Metal shed, and condensation... Ideas?

[Jay13]

Ok, so I had this brilliant idea to get a metal shed from Lowes since there was a sale and put the chickens in it. Through much wind and perseverance we got it put in, brought our chickens home and installed them in their new digs. It is by NO means air tight but it isn't drafty for that I am sure they are thankful, but there is condensation that forms on the ceiling making it "rain" in there sometimes. Any ideas on what I can do to help prevent it? Is this going to be a problem? I'm in NC so we don't get a lot of cold weather but we have some now thats for sure, down in the teens at night....

Thanks

Jay

 

[chickenbottom]

what i have on mine is a fiberglass sheet it looks just like carpet but its great um you lay it on top of th coop and it really just beat off of it like when your skinis really oily and you get water on you its like that and it works great you can get it at home depot if you like my ideal or get like a tarp and slant it to one side of the shead and going into a hole and the water will drain outside idk just some sugjestions

 

[Eastins Eggs]

Put in a roof vent. My be even a powered one. I used a metal shed when I first started out also and had the same problem, didn't go away until I quit using it. Only use wood now, it breaths better.

 

[Jay13]

The problem is we don't have the money to build a new shed and I am concerned about venting what seems to me to be a very cold building already. I know, I'm a person, they have feathers, but still....

I'll have to look into a roof vent, although it does have some "natural" ventilation already


Chickenbottom, you mean on the inside of the roof? I Have one of those typical barn roofs that has a ridge along the top and two points that "kick out" which gives us 4 "surfaces to work with.

We also for when it is summer, have one half of the back wall open with just chicken wire so that hopefully ventilation won't be too much of an issue in the summer when it gets hot and muggy.

 

[azelgin]

Some type of insulation on the inside is about the only solution. Even emty metal buildings with no insulation sweat. 1/2" styrofoam is about $1.75 for a 2' x 4' sheet. A can of 3M 77 spray adhesive runs about $10.00. Since it is on the ceiling, you wouldn't have to worry about the chickens eating the foam, which they love to do. The foam is easy to work with and the 3M spray works good on metal and foam.
Good Luck

 

[cmom]

One of my coops is a metal shed with a vent on two sides for cross ventilation. I have had no condensation inside. There is a picture on my BYC Page.

 

[cw]

im in south cen ky, and your in cent nc.
i wouldnt worry about it getting colder you may have to help with straw and what not, but they can handle the cold better then being wet and cold try putting louvered vents on the top of the sides

 

[A.J.'s]

I have a metal roof on my back porch. it is open on 3 sides. totally open friends. and it rains on my back porch all along where the metal is attached to rafters.
so with my barn. it is a huge barn. open on two ends and on some mornings it looks just l ike it is raining in there. all along the sites of rafters up high where the metal is attached.
Vantalation would have to be a super powered fan 10 feet high to help this.

 

[hoosier]

I have the same problen with a pole barn and it is insulated on the sides and roof. It has no vents because I assumed they put those in every barn when they built it. After hearing the porch story, I am not sure vents will help.
I keep them in a corner with a lower ceiling, so it doesn't rain on them, but the humidity level is still higher than I would like. I have thought of trying a dehumidifier.
Maybe you could tack a sheet of plastic or something below the roof to keep the water off them as a temporary measure.

 

[Jay13]

Well I went out this last night and found that the drops were FROZEN to the roof! We got down to about 9 degrees last night which is crazy cold and unusual here. Then as the sun came up this morning, the drops on the "sunny side" were melting and "raining" and the shady side was still frozen solid so I guess the humidity in there is being turned to frost/ice. The spray foam sounds interesting, will have to think about that. Unfortunately, all the lighting is up there too so can't really put in an artificial ceiling

Thanks for all your suggestions, any others?