Is frostbite avoidable without electric heating? Should I add heat to my coop?

[Debbie292d]

I might have said this earlier, but I say it so often I forget where I was lol.

Mold CAN start growing at 70% humidity. Horsebedding pellets, nipple waterers, no open water in the coops, exhaust fans, etc., are what we have to use. Those who say "more ventilation" doesn't work here, as the humidity outside is higher than in the coop.

 

[SourRoses]

Oh goodness!! I never saw that! How can I fix that? I will stop DLM now!

I would paint inside if it were me. Clearly you put a lot of effort into your coop, so painting with antifungal Killz (there's at least one other brand but I can't remember it) would help preserve it.

That picture is one I cropped but it looks like you were talking about the soffit ventilation there. It's above that, so lower ceiling, I am guessing.

Looks like you just have highly variable humidity. The 60% reading was ok for the birds, but 90% is bad for birds and structure.
We get so much rain I know what it feels like to fight the climate. Hope you get it figured out!

 

[ChickenShepherd_6116]

I might have said this earlier, but I say it so often I forget where I was lol.

Mold CAN start growing at 70% humidity. Horsebedding pellets, nipple waterers, no open water in the coops, exhaust fans, etc., are what we have to use. Those who say "more ventilation" doesn't work here, as the humidity outside is higher than in the coop.

It's hard to tell where the mold is - Could you tell me what part of my coop you zoomed in on?

One sure way to lower humidity in the coop below the exterior percentage, is horse pine pellets as bedding.
They are super dry and help the whole coop climate. In FL we get rain so often my coops would mold without them.

@ChickenShepherd_6116 I actually see some mold on the particle board in one of your photos.

I personally would not choose deep litter in any walled space for the humidity issue.

Particle board makes it harder to see mold, but see how, in this picture, along the bottom third the board you have a mix of light and darker wood... But in the upper two thirds you see black spotting. That's the mold.

View attachment 4265614

I would paint the interior if it was me, since mold started will only get worse over time. Killz makes a paint with antifungal properties that will kill it as you paint.

It's hard to tell where the mold is - Could you tell me what part of my coop you zoomed in on? Thank you!

 

[ChickenShepherd_6116]

I might have said this earlier, but I say it so often I forget where I was lol.

Mold CAN start growing at 70% humidity. Horsebedding pellets, nipple waterers, no open water in the coops, exhaust fans, etc., are what we have to use. Those who say "more ventilation" doesn't work here, as the humidity outside is higher than in the coop.

I will try that! I'm glad someone caught it cause I sure didn't!!

 

[ChickenShepherd_6116]

I might have said this earlier, but I say it so often I forget where I was lol.

Mold CAN start growing at 70% humidity. Horsebedding pellets, nipple waterers, no open water in the coops, exhaust fans, etc., are what we have to use. Those who say "more ventilation" doesn't work here, as the humidity outside is higher than in the coop.

Unfortunately I cant do Horsebedding pellets just because of the price they are here, but is there another bedding that would work better than pine shavings? I will quit the Deep Litter method.

 

[Debbie292d]

Unfortunately I cant do Horsebedding pellets just because of the price they are here, but is there another bedding that would work better than pine shavings? I will quit the Deep Litter method.

$8 for 40# is cheaper than most anything. I would check around. Plus, they are cheaper in the long run because you don't need to change them but once a year or so.

 

[ChickenShepherd_6116]

$8 for 40# is cheaper than most anything. I would check around. Plus, they are cheaper in the long run because you don't need to change them but once a year or so.

I'm not sure why i thought it was much more than that - I just checked my store and low and behold it is $7 for 40lbs . I will be doing that!

 

[Debbie292d]

I'm not sure why i thought it was much more than that - I just checked my store and low and behold it is $7 for 40lbs . I will be doing that!

That alone will bring down the humidity. If you've got open waterers though, those I'd try to replace with nipple ones. We must have around 8 around here. Some are in heated coops, and some are store-bought electric ones.

 

[ChickenShepherd_6116]

That alone will bring down the humidity. If you've got open waterers though, those I'd try to replace with nipple ones. We must have around 8 around here. Some are in heated coops, and some are store-bought electric ones.

I haven't got any food or water inside the coop, so hopefully the new bedding will help! Although, since the mold is on the roof next to the roof soffit opening, will new bedding help the mold up there? I will clean it and paint it ASAP.

 

[Debbie292d]

I haven't got any food or water inside the coop, so hopefully the new bedding will help! Although, since the mold is on the roof next to the roof soffit opening, will new bedding help the mold up there? I will clean it and paint it ASAP.

If you paint it with that Kilz, like @SourRoses suggested, that'd stop it, and keeping the humidity below 70% so it can't grow anyway should be easy now.