Chickens hot at night

[Brooks_]

Sounds like you need to improve the ventilation. This is the kind of air movement you need to create:

All vents can be covered with 1/2 hardware cloth, secured to the coop with fence staples, trim boards covering the edges, or screws and fender washers to make them predator-proof.

Don't be shocked when I steal that image one day.

 

[Annalyse]

Pictures:
I’ve had many threads about my ventilation. We got to the point where people said I was fine. I honestly don’t know. Anytime we add more they still seem to be hot. It gets hot as soon as I start to lock eveything up and doors get shut. They also decide to stay as close as possible even if there hot. Tonight the coop is hot again. They should be alright until morning right? The night gets cooler. I’m working on finding a fan this weekend. I’ve been looking at desk fans easy to hang. Is it okay to hang near them or how should I position it?

 

[Annalyse]

Staple hardware cloth on the windows openings. That keeps predators out. I keep fans in my coops for 5 months a year and have not had any problems. I do keep them clean though by dusting them often. You can always put a timer so the fan just turns on at night. I keep the fans on all day because the coops get very hot during the day while they are laying.

With this fan we have to run an extension cord through the yard to the coop and than have to keep the door shut with the cord in the way. It’s a lot. I’m trying to find something better though

 

[Annalyse]

Oh and the door to the one side of the coop that’s in the big run. That door is always open. During the day for air flow and than locked up at night.

 

[3KillerBs]

It gets hot as soon as I start to lock eveything up and doors get shut.

The ventilation needs to be open 24/7/365. Anything that is closed at night or in bad weather is only supplemental ventilation. If closing the doors is the issue then venting the doors is probably the next step.

The suggested figure of 1 square foot per adult, standard-sized hen is a guideline. The goal is for the inside and the outside to be the same temperature and humidity and exactly what you need to achieve that is dependent on individual circumstances.

I’m working on finding a fan this weekend. I’ve been looking at desk fans easy to hang.

If you're going to use a fan inside the coop it should be one that is rated for barn use with a sealed motor. The best thing that can happen to an ordinary household fan is that it will quickly fail in the dusty environment of a chicken coop. But because both the dust from the bedding and the feather dander are flammable a fan with an unsealed motor is a significant fire hazard.

If you're not going to use a barn-rated fan, this is a safer way to mount it: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/window-fan-mount.75608/

You might consider adding one of these to the roof: https://www.lowes.com/pd/Master-Flow-12-in-Aluminum-Internally-Braced-Roof-Turbine-Vent/999972266

 

[aart]

If you're not going to use a barn-rated fan, this is a safer way to mount it: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/window-fan-mount.75608/

Just added a note about the fan blowing into the coop,
which is key to using a non-barn fan.

 

[Annalyse]

They also have 3 different roosting areas And all prefer to huddle together no matter what.

 

[Annalyse]

Livestock fans are built for the dust.

You could have an active or passive roof vent too. Passive is like a ridge vent-air just moves up bc it’s hot and leaves through the vent. Active is when one moves so the air is pulled out. Search for turbine roof vent. Some are passive: they move when hot air is rising up and out, helping to pull more air. But some are powered to run consistently.

Is the coop shaded?

Shade cloth may help in some ways. We have a coop that is elevated with a wood roof/covered with shingles, single slant, so air moves up and out. Our coop is within the run. The run is chain link. The south side of the run is ridiculously hot in summer. First year we put up shade cloth-what a difference!!! Huge help. But, we couldn’t see in the run very well. So, last 2 years we planted gourds at base of the south and SE sides of the run. Birdhouse gourds (readily available in packets at many stores) produced the biggest leaves, the most foliage, and it was attractive. Also, it kept that side if the run very cool and shaded. This year we are going to try some climbing flowers and flowering/decorative climbing beans- not sure yet how well that will work. Remember to keep those beaks away from any plants you plant next to the run.

The roof of the coop and run is metal. So I would think it creates heat. The run is shaded and I usally spray water in their and or make puddles for them. No matter how hot it is they love to be out. (Supervised)

 

[Lenny loves chickens]

The flock was roosting last night. Most of them had wings opened and beaks opened. The coop was hot. How can I help them? They have plenty ventilation and we have windows that can open but my problem is I’m scared an animal can push open the screen. The screen isn’t a hardy material, it’s very easy to break in. Any ideas on how I can fix it. I used to keep a fan in the coop but I was always scared of a fire happening from all the dust catching into the fan. I stopped with the fan so I could sleep better at night. Any safe ideas?

Ui have a fan. And I just use the can spray once a week or month......just depends ....

 

[Lenny loves chickens]

With this fan we have to run an extension cord through the yard to the coop and than have to keep the door shut with the cord in the way. It’s a lot. I’m trying to find something better though

That's what I do...I also have two battery operated ones.