I have a shed coop combo and am experiencing a lot of condensation in my coop. To the point there’s water droplets on the windows. Any suggestions?!
Thank you
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My coop is of similar design and size. I only have 2 windows on my coop, but they are across from each other, so when open, there is a cross breeze. Do you have windows on the side of the shed we can't see?
I only have 10 chickens in my coop, so almost 8 square feet per bird. How many chickens do you have in your coop?
Contrary to a lot of good advice you have already received on your question, I am not yet convinced you need to make any modifications to your coop at this point. This is based on my experience with my coop of similar design, size, and also criticized for not having enough roof ventilation.
First of all, I would make sure your roof vents are fully open. Hot air rises and should vent out the gamble vents. I have the same sized vents as you do, and many people told they were too small, but I don't have any condensation problems in my coop.
I would also open your windows as much as possible, at least to let the humid air out, except if one of your windows is directly under the roosts inside the coop. You don't want a cool breeze coming up underneath sleeping chickens. That will cool them off and could lead to other problems. My windows are across from each other, so I have a natural air flow through the coop. But my roost is on the opposite end of the windows, so the chickens stay draft free.
I also agree that you should invest in a temp/humidity sensor for your coop and compare that to a temp/humidity sensor you have setup outside the coop. You cannot expect to have a naturally vented coop less humid than the outside air. I was worried my first winter with chickens that the coop was too humid, but I discovered that my coop was usually a few degrees warmer than outside air and the humidity was maybe a percentage or two lower than outside. Essentially, the inside coop temp and humidity was about the same as the outside temp and humidity. After I proved that to myself, I stopped worrying.
I also use a dry deep litter bedding of wood chips in my coop. Every few weeks, I just throw some fresh wood chips in the coop to cover the frozen poo. I do that all winter long here in northern Minnesota and by spring time, when I clean out the coop, I might have about 12 inches of bedding in the coop. The dry deep litter absorbs the chicken poo and moisture well in the summer, but in the winter everything freezes solid on top. So I just keep on adding fresh layers of wood chips over the frozen poo. That worked well for me last winter.
I don't have a heat lamp in my coop, but that would obviously create a more humid environment in your coop. I agree with others that a heat lamp is almost never needed. My chickens survived last winter with temps down to -35F at night for a few nights. If a storm was forecast for the night, I would close my northside window, otherwise I would have snow blowing in the coop. But I reopen the window as soon as the storm is past.
I have a 3 gallon metal waterer sitting on a metal base heater in my coop. It provides fresh water to my chickens 24/7 which I believe is most important for their health. Many people told me that it would raise the humidity in the coop, but it did not. Again, I have a heat/temp sensor in both the coop and outside. There is almost no difference inside or outside the coop. So the heated water stays in the coop 24/7 where I live.
I also have the chicken feeder inside my coop 24/7. I had planned for both the water and the feed to be in the chicken coop available to the chickens 24/7. Last winter, my chickens did not go outside the coop for almost 4 months. It looks like this winter will be a repeat. But I had planned for that situation and which is why my coop has almost 8 square feet per bird - twice the normally recommended 4 square feet per bird in the coop.
After you have ensured your gamble vents are open, the side windows are open, making sure your bedding is dry, give it a day or two and then compare the temp/humidity inside and outside the coop. If your coop is really more humid than the outside air at that point, then I would suggest you have a problem that needs to be corrected.
What works for me in northern Minnesota probably would not work for someone down in Texas. You need to take time to find out what works best for you. I suggest you try the simple things mentioned that don't really cost you any time or money before you start modifying your coop. Best wishes.
