it to come on around 85 degs.  I just leave it plugged in all the time and let it do its thing.

Ceiling fans only move the hot air around inside the coop.  You need a fan to exchange air with the outside...

If it's much over 100 degs I usually leave a small sprinkler running for them to run through although a mister would probably be less wasteful.

My husband built a cupola in the roof, there is a slide inside to open and close it.  We also put up a section of 60% shade cloth over part of the yard and put a low roosting bar under that section, they love it!  We are at 6000 feet in the mountains of Southern New Mexico so it isn't horribly hot but the sun is way strong.  I grow half my garden under the shade cloth also.