Gas fumes, toxic or tolerable???

[tororider]

I am now considering making a corner of my detached garage into my chicken coop and then just cutting a chicken door into the side. The door will go to a probably 4-5x8-10 run, probably only 2' high. My question is, I have gas cans in the garage for lawn equipment, would this be bad for the chickens? Most of the cans have caps on the spouts, but I just want to make sure I am not contemplating something that could be harmful for my chickens. Also, if I do this in the garage should I put a window in the garage? I would think I would almost have to for ventilation in the summer, right? Since it is detached I would probably have to add a heat lamp during the winter too I guess.

 

[Settin'_Pretty]

If you can smell the gas when you walk in, then you have a dangerous enough situation already.
It's that vapor that you smell that combusts in gas engines to cause the explosion that runs the engine.
If you can smell it, I'd get it out of there.

 

[SeaChick]

Our coop is in the garage, and we do have the lawnmower gas in there... but there are also lots of windows and doors and we don't ever smell gas in there. I don't think its a problem if you can't smell gas. We also have several windows for cross-ventilation in good weather.

I wouldn't think you NEED a heat lamp in the winter. We insulated our coop and I only felt compelled to turn the heat lamp on about twice this winter, when it got down to below zero F. Even then I had it on a timer to come on at about 3am because otherwise it kept them awake all night... so I probably didn't really need it at all. With the insulated coop it never got below about 17 degrees.

 

[speckledhen]

I can tell you that they may sneeze at the fumes quite a bit and their noses may run a little, especially if there isn't alot of ventilation. Those fumes are at the very least an irritant to their nasal passages.

 

[PurpleChicken]

Settin'_Pretty :

If you can smell the gas when you walk in, then you have a dangerous enough situation already.
It's that vapor that you smell that combusts in gas engines to cause the explosion that runs the engine.
If you can smell it, I'd get it out of there.

I agree here. A slight gas engine smell is normal but if you can actually smell gasoline
then those cans need to be replaced and stored somewhere else.

Gasoline should never be stored in a garage. If you ever have a fire you
risk killing a fireman and losing the whole structure.

Rubbermaid makes some nice plastic minisheds which are perfect for chemical storage.


Get rid of that hazard and the chickens should be fine.​