Fan for coop?

[my3chickens]

I just got a coop with a covered run attached, the coop will be out in the open with no shade other than the roof which is black shingles, the temp here for the next few days is supposed to be around 90 degrees. Do you think I need a fan or should they be ok as long as the run is covered? The chicks are 6 weeks old.

 

[Gallusfarm]

As long as they have shade and plenty of water, they will be fine.

 

[teach1rusl]

If they have shade available, they will be okay...not comfortable certainly. We've already hit 90 and my girls are already feeling it, doing the open beak pant and holding their wings out. The usually crash in the shade during the hottest part of the day. Some use a mister when the heat hits. Others freeze milk jugs of water and set them out there. I am putting a cheap, wall mountable fan in my coop because the girls look miserable when they go inside to lay their eggs (which you won't have to worry about for a while).

 

[chicmom]

I wasn thinking about putting a fan in my coop too, but they always say drafts are bad for chickens......I might do it anyhow.....maybe when it's sooooo hot it's OK?

 

[wegotchickens]

We put in a basement-style vent in the peak of our chicken 'shed', then installed a small fan meant for basements. Since it's in the peak, it pulls out the hot air near the roof, drawing the cooler air in through the pop doors. It makes a very real difference! And only draws .3 amps of power, so not real expensive to leave on when the weather gets truly hot.
It won't cool them down in extreme heat, but will at least keep the air circulating inside the building.

 

[NurseNettie]

When it's 90 plus degrees, it's more of a breeze than a draft. As long as they can move in and out of the "breeze/draft" they are good. I try to get out and change the water mid-day when it's so hot, so they have fresh, cold water during the hot part of the day- other wise, morning and night, and they can get in and out of the coop and run. They don't like it, just like we don't, but they get through it.

Quote:

 

[teach1rusl]

Quote:
The main difference between a draft and a breeze is the temperature. A cool breeze blowing in from an open window feels good when it's warm outside, but that same breeze blowing in from that same open window doesn't feel so great when it's 30 degrees outside. I leave my windows open (one right next to the roost) as long as it's in the 40s or higher, even at night.

 

[my3chickens]

Thanks for the great advice. Maybe I'll start with the ice in the milk jugs and move on to a fan if that doesn't seem to help. Silly question, with the ice in the jugs do they chickens get next to them to cool off?

 

[teach1rusl]

Quote:
Eventually...lol. At first they will be terrified of them

The first few times I put ice cubes in their water, they acted as if it was nuclear fallout...gave it the evil, suspicious eye from afar.

 

[chicmom]

Quote:
The main difference between a draft and a breeze is the temperature. A cool breeze blowing in from an open window feels good when it's warm outside, but that same breeze blowing in from that same open window doesn't feel so great when it's 30 degrees outside. I leave my windows open (one right next to the roost) as long as it's in the 40s or higher, even at night.

That is really the information I needed! Thank you!

And thanks to everyone else too! Good Thread!