Panting in the coop..first night out

[Ccort]

I'm glad you brought them in. Timing is everything. When I put young birds outside in the spring, I try to find milder weather. This time of year, in a few days like you said the temps will be much better. Adding more ventilation should help keep the coop from heating up too much. Just make sure it's above the birds' backs when they roost. I'd add several more square feet. I use a drill bit to cut a hole big enough for the jig saw blade, then I'd cut from stud to stud (not cutting the studs) and put up hardware cloth.

Thanks for your help.
I am set to leave town in 10 days (for just over two weeks) and am increasingly concerned about them being acclimated to the outdoors, especially with temps fluctuating so much.

 

[springvalley123]

Thanks for your help.
I am set to leave town in 10 days (for just over two weeks) and am increasingly concerned about them being acclimated to the outdoors, especially with temps fluctuating so much.

Could you give them access to a secure predator proof run and the coop?

 

[aart]

Mounting a fan like this would be simple. Think this would do the trick?

No, not really.
Sealing the fan to a window is the most efficient.

 

[Ccort]

Could you give them access to a secure predator proof run and the coop?

I think my run is predator proof but am not comfortable leaving then out in it at night. We have a lot of raccoons and some coyotes and am simply not that confident yet.

 

[Ccort]

Is there a trick or method to get them to split apart rather than piling on top of eachother? Not only is that making them hot, but I worry they'll injure the birds on the bottom, specifically my smallest one.

 

[aart]

Is there a trick or method to get them to split apart rather than piling on top of eachother? Not only is that making them hot, but I worry they'll injure the birds on the bottom, specifically my smallest one.

If they are on the roost, there shouldn't be any piling that would lead to death.
They do like to be close, especially because they are in a new environment.
But even older birds seem to want to be close, even if they would be cooler moving apart.

 

[sandburRanch]

Just putting a fan in the coop is futile . Use natural science to your advantage as old timers did that built a chicken house .

Cooler air in near the bottom of the structure and warmer air out the top , preferred at the opposite end up as high as possible . If that coop doesn't have a upper window to open the people that designed it scored 0.0 on the coop building design contest .

With this in mind , a very small fan in the ramp door opening with a upper opening somewhere for the warmer air that rises to escape . Hail screen ( hardware cloth ) the ramp door for security , although a varment may not bother a opening with a fan running .

 

[3KillerBs]

OverEZ coops are notoriously short on ventilation.

The usual guideline is to have at least 1 square foot of ventilation for each adult, standard-sizes hen. Some situations call for more -- in my own area I need double or triple that or DEEP shade.

This is what your airflow should look like:

 

[kodster]

Chickens actually do huddle together, touching each other, while roosting, so that's nothing unusual. I'd be more concerned about the juvenile at the bottom, being squashed by the others on top of it, which is the reason why it was still panting so late. All those hot chickens on top, and then being harder to breathe because of the weight is a double-whammy.

It doesn't sound like there was much of a breeze that night, so even with the windows being open and the extra vents you put in wouldn't help much if there's no air circulation, naturally. So, a fan would be ideal to circulate the air, during the warmer months.

 

[Ccort]

I am happy to report that the chicks have slept in the coop for two nights in a row now! All but one went in on their own the first night and all went in alone on the second night. Were putting in a fan today as well as a thermometer and a little night light so I can actually see if needed.
With the thermometer, what am I looking for as far as a comfortable temp goes?