Leaky Roof/Floor

[Manhen]

If you have enough room (midwestern climate) are roof leaks necessarily bad? Can you put a collector pan under it and call it a "waterer"? What kind of problems would you anticipate?

Thanks in advance!

 

[rosemarythyme]

A few possible concerns: if water dripping in gets bedding wet that can cause mold and stink, if mixed with droppings. Water dripping down walls or floors can gradually cause damage via rot, mold and/or insects.

 

[blackdog043]

Any leaking roof is a problem. What is the roof made of and what is it covering? If it's a wooden roof, the wood will rot. Also if all the water doesn't fall into a container, it could cause other problems inside a coop.

That being said, I use deep litter in my tuftex panel covered run, if i had a leak it wouldn't concern me to much because it wouldn't harm anything.

 

[aart]

Can you put a collector pan under it and call it a "waterer"?

Is this a joke?!

 

[Manhen]

Is this a joke?!

no It is an old barn and there's a lot of space inside for the chickens it seems

 

[Elsveta641]

If you have enough room (midwestern climate) are roof leaks necessarily bad? Can you put a collector pan under it and call it a "waterer"? What kind of problems would you anticipate?

Thanks in advance!

I keep my chickens in a old hog barn that is slowly losing its steel roofing. We are in the midwest too.The original wooden shakes are showing in spots and they leak badly. So the southern end is always a huge puddle when it rains. The chickens pens are on the opposite end but the rain drops down the rafters into their pens. Just a little, but enough to make it moist. Moisture is a HUGE no no for chickens. The feed gets moldy, the bedding gets moldy. You may not see or smell it, but the mold is there and your chickens get sick. Very sick, often they die of it. Google mycoplasma, it thrives in damp places like leaky barns. The real disaster strikes when winter comes. Each time the snow thaws we get it dripping in only to refreeze a few hrs later. And all that freezing moisture causes frostbite. Not just big combs, but toes and entire legs. Then the dampness causes gangrene and bumblefoot.

We planned on replacing the building when our other house sold, but the house isn't selling. The building is deteriorated at a very fast pace because of the leaky roof. Please do NOT use the building for your chickens without fixing the roof. I have seen some horrible deaths and had to cull beautiful and rare chickens that got terrible moist bedding related injuries like gangrene. If I knew then what I know now, I'd have just built a small coop and waited to get more chickens when the building was replaced.

 

[Kayla's Lunch]

That is so sad! I'm sorry you had to learn that the hard way. I never would have thought it would be such a problem. Thanks for sharing.

 

[aart]

no It is an old barn and there's a lot of space inside for the chickens it seems

I guess if building is big enough and leak is not near where chickens are it would be ok,
but always best to fix a leaky roof.

 

[Manhen]

I guess if building is big enough and leak is not near where chickens are it would be ok,
but always best to fix a leaky roof.

I agree, but the coop area is 500 sq. ft. of tin roof over old, but sturdy, oak. The cost daunts me. (I am unable, inner ear...) Perhaps a hungry neighbor will volunteer... LOLOWOoowohohoh… ahem.

 

[Elsveta641]

If you cant repair the roof and have to use the building or nothing, its gonna be tough. My advice is to build pens inside like little sheds. With 3 walls and their own little roofs inside the barn. I built mine with stud walls and wire, so the birds are exposed to the moisture. And it is the moisture that does the birds harm, you dont even need actual puddles or anything. But if you build little coops and runs inside the barn instead of pens it might be a good set up.

Just a redneck repair idea that crossed my mind, you could put barrels under the leaks. Then plumb a PVC pipe or a hose out the side near the bottom and run it out of the building. It would still be damp and dank in there probably but there be no risk of actual puddles. You could just collect the water in the barrel for the chickens too. Just test it out on a mean rooster for a week or so to make sure it's safe for the chickens