Fan for my coop?

[Ryguy3684]

I'm in Virginia, so it can get hot and humid in the summer. Do I need a fan mounted in my coop, or are the chickens okay with the heat? The coop has a couple of window vent, but I'm not sure if that's enough. Summers can get over 100F, but normally around 90F. Thanks.

 

[CatWhisperer]

I have fans in my coops

 

[aart]

Fans can help, but only to push hot air out and hopefully cooler air in.
Can also keep bugs away from birds on roost if set at the right speed and direction.

They won't really cool them off like us when we're sweaty tho.

Deep all day shade is best but....I don't have that,
but these 2 things really help to beat the heat:

I give a dose of Sav-a-Chick electrolytes/vitamins about once a week during heat waves.
It really seems to help....started this after they saved a heat stroked hen once.
Can mix up a smaller amount, just wrap the packet tight and store in a dry cool place.
Always have plain water available too.

BIG(9x14x2") chunks of ice last all day for wading, sitting, and sipping.
Much more useful to the chickens than frozen foods and treats.

Make space in your freezer!

 

[Flockincrazy]

I'm in ohio my coop is all wire for the summer I have inserts for winter

 

[Ridgerunner]

"Need" is hard to determine. Does it get that hot in your coop when they are in there? How much does it cool off by the time they go to the roosts? To me the nests are more of a concern than the roosts but I don't know how well yours is ventilated or what your nests look like. My nests are on a shaded wall so the sun hitting the outside does not turn them into an oven. Some people have open-top nests so they don't trap hot air.

Mine tend to spend the really hot days outside in the shade. I keep plenty of fresh water and often wet the ground there to cool it by evaporation. They like that area. Sometimes a few stand in the waterers to cool their feet.

Swamp coolers can be useful if it is really hot. You are dealing with electricity and water so be careful but by misting water in front of the fan you get an air conditioning effect.

If you have a fair amount of ventilation up high (depending how high your coop is) and a place down lower where cooler air can come in you can get some good ventilation. The cooler the air coming in the better. You are north of the equator, thanks for providing that information. A vent at ground level on the northern shaded side of your coop should provide the coolest air. A fan can help move hot air out but you need cooler air to come in and replace it.

Heat is dangerous. With little help your chickens should be able to handle it but they need some options.

 

[3KillerBs]

IMO, a fan that isn't specifically designed for outdoor/industrial/agricultural use is an electrical fire waiting to happen in a chicken coop because of the dust from the bedding and chickens.

If your coop is noticeably hotter inside than outside I'd suggest that you add more vent openings. Set up an in low, out high airflow if possible.

My little, in-town coop had a monitor roof and was never over-hot when in deep shade. I'm planning some repairs and alterations (thread here), to create even more airflow because the new property doesn't have as much shade.

 

[khind]

I'm in ohio my coop is all wire for the summer I have inserts for winter

Inserts? Could you share more about those sometime?

 

[Flockincrazy]

Inserts? Could you share more about those sometime?

I have plywood that is cut to fit between the framing to cover the fencing in the winter

 

[khind]

Great idea. Thanks!

 

[BDutch]

I like to give my chickens lots of natural ventilation in the coop and lots of shade in the run in summer.

My chickens have a very airy coop in summer. The south side is open to a small covered run + 1/2 the east side is covered with hwc and open for ventilation in summer. Under the poop board the are openings on the North and West side too.
In the late afternoon/evening there is shade.

During the day the chickens have plenty of natural shade in the larger run (bushes). In winter I cover the east side with a second window panel and the openings under the poop board are covered with panels of wood.

Two nestboxes are on the south side. The roof/hinged lid is lined with isolation (alu colored) to keep the heat out. A third nest box is in a very shady area. But the chickens don’t change there habit if its getting warm in summer. Temp rarely goes up above 100F overhere.