Managing coop heat/cold

[jnicholes]

Hi everyone,

I have the following chickens. All about 5 to 6 weeks old.

1 amber white
2 austra white
2 Golden Sex Links
2 Rhode Island Reds
2 Amaraucanas
2 Buff Orpingtons
2 Barred Plymouth Rocks

I finished building my coop and run today and I moved the chicks out there. After about an hour and a half I went to check on them. They are all still alive, but it looks like they are a little hot.

Currently it is 89F. I did include ventilation in the coop as well as a big container of water. Ventilation is in the first picture near the top of the coop.

I have a few simple questions. How do you manage heat or cold in a coop? How hot or cold is too hot or cold? Will my chicks be okay?

Pictures:

Just for information, I’m gonna be building the nesting box in about five weeks and expanding the run at the same time.

Can someone please help me out with my heat question?

Jared

 

[rosemarythyme]

Can you take a thermometer into the coop and get a reading vs what the temperature is outside? Does the coop/run area get any shade during the day? I see a few trees but they don't look close enough to provide shade.

If that one strip is your entire ventilation, you likely don't have enough nor do you have additional openings to encourage cross airflow. For 13 birds (at adulthood) you'd want to aim for roughly 13 sq ft in ventilation in moderate temperatures, but if hot summers are a concern then you'd be looking more at 2-3 sq ft per bird in summer.

How hot is too hot? My birds aren't used to hot summers so I start seeing panting around 85F. Birds in poor health can die from heat related stress at high 90s. My flock handled a heat dome of around 112F without issue, but that lasted less than a week. So healthy birds can tolerate higher temps but they need plenty of water and hopefully access to some deep shade to help them cool off.

How cold is too cold? In the most extreme cases chickens can survive way below freezing, but for an average flock I'd say sustained -10F or more may start to be cause for concern.

 

[jnicholes]

Can you take a thermometer into the coop and get a reading vs what the temperature is outside? Does the coop/run area get any shade during the day? I see a few trees but they don't look close enough to provide shade.

If that one strip is your entire ventilation, you likely don't have enough nor do you have additional openings to encourage cross airflow. For 13 birds (at adulthood) you'd want to aim for roughly 13 sq ft in ventilation in moderate temperatures, but if hot summers are a concern then you'd be looking more at 2-3 sq ft per bird in summer.

How hot is too hot? My birds aren't used to hot summers so I start seeing panting around 85F. Birds in poor health can die from heat related stress at high 90s. My flock handled a heat dome of around 112F without issue, but that lasted less than a week. So healthy birds can tolerate higher temps but they need plenty of water and hopefully access to some deep shade to help them cool off.

How cold is too cold? In the most extreme cases chickens can survive way below freezing, but for an average flock I'd say sustained -10F or more may start to be cause for concern.

To answer your first question, yes, I can get a thermometer into the coop. I just need to find it first. As for shade, the coop is in between the house and the fence. It gets shade in the morning and evening.

Concerning the ventilation, thanks so much for letting me know. I will definitely add more. I just barely finished the coop, so it shouldn’t be a problem to add more ventilation.

Thanks for letting me know about heat and cold. I will definitely add more ventilation.

Regards,

Jared

 

[jnicholes]

I forgot to add, here’s my weather forecast.

 

[Sally PB]

Signs your chickens are too warm: Open beak, panting, and holding wings away from their bodies.

For some really good info, read this article:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/aarts-extreme-weather-spiel.75893/

 

[wrathsfarm]

I would add more shade for them in the run. You mentioned shade in the am and pm, but mid day is when it's normally hottest out there in the sun.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Your weather forecast right now isn't bad but I assume it gets hotter in July and August? Or not significantly?

I would add more shade for them in the run. You mentioned shade in the am and pm, but mid day is when it's normally hottest out there in the sun.

x2. A shade cloth or some sort of awning over the run would help provide relief in the middle of the day.

 

[jnicholes]

Quick question. I am going to take everybody’s advice, but would putting ice in the water dispenser help out? I just did that, and it seems to be helping a little bit.

 

[TooCheep]

It won't hurt, but the shade and easy water availability are key for during the day and plenty of ventilation for evenings/night.

 

[jnicholes]

It won't hurt, but the shade and easy water availability are key for during the day and plenty of ventilation for evenings/night.

Understood. Thank you for letting me know.