Average Temp and Humidity?

[svenskavessla]

So I'm a gadget geek, and I installed an outdoor temperature and humidity gauge that feeds to an indoor station I have via wifi in my coop. I'm wondering if anyone else has done this and what their averages are? I have kinda a unique set-up; it was just going to be one big run with 6 chickens (two types), but they ended up not getting along so I split the coop and run. So there are two entrances, one large door for cleaning in the back, and a door for egg collection (that mainly remains closed at this point). Right now (It's night and raining) I'm getting a read of 45F and 71% humidity. I *don't* have air vents installed but I do have the two open entrances (and the back doesn't close tightly). My question is- should I still go ahead and install extra ventilation? What humidity should I be aiming for? The coop (henhouse) is 4x4x? (it slopes up- I would guess 4 sloping to 5), houses 6 chickens at night, 3 on each side. What temperatures and humidity is acceptable? At a certain level (bad weather) should I close the doors? In that event I know I should have the vents installed. I'm just curious what everyone else's averages are. Last night it was around 40 (outside it was 35) with 50% humidity. (For reference inside it is 70 with 30% humidity). I live in NW New Mexico BTW. Thanks for any input!
And if you are curious I can tell you a great weather station to get- it reads from my henhouse to my bedroom on the other side of the house through several walls and the signal is good!

 

[EagleEyes]

I just bought one on ebay and it should be here very soon. i am thinking that I should have another sending unit outside of the coop for comparison though.
You will need vents up near the top of the coop. 70% sounds high to me, but after I get mine, I'll post what my numbers are.

 

[svenskavessla]

I'm up near Farmington.

 

[svenskavessla]

Today (after the rain) it's back to 50% humidity. I still think that's high for NM though. I do like your idea about hanging another outside- mine only came with two- I'm using the app on my phone to compare various temp and humidity checks for now.

 

[Zoom Zoom]

We have vents along the walls that vent into the soffit. We also have a fan with temp and humidity controls on the roof. I have the humidity set at 35% (same as the house) and temp at 80. The fan comes on when either the temp or humidity reaches those levels. This worked great this past summer when it was so hot and muggy. The fan cover sits about 10" above the roof with the fan at ceiling level. It is open from the fan to the cover but has an overhang large enough so that rain and snow cannot get in. It also makes a great vent opening. I too have wondered what the best humidity level would be for the coop. It is 29 and snowing like crazy right now and my chicks are comfortable in the coop (which is insulated on all four sides, below the floor and in the ceiling). I will be interested to see what others have to say about the appropriate humidity level.

 

[svenskavessla]

I'm planning to move next year and upgrade my coop then and I'd love to have a set-up like yours. I sort of "fell" into chickens this year so this was the best I could do with short notice (and the fact I can't do much handiwork on my own). New Mexico is fairly dry- so right now (6pm, the chickens have gone in for the night)- it's at about 32% humidity. But by morning it will be around 70% (I've only had the gauge about 4 days now- so my estimations might be a little off; each day I'm trying to record what it is when they are not using it- the low point of humidity, and the peak; one day we had rain and that totally messed me up). But it seems the low is during the day or right as they go in at about 30% and the high is around dawn at about 70%. I had no idea it was getting that high! Especially with two doors open! So now I'm really wanting to install two vents near the peaks to help with that. It doesn't seem to hold heat that well, (two open doors will do that, and no insulation); but I'm using lots of bedding and there are 3 chickens per side so I think they should stay warm enough. They are cold hardy breeds also. It's just new to me so I'm trying to learn the best I can as fast as I can and not make mistakes, I love my chickens!