A/C for the chicken coop

[chickendriver]

So I am designing my first coop and run. I am a first timer to chickens, and will only have about half a dozen hens and no rooster. I have had some VERY hot days this summer and don't really want to lose any birds to heat.

So, is it crazy to plan to put a small AC unit on the coop. 6x8 is the design plan for it which will include ventilation and pop open windows. I also plan on covering the run which should be ~ 150 sft

Factors:

I am unable to check on the birds to add ice or cooled water throughout the day as I work long shifts during the day.

Energy consumption is not a factor, I'm solar and produce excess anyhow.

Anybody have an AC on their coop? Crazy?

 

[MelissaTXRn]

I would do it in a heartbeat! I think a lot more people would too, if they could afford it.

 

[chicknleg]

I'm thinking they have survived thousands of years without ac....maybe just good ventilation and some shade will be sufficient. Don't spoil them to much...they may want cable next...lol.

 

[Hokum Coco]

Speaking from my own personal experiences.

I live in Canada (Indian name for COLD -40º COLD).

I have lost birds to heat and none to cold.

 

[chickendriver]

^^^
That's exactly my concern. At least if it is ~85 (~30c) degrees in the coop they can go in and cool down.

At 88 degrees in my garage where they are cooping temporarily, 2 weeks (at 10 wks of age) ago they (especially the wyandotte) were panting and looking quite rough. I had the water dispenser full of ice, and I was doing a brake job on my car sweating up a storm, while there they were saying "MUST BE nice to have sweat glands!" Mind you, that day was 109 degrees (43c) outside and it was a mere 92 degrees (33c)!

And in reference to the losing birds to the heat, this is what I have heard so far. I was at the Mercantile feed stoer where I bought them, and more than one person talked about losing multiple birds that day. As I am very bonded and attached to my little gals (first timer) and they are much like pets, especially before they are laying, I just prefer not to lose them to heat. And being that I have extra energy to use, I have figured to this piont, "what the heck!" If I were able to go out and check on them throughout an extra hot day, I may have a different perspective.

Is it that bad to spoil them some on the blistering days?

 

[MelissaTXRn]

It has been over 100 here already. At 90, my girls pant and are so very hot. It is high humidity here too. That is hard on the birds. If you can make them more comfortable, why wouldn't you? I wouldn't keep it 60 or even 70 in there, but definitely cooler than triple digits. Until our new coop is finished, I have to do cooling measures to protect my girls.

 

[chicknleg]

Well then...free power...I'd go for it. My coop and run are shaded most of the day so its not that hot.

 

[chickendriver]

Thanks everyone for the thoughts. I think I will, as there is nothing to shade the coop out here in the desert!

It won't take much for a small space.

 

[cwlucking]

Here in Phoenix it gets to 115 very regularly in the summertime, with the low at 3am being around 90. This is not a "just give them some shade" or "let them tough it out" situation. There is no electricity out where my coop will be, and I go to work from 8:30am-5:30pm. There must be a small, solar A/C option out there somewhere, but I have been unable to find it. Big money-making opportunity here people!!! Where is the solar Chicken coop a/c?!

 

[nordicacres]

We are repurposing an old "Artist's Studio" (aka shed) on our property into a chicken coop. It already has a small AC unit built into the wall. I think we're going to just leave it there (verify that it does work first). Why not? It's free (the power is not), but I'd rather use it if necessary. Besides, the coop is pretty small (100 sq ft) so it shouldn't take too much energy to cool if we really do need it MN can be pretty brutal. Extremely cold in the winter and hot and humid in the summer.