Condensation in Coop

[MirTracy]

I live in Maine and we bought a beautiful coop this last summer. All has been great (very cold lately). Today it’s a bit warmer and I noticed that there is a lot of condensation dripping from the metal roof inside of the coop. The shavings and the girls are wet. This concerns me. Any tips on how to minimize the condensation so that my girls can stay dry?

 

[Blooie]

Open it up! If you don't have any vents, put some in. If you have windows, get them opened. If you can open the door, open that too! Then take out the wet shavings and replace with dry, because they'll stay wet underneath the top surface for much longer than you think.

We always think we are doing our birds a great service by buttoning our coops up tight against the cold like we would our homes. But it's not only unnecessary, it can be downright dangerous. As you've found, humidity builds up quickly, and that humidity comes from their breathing, their poop, waterers in the coop, and the weather conditions outside. Think of getting into your car on a cold day. What happens? The windows fog. Same principle. Humidity in a closed up chicken coop presents the added problem of an ammonia build up. Good luck!

 

[17 chickens]

You are going to need vents or bigger vents. When it is not being able to vent you'll get the condensation build up. But remember to put wire mesh over the vents to keep critters out...

 

[AmazingRachel]

Drill out holes just below the roof line and then cover them with 1/4 in. hardware cloth. You need more ventilation. With the cold temps + high humidity, you get frostbite.
Ex.

 

[MirTracy]

Thank you all. We have doors with hardware cloth on them...I’ll open them up!

 

[Hokum Coco]

metal roof inside of the coop.

Opening the coop will help in the short term. I was experiencing the same problem in my converted metal shed. I finally insulated the whole coop. It stopped the condensation issue in winter and made the coop cooler in summer.

 

[lazy gardener]

Agreed with Hokum. Metal coop is going to be a constant source of moisture because the moisture in the coop is going to freeze on the metal, then drip back down on the birds and bedding when it melts. If it's a short coop, you've got your work cut out for you. The less cubic feet in your coop, the worse the problem is going to be.

 

[Blooie]

Yep to both @Hokum Coco and @lazy gardener....and twenty lashes with wet nesting material to me for neglecting to mention that in the first place.