16 x 12 Coop

[Aunt Angus]

I love your updates and look forward to them. You always have such fantastic ideas AND you manage to execute them. Brilliant idea with the fans.

 

[aart]

I guess humidity + temperature would be a good place to start.

Just temp would be the key, I would think.
Maybe comparing inside with outside....cooler outside would turn fan on, once it's the same turn it off.
I turn on manually mid afternoon and turn off when I lock up after dark...
...don't like the fan running all night(fire paranoia).

 

[jthornton]

I did remember I had a bag full of DS18B20 waterproof temperature sensors that use the Dallas 1-wire protocol to communicate back the Raspberry Pi on the 1-wire buss. Got one hooked up and got my code sorted out this morning. The cool thing is they all have a unique serial number so you can have more than one on the 1-wire buss and check the one you want in code... and I have one unused relay in the relay block to control the fans with. Sounds like fun to me...

I need to get done with this conversion soon before I run out of summer, but I'm not ordering my Cinnamon Queens until their Chick Inn is ready for them.

Speaking of chicks, the thought just crossed my mind to make the droppings table their brooder by fitting sides and a top to part of it and leaving the roost bar in so when they start using it there will be no change except removing the sides and top... it will put them up on my level without adding a separate brooder in the coop. I have no plans on getting more chicks each year.

JT

 

[we3ernes]

Finally got a plan worked out for the roost fans for the summer time. Got them framed in and plugged in, just need to close off that area so the fans only suck air from the outside and air will go out the windows as it will follow the path of least resistance.
View attachment 1815629 View attachment 1815630

My original plan was to mount a fan in front of the louver and did that but it didn't help any with the heat. With these two fans on low you can get a light breeze above the roost. At the rate I'm going the new Cinnamon Queens won't get to test it out till next summer.

I also looked at a air handler fan I had but it moved way too much air.

JT

JT, is this directly above the roosts?

I have a box fan that I have plugged into a timer that comes on at 8pm and goes off at 7am. It was mainly to keep the mosquitoes off the chickens while they were roosting, but now that it is getting hotter I’m considering running it 24/7. It’s sitting in the storage side of my coop and blowing through the chicken “wire” at the same height as the roost. I really like the idea of having two though, as I feel like my girls crowd down to one end of the roost so they can all take advantage of the fan....

 

[jthornton]

JT, is this directly above the roosts?

I have a box fan that I have plugged into a timer that comes on at 8pm and goes off at 7am. It was mainly to keep the mosquitoes off the chickens while they were roosting, but now that it is getting hotter I’m considering running it 24/7. It’s sitting in the storage side of my coop and blowing through the chicken “wire” at the same height as the roost. I really like the idea of having two though, as I feel like my girls crowd down to one end of the roost so they can all take advantage of the fan....

Yes, they are directly above the roosts and about 18" apart. Just did a test with both on low and it does a good job of keeping me cool and pretty quiet. The fans can be replaced from the bottom so I'm not worried about boxing it in.

Now @aart put ideas in my head and I'm running a 1-wire network for digital temperature sensors lol when I should be focusing on get-er-done.

JT

 

[aart]

Now @aart put ideas in my head and I'm running a 1-wire network for digital temperature sensors lol when I should be focusing on get-er-done.

Suuurrrrrre blame it on me!

 

[we3ernes]

Yes, they are directly above the roosts and about 18" apart. Just did a test with both on low and it does a good job of keeping me cool and pretty quiet. The fans can be replaced from the bottom so I'm not worried about boxing it in.

Now @aart put ideas in my head and I'm running a 1-wire network for digital temperature sensors lol when I should be focusing on get-er-done.

JT

Should is such a strong word.... I really think that you SHOULD be figuring out this 1-wire network so that you can eventually write up a handbook for us lesser mortals.

 

[TexasWineGuy]

Yes, they are directly above the roosts and about 18" apart. Just did a test with both on low and it does a good job of keeping me cool and pretty quiet. The fans can be replaced from the bottom so I'm not worried about boxing it in.

Now @aart put ideas in my head and I'm running a 1-wire network for digital temperature sensors lol when I should be focusing on get-er-done.

JT

JT,

Those fans, you stated they are "directly above the roosts", so are they blowing down on the hens, or are you using them to pressurize the Coop (pulling fresh air from the outside) itself?

That metal shed I just painted has plenty of room for me to make a plan for some fans during the hot summers.

Thoughts?

TWG

 

[jthornton]

JT,

Those fans, you stated they are "directly above the roosts", so are they blowing down on the hens, or are you using them to pressurize the Coop (pulling fresh air from the outside) itself?

That metal shed I just painted has plenty of room for me to make a plan for some fans during the hot summers.

Thoughts?

TWG

They do both when complete, the area above the fans will be closed in so they have to draw air in from the outside and it will exit out the windows.

JT

 

[jthornton]

Just an update, been busy with other projects and vacations. I did get some of the electrical done in the shed. That was holding up the construction of the wall. Not sure if I want to get the Cinnamon Queens this year or not... just checked and it won't be this year they are sold out for the year.

JT