Coop Condensation

[nathansl2003]

Hi all,

I currently have an OverEZ Medium Chicken Coop, I have noticed a lot of condensation on the coop ceiling. It has a window and is vented on either side at the top with a small circular vent but maybe this is not enough? Today I was in the coop checking out my automatic door (it stopped working) and installing a new light fixture, it snowed overnight so I cleaned off the roof of snow.

Do I need to add more venting? Do I need to get some low flow fans to put at the vents to move air? Does anybody own an OverEZ coop that can offer advice? I live in Vermont!

Thanks!

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

How many birds are housed in it? Are you watering in the coop? Condensation does mean ventilation change is in order....especially in your location as frostbite is a very real concern with trapped moisture. Are you hearing the coop at all?
What are the sizes of the vents? The coop is a little over 4x4 (not sure if they are including the externally hung nests in that) and certainly not sufficient for 10 birds as quoted on their information, especially on that climate.

 

[RoosterML]

Some pictures of all exterior sides and inside would really help. Along with the number of chickens you have.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

For clarity sake....this is the coop, correct?
https://overezchickencoop.com/product/medium-over-e

 

[nathansl2003]

I will take some pictures and post them if you need them. I have 7 chickens right now. Ol Grey Mare that is the correct coop from OverEZ. The coop is not currently heated, it is wired for an light fixture and I am running a automatic door. The light fixture is for a 40/60 watt bulb to provide light in the winter hours, and if needed a little heat, I do not plan to use the light for heating unless some very drastic low temperatures. The waterer and food is in the coop.

EDIT: I do not want the food or water in the coop it takes up room that my chickens could use, so if anybody has any ideas on some better options so the food stays dry, I am open.

 

[RoosterML]

Yes pictures needed especially since your now asking for food and water location ideas

 

[DobieLover]

I will take some pictures and post them if you need them. I have 7 chickens right now. Ol Grey Mare that is the correct coop from OverEZ. The coop is not currently heated, it is wired for an light fixture and I am running a automatic door. The light fixture is for a 40/60 watt bulb to provide light in the winter hours, and if needed a little heat, I do not plan to use the light for heating unless some very drastic low temperatures. The waterer and food is in the coop.

EDIT: I do not want the food or water in the coop it takes up room that my chickens could use, so if anybody has any ideas on some better options so the food stays dry, I am open.

7 chickens is a bit much for that size coop with that little ventilation, especially with the waterer inside the coop. I personally would not put more than 5 birds, depending on breed, in that coop but only with lot of additional ventilation. The waterer inside the coop is adding to the moisture build up which will cause frost bite this winter in VT.
Do you leave the window open and can you open the top half instead of the bottom?
It's a bit of a conundrum as your eaves are pretty much non-existent. Is the area under the front eave (on the nest box wall) fully open with hardware cloth to block the entrance of predators?
Do you have a run that the chickens go in during the day or are they free-ranged?

 

[nathansl2003]

Here are some pictures of the coop and run. The run is 12' x 8' On one of the pictures you can see the condensation on the roof. I am working on the coop right now (you can see the hanging light fixture.

 

[RoosterML]

With your waterer I don't believe you are introducing much moister it's not like an open waterer. I am pretty sure you lack ventilation. Any way you could open up your soffits front and back to allow the air to flow nicely.That would be your best option if possible. It looks like you have a few inches of over hang over the nest boxes. How is that finished underneath that overhang? Could you pull that covering material off the bottom of that overhang and install something that vents? Hardware cloth maybe? On the back of the coop how is that area finished? Could your pull that off and allow air to come in that way. You would not need much at both ends to make a real difference.
Some close up photos of those two areas would be great.
Also: don't forget if you have a 60 watt buld on creating heat your not helping the problem, when warm humid air contacts a cold surface condensation will occur. Is the bulk of the condensation happening around the light?

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

If I am looking at this correctly, your run maybe 12 by 8, but it is occupied largely by the coupe which is setting inside the run, is that correct? This would not be so much of an issue where the co-op elevated and other 12" or so which would open the space beneath it to be used by The Byrds, but the height of this coupe appears to make that space "dead space" effectively cutting your run significantly. Essentially you have overcrowded conditions inside with valuable space being occupied by feed and water station and overcrowded conditions outside with valuable space being occupied by the co-op itself limiting the options to move the feed and water outside as well. Would you be able to move the co-op outside of the run and abutting at to the run so that access could he be granted as they easily move from inside the co-op out the pop door into the run space?