Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[chickflick]

Ummmm..... Where did everyone go?? We got a couple of inches of snow during the night. Suppose to get rain later. Cold wet day ahead.

Have a good day folks. Be safe

 

[aart]

We got a couple of inches of snow during the night. Suppose to get rain later.

We got the snow last night, couple inches with an hour or so of whiteout.
Now rain.
Might have to be moving some slush before temps drop tonight.

 

[Sally PB]

Very glad I went to Meijers yesterday. Wow, what a mess out there now! Even more glad I don't have to go anywhere today.

I cleaned off the roof of the run with a push broom (using its "pull" setting, which is the only way my husband uses it, silly man!). That worked very well, and I'm confident the tarp over chicken wire over metal tube frame is going to hold up well to whatever Mother Nature can dish out.

I might need to put some plastic over the bottom two inches of the southern vent opening in the coop. We'll see what blew in over night. There is some roof overhang, but if the wind is just the right angle, it can blow in.

When I clean, I always check the temp and humidity in the coop. The temp is the same as outside, but the humidity is usually around 75%. I'm thinking that's ok...? Opinions?

Be safe out there.

 

[aart]

I might need to put some plastic over the bottom two inches of the southern vent opening in the coop. We'll see what blew in over night. There is some roof overhang, but if the wind is just the right angle, it can blow in.

I use furnace filters for that problem here.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/ventilation-baffling.75434/

When I clean, I always check the temp and humidity in the coop. The temp is the same as outside, but the humidity is usually around 75%. I'm thinking that's ok...? Opinions?

What's the humidity outside the coop?
Can't make it 'drier' inside the coop than it is outside.

 

[Sally PB]

I use furnace filters for that problem here.

I just put furnace filters on my list. I'll get an extra one for them.

 

[Folly's place]

I now have two thermometers with hygrometers in separate coop areas, and it's interesting. The area nearest the 'run' with it's excellent ventilation, and only a few bantams roosting there, always has lower humidity than the one in the back of the original coop section, with about thirty birds roosting every night. Different by five to ten numbers, at most, and never any signs of condensation anywhere.
Of course it's humid outside too most of the time!
Tweaking things a bit, but no major projects are going to be happening over winter. This has been the same set-up for five years, and no problems during winters, so it's probably fine. And moving the waterer outside of the more humid area can't happen until the run electric outlet is fixed...
Mary

 

[aart]

I just put furnace filters on my list. I'll get an extra one for them.

The stuff I used was on 3' wide roll, it's about 1" thick.
That way I could cut it to size.

 

[Sally PB]

Ah! Thank you. I was thinking of the 16x20 filter I need to replace in my furnace.

Is it porous enough to cover both ventilation openings, or should I keep it to a minimum? The openings are currently covered with 1/2" HC and window screen material. I can remove the screen, as it's just stapled on over the HC.

 

[aart]

Ah! Thank you. I was thinking of the 16x20 filter I need to replace in my furnace.

Is it porous enough to cover both ventilation openings, or should I keep it to a minimum? The openings are currently covered with 1/2" HC and window screen material. I can remove the screen, as it's just stapled on over the HC.

There are many kinds of furnace filter materials and configurations.
What you use may work in your furnace might work in the coop.

What I have is pretty porous, but I only use it where it is needed for the blowing snow off the lower roof(see my coop page).
Not sure you need to remove anything already there....pics would help.

 

[1muttsfan]

Hi RaZ, wherever you are