Cooling chicken coop in HOT weather?

[Captain Cluck]

I wonder if this would work?

I read an article somewhere about using pipe buried underground with the ends sticking up and elbows or U joints attached (like the air catchers on the old sailing ships) to bring cool air into a building. I don't remember what it is called. It could be vermin proofed with hardware cloth on each end of the pipe. PVC would work well and be easy to cut/fasten together, screen, etc.

Hot air leaving the coop through the upper wall vents is supposed to draw the exterior air through the pipe, cooling it. A fan blowing air out the wall vent would pull more cool air into the coop. Or a small fan attached to the outlet puling air in if the coop is open. Something to keep the air moving.

The further the intake is from the coop and/or the deeper it is buried, the more the air cools. Also, I think it is supposed to be buried about 18"+ under grade (at least buried below the frost line), or as deep as the cool soil is. The pipe can be as big as you want for air volume.

In winter, it would bring warmer air in to offset the cold and increase ventilation, as long as it is well under the frost line.

 

[astatula]

For shade you can buy a passion vine and use the sides of the run as a trellis. Passion vines grow up to 30 feet each year and are very very invasive. They are chicken friendly (non-toxic) and have the wildest flowers you will ever see, something from outer space, and hundreds of them.

They do require full sun except in the hottest of climates, then they suggest morning sun and some afternoon shade so they don't burn. A couple of breeders here in Florida, on the surface of the Sun, swear by them and confirm a 20 degree fahrenheit drop in temps from their dense foliage.

I just planted a 3 foot tall purple variety yesterday and I am hoping for 10 feet of growth in the next 3 months, by the end of August.

Be aware though that many people say that once you plant one, you will be trimming it back constantly to avoid it taking over the entire landscape, including tall trees. But these are desperate times (100 plus degrees in Central Florida) and call for some desperate actions.

 

[Punk-Rock_Chicken]

Quote:
Being an "Invasive". Are they legal here? If so, I will try them.

 

[Bellasmom]

I just turned on the sprinkler by the coop and turned the spray away since there is a slight breeze. They don't seem to be panting as much. I've got some cut up fruit chillin' in the fridge for later. What we won't do for the birds!

 

[flopshot]

Quote:
passive geothermal ? interesting concept. it would keep the blower and associated wireing out of the coop as well.

 

[scooter147]

Missouri here, 97 degrees with 70% humidity.

I have lost two chickens since Saturday, they were about 5 years old and the older they get the less they can take the heat.

I actually filled a trash can with water and sumerge the chickens in it around 4-5 each day. I obviously don't stick there heads under.
With 27 birds it takes me a 1/2 hour or so but it works well.
They don't pant the rest of the evening.
I could be crazy but I actually think they enjoy it, they really just relax and seem to enjoy the coolness of the water.

I know, I'm crazy, everyone tells me so.

 

[patandchickens]

Shadecloth is very very useful stuff. Get as high a shade % as you can, or double low-% stuff, and stretch it fairly tight to avoid flapping. If stapled down well it is really pretty surprisingly windproof (especially compared to tarps) since a lot of the wind goes through it. You want to create as large an area of shade as possible -- not because of needing to fit all the birds into it, but because a larger expanse of shade gives actually COOLER temperatures under it than under a little dot of shade.

In a hot dry climate, if you have sufficient water you can hose down part of the ground under the shade to create sort of an on-ground swamp cooler type effect.

Pat

 

[chickenmeadow]

Just set up for chickens again after several years & have been planning for the hot summer. Just read the other day online somewhere that a gal was keeping a hard plastic kiddie pool out with water daily for her chickens to stand/wade in as a way to cool down in the summer; also mentioned that it kept them out of the water bowls. I plan to use the 42" hard plastic pool or a smaller one & dump it out nightly to refill with fresh water for the next day. Also, "the corn guy" down the road had made a very efficient "makeshift swamp cooler" that I enjoy standing by in the summer while buying corn & other produce. It is put together with hanging burlap, bottom sitting in a tray to catch water, tiny water pump taking water from the tray & dripping water thru a small tube with holes in it across the top of the hanging burlap, then a fan that blows thru the wet burlap. Will try anything that is practical & economical to keep my flock comfortable & producing eggs.

 

[Isabella]

I also live in Texas, just north of Houston and yep... this heat is awful lately. Try picking up one of those silver (the heavy duty) tarps from WalMart and stretching it over your run. Not sure what kind of set up you have but if you can stretch it over the entire house and run that would be even better. That, the fan and making sure their water is fresh and cool a couple times a day will help.

 

[dipence71]

I have a kiddie pool in the run for the ducks and the chickens but they ignore it so trying other things here too.

Central IL 98* with high humidity so feels like 110*