Overhead coop fan running at night

[FunClucks]

I'm a bit late to the party, but I just noticed you're in Central Alabama. I'm in North Alabama. Mine live in a covered open air greenhouse frame hoop coop/run year round. They don't actually have a coop, just a covered run. We made it through the -9F temps this winter just fine, only a tad frostbite on the really tall points of my rooster's comb. They've been in there for over a year now and doing fine.

In short, I think you need MUCH more ventilation for spring/summer/autumn. Like, 3 square feet of open window area per hen above their heads in the coop is needed. I was in the process of converting a metal shed into a coop, and realized I'd have to basically remove the upper four feet of all four walls. Which would require putting more structural support into the coop and giving the openings overhangs, etc, more work. So I just kept them in the covered run and reduced my numbers, and used the shed to store supplies. Each chicken now has 15 square feet in my combo coop/run and it's working well. I'll be building a poop board and redoing their roost setup this year.

Summer and winter setup for my open air combo coop-run. Winter setup has plastic on the sides, summer just has tarp over top.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/hello-for-alabama.1569807/post-26652217

Best of luck figuring things out!

 

[Frazzled chicken tender]

The Usual Guidelines

For each adult, standard-sized hen you need:

• 4 square feet in the coop (.37 square meters)
• 10 square feet in the run (.93 square meters),
• 1 linear foot of roost (.3 meters),
• 1/4 of a nest box,
• And 1 square foot (.09 square meters) of permanent, 24/7/365 ventilation, preferably located over the birds' heads when they're sitting on the roost.

29 hens theoretically need a minimum of 29 square feet of ventilation and I see one modest-sized window. Additionally, as a fellow resident of the US Steamy's Southeast, I find that I need either DEEP natural shade or 2-3 times the recommended ventilation just to keep a coop under 100F on a 90F day.

Repecka Illustrates Coop Ventilation

I'd really recommend pulling the siding off of at least one wall and replacing it with wire to create an Open Air style coop.

Hot Climate Chicken Housing and Care

I dont think i've seen that style coop, will look into it. Thank you! Oh, to add, there are 3 windows, and i keep them open during day with fan running. And sometimes just leave door open
The coop is shaded most of day (and when sun hits it its only one side). I'm going to look into the amount of ventilation they have. They are pretty much free range during the day because i have them in a big fenced in area (not true free range).most of their area is shaded, but that being said, i am concerned my flock is too large for their space.

 

[Frazzled chicken tender]

I'm a bit late to the party, but I just noticed you're in Central Alabama. I'm in North Alabama. Mine live in a covered open air greenhouse frame hoop coop/run year round. They don't actually have a coop, just a covered run. We made it through the -9F temps this winter just fine, only a tad frostbite on the really tall points of my rooster's comb. They've been in there for over a year now and doing fine.

In short, I think you need MUCH more ventilation for spring/summer/autumn. Like, 3 square feet of open window area per hen above their heads in the coop is needed. I was in the process of converting a metal shed into a coop, and realized I'd have to basically remove the upper four feet of all four walls. Which would require putting more structural support into the coop and giving the openings overhangs, etc, more work. So I just kept them in the covered run and reduced my numbers, and used the shed to store supplies. Each chicken now has 15 square feet in my combo coop/run and it's working well. I'll be building a poop board and redoing their roost setup this year.

Summer and winter setup for my open air combo coop-run. Winter setup has plastic on the sides, summer just has tarp over top.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/hello-for-alabama.1569807/post-26652217

Best of luck figuring things out!

Thank you! Of all the things i hadnt even thought of needing extra ventilation! I was mainly worried about space for them. I'm going to talk to my husband about increasing ventilation. Thank you for the pics, you have a great set up! I am trying to improve ours, but ive been doing it myself and arthritis slowing me down. I honestly need to reduce the size of my flock, just having a hard time as they are more "pets" to me than farm animals. I'll try to post a pic of their run and fenced in area when i can. Thank you for the tips!

 

[Frazzled chicken tender]

Make the ventilation over their heads when they're sitting roosted for the night. But yeah, definitely cut some large windows and cover with hardware cloth for a cross breeze. Can put an overhang on the outside to prevent water entry.

I'm going to see if i can enlarge the windows a good bit! And also might increase ventilarion at top.

 

[Frazzled chicken tender]

The Usual Guidelines

For each adult, standard-sized hen you need:

• 4 square feet in the coop (.37 square meters)
• 10 square feet in the run (.93 square meters),
• 1 linear foot of roost (.3 meters),
• 1/4 of a nest box,
• And 1 square foot (.09 square meters) of permanent, 24/7/365 ventilation, preferably located over the birds' heads when they're sitting on the roost.

29 hens theoretically need a minimum of 29 square feet of ventilation and I see one modest-sized window. Additionally, as a fellow resident of the US Steamy's Southeast, I find that I need either DEEP natural shade or 2-3 times the recommended ventilation just to keep a coop under 100F on a 90F day.

Repecka Illustrates Coop Ventilation

I'd really recommend pulling the siding off of at least one wall and replacing it with wire to create an Open Air style coop.

Hot Climate Chicken Housing and Care

I reread your post about footage needed. Sounds like i have way too many hens for the size coop. My husband has been after me to downsize flock, so might have to do that soon. We have bantams, but even so it sounds like they meed far more space. Thanks for the specific information. My husband spent a small fortune on the coop, so i imagine he will balk at tearing out a wall. But, i think we could enlarge the windows a good bit, and also increase ventilation at top of coop a lot. And add in extra windows.

 

[FunClucks]

I reread your post about footage needed. Sounds like i have way too many hens for the size coop. My husband has been after me to downsize flock, so might have to do that soon. We have bantams, but even so it sounds like they meed far more space. Thanks for the specific information. My husband spent a small fortune on the coop, so i imagine he will balk at tearing out a wall. But, i think we could enlarge the windows a good bit, and also increase ventilation at top of coop a lot. And add in extra windows.

So many coops you see on here are gorgeous, but really designed for a cooler climate than for Alabama, where folks get snow and such, and it doesn't get so hot and humid.

Might consider couching it as making one wall removable. So, increase all the ventilation like planned, and then consider making one wall removable for summertime. So you can add the wall back in come wintertime/fall when the weather is cooler and not as humid.

A thermometer in the coop on the hottest days at chicken head height will help you understand what they're really dealing with.

One thing you have going for you is that they're outside most of the day, so are avoiding the mid-day highest temperatures. However, if you have a predator event and need to keep them inside for a week while waiting for the predators to go away, the coop you have would probably not work very well. It's a good thing you're making changes.

Everyone is new once, and we are all learning. Have fun!

 

[Frazzled chicken tender]

So many coops you see on here are gorgeous, but really designed for a cooler climate than for Alabama, where folks get snow and such, and it doesn't get so hot and humid.

Might consider couching it as making one wall removable. So, increase all the ventilation like planned, and then consider making one wall removable for summertime. So you can add the wall back in come wintertime/fall when the weather is cooler and not as humid.

A thermometer in the coop on the hottest days at chicken head height will help you understand what they're really dealing with.

One thing you have going for you is that they're outside most of the day, so are avoiding the mid-day highest temperatures. However, if you have a predator event and need to keep them inside for a week while waiting for the predators to go away, the coop you have would probably not work very well. It's a good thing you're making changes.

Everyone is new once, and we are all learning. Have fun!

Thank you, I appreciate the time people put in on this forum to help others. Had no idea ventilation was so lacking in my coop. Would hate for my flock to suffer, and if i have to use my husbands chainsaw myself to enlarge windows, will do so. Removable wall good idea. I might also just cute out a huge section of one wall...just have to make sure its prefator proof once i do that. And that i dont destabilize structure. Their enclosed run (not free ranging area) is around 140 ft squared, shaded and also with fan. So they could retreat there in the event of predator? Anyway, they still need more ventilation at night, apparently.

 

[aart]

I'll try to post a pic of their run and fenced in area when i can.

Would help to see this and the rest of the coop, inside and out.

if i have to use my husbands chainsaw myself to enlarge windows, will do so....... And that i dont destabilize structure.

Yah, think it through first then cut with the right tools(not a chainsaw ).

 

[3KillerBs]

i keep them open during day with fan running.

Your main ventilation needs to be open 24/7/365. Anything you only open sometimes is supplemental ventilation that doesn't count in the calculations.

So many coops you see on here are gorgeous, but really designed for a cooler climate than for Alabama, where folks get snow and such, and it doesn't get so hot and humid.

Might consider couching it as making one wall removable. So, increase all the ventilation like planned, and then consider making one wall removable for summertime. So you can add the wall back in come wintertime/fall when the weather is cooler and not as humid.

Very good point.

Both very cold climates and very warm climates need special considerations.

I don't have the link handy, but I do remember that there is a person here -- possibly no longer active -- who built the coop with removable wall panels over wire because it was for an area with very hot summers and very cold winters.

 

[FunClucks]

Would help to see this and the rest of the coop, inside and out.


Yah, think it through first then cut with the right tools(not a chainsaw ).

Sawz-all or jigsaw would give a better cut. Better still, demount it if possible (unscrew screws, pull out or cut nails, etc.) at the joint, so you can re-fit it together. Cover any openings with 1/2" 19 gage hardware cloth. You can use fender washers and screws or make a picture frame out of wood and secure it to the structure.

That really is a gorgeous coop, and in the few weeks to a month or so of "winter" we have, you will probably be happy to be able to remount the side on the coop to cut down on wind.