Fan directions??

[Dixiedoodle]

It's been hot here but the humidity is terrible! I put a tiny fan in the window of the coop. It wasn't moving very much air but it did move some. I decided to purchase a 'box' fan, that fits the window. I have it mounted on the outside of the window and it has a roof over it to protect it from rain...SO, do I place the fan blowing in OR do I place it where it 'draws' out the hot air and fresh air thru the other window and door??? Thanks for any suggestions, ideas or sharing your experiences

 

[Dar]

this may sound like a pain in the rear but you want it sucking the hot air out in the daytime and the cooler air in at night so when you close the coop for the night you will have to switch it.. bungee cords come in handy for this... and in the winter i remove the fan all together and nail a board over the hole

ets: I dont do this for my coop cause it is under the trees but I do this for the house in the summer and then take the fan out in the winter

 

[RuffledFeathers]

I had my box fan pulling air out a first, but they were still panting. Now it blows in and works much better. It is on a timer and starts cooling the coop before they head in for the night and I have it shut off in the middle of the night when I know it is cooler. Got through 107 degree weather with one small box fan and they are just fine.

 

[Big C]

Just an opinion here but we (when we need them) blow the air where the hens can get direct benefit from them.
Angled downward toward all open areas. Blows over the hens when they need some cooling. We only use fans when there is no wind. Our coops are open from 4 ft and above as to naturally draw heat from the ground up. We provide moisture to the soil floors, then allow for natural cooling thru evaporation. Works very well in our hot Texas summers.

 

[patandchickens]

Is the fan meant to cool the chickens themselves during the hottest part of the day, or cool the coop when the outdoor air is cooler than indoor?

If it's meant for the chickens at 4 p.m. type of thing, it needs to be blowing directly on the chickens.

If it's meant to run only when the outdoor air is cooler than the indoor air, and intended to bring indoor temperatures down as quickly as possible in the evening, then I would strongly suggest you have the fan blowing IN. This will minimize the amount of dust that gets in to clog the fan and decrease its performance and cause electrical hazards.

Another electrical appliance that would probably do an even better job increasing the ventilation in your coop would be a reciprocating saw. Honest. If you are in a hot climate and have only two windows and a door, you would be well ahead by going and cutting another large opening in the coop -- like as large as you can manage without compromising structural integrity. Studs can cross it, so you can just cut a hole of siding out and put up hardwarecloth and trim if you want. Save the piece you cut out to bolt back on to close it up for wintertime if you think you'll need to.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[davidr]

I have one of those "twin" type window fans blowing in.

I am thinking about putting a commercial grade exhaust fan in the ceiling, which would blow out. controlled by a thermostat and a humidistat.

David

 

[astatula]

Pat's last idea of adding a larger opening is the best answer. You will need to consider how low the wall can be before rain can bypass the overhang on your roof.

You might be surprised at how much cooler your hen house get with one less wall holding the heat in.