Keeping moisture down - ?

[chickbea]

Every autumn my girls move from the summer coop to the winter coop. I've used the same winter coop for about 6 years, and it has always been great - nice and dry, good ventilation, etc. This year, however, the humidity in there is intolerable. I'm having to do a complete change-over of the bedding every 2-3 days because everything is so wet and gross.
What could the problem be? I checked my roof vents; they are clean. I made sure my waterer isn't leaking; it isn't. There are fewer hens in there now than I have had in other years, so that isn't it either. I'm at a loss as to what may have happened - anyone have any ideas?

 

[jjthink]

Did anything change with regard to properties near you? More development? Even just the planting of one house and the regrading that goes with it can drastically change the way and amount of water that travels through your property both above and below ground.
JJ

 

[DuckLady]

We put a fan in Duckingham Palace in the winter to help keep things dry. We use one on a stand so the silly ducks don't get their bills stuck in the fan blades.

 

[jjthink]

OUCH Terrie - Just the thought of that!

Love "Duckingham Palace"!

 

[WoodlandWoman]

And you're using the same type of bedding, right? That is a puzzler. The only other thing I can think of, is it possible that the chickens are spending more time indoors? If they are, then they would be pooping inside, instead of outside, for more of the time. That can add up in a hurry, too.

 

[chickbea]

Duckingham Palace - I love that! I have a heater running in there now; do you think I should add a fan also?
jjthink - I never thought of construction. Actually, they finished a big new house on a ridge above me, and that has caused drainage problems on the other side of my property. This spring my fish pond filled up with about 5 inches of muck due to that. Cleaning that out was a nightmare!
Of course, now there are several inches of snow on the ground, so I'll have a hard time reading the lay of the land, but I'm going to go home and look into that.
Thanks for the ideas!

 

[rooster-red]

If you do add a fan, here's something you might consider.
A fan out of an old refrigerater works well, its compact and doesn't blow hard, just circulates the air.

 

[Yonaton]

Off topic content deleted.

 

[jjthink]

Yeah, keep drinking that beer and stay obilivious. Now I think I need one!

chickbea, you're most welcome. I'm sorry about the development upgradient of you. That may be the (or one of the) problems. If so, you in all likelihood have the legal right to expect the situation to be remedied. Generally speaking, laws do not allow actions of one property owner to negatively impact another's property, and that usually includes drainage/runoff issues. Your local ordinances would/should address this.

I am experiencing something similar with my property right now. The person owning property just uphill of me put in a huge rediculous house and changed the terrain so much that for the past few years I've been flooded out and many of my trees have rotted and died, erosion everywhere, a total mess. Veggie garden under water for 3 years now. This is not legal - they were not allowed to cause this damage - but the town approved the development and so to date has been reluctant to admit they made a mistake or that there is a problem (despite the dead trees everywhere as one clear sign!). The cost to me has been huge.

I hope things work out for you. That's terrible about your fish pond. There may be recourse for you if you want to pursue it. Re: the humidity in your chicken area, this makes me think of those bags of stuff they sell that absorb the humidity from the air - ever seen those? Not sure what they're called but people put them in closets, basements and the like to dry out those places...

JJ

 

[PurpleChicken]

My coops humidity is 87%.

This is due to:

1 - 50 chickens breathing.
2 - OK ventilation
3 - Heating with a ventless propane heater. They put off a lot of water vapor
and increase condensation on the walls and windows.

I started using sweat pdz in the pine and it made a BIG difference. I also
dropped the temp to 40 degrees, rather than 50. The birds aren't outside at
all right now. They don't like the snow.