Question about installing a fan in the coop.

[Coreyboy18]

I bought a small fan to install in the coop because it gets very hot here. It doesn't blow hard, or a whole lot, but enough to circulate the air in the coop. Is this a good idea or not? I read about keeping it draft-free and a fan would definitely not keep it that way. It is not a large coop, it is about 2 1/2 ft x 3 1/2 ft. They will be in the run and free-ranging during the day and only be in the coop at night. When I took readings of the temperature in the coop, it can get into the early 90's during the day and the upper eighties at night. What do you think?

 

[Settin'_Pretty]

Have you ever seen a commercial chicken house?
They are lined with high output fans.

The fan is a good idea, set it to blow out and suck air in.

 

[Coreyboy18]

Well I wouldn't think a commercial chicken house would really care about quality of life...

It's going right by a window so it should do a fairly good job of sucking air in. Perhaps I need one by the other window blow air out.

 

[Engteacher]

I installed an attic exhaust fan in my coop. It has a thermostat and blows air out of the coop when the temperature reaches 80 degrees. When it runs, fresh air is sucked into the coop as the hot air goes out. So far it has worked slick. I can send you a picture if you're interested.

If I had a small fan, I would set it to blow OUT and not into the coop.

 

[patandchickens]

Drafts are only "drafts" when it's cool or cold. This time of year, they're DESIRABLE

although you don't want to turn your coop into a wind tunnel or anything like that.

However in that size coop you shouldn't be needing a fan. If it is staying that warm in the evenings, it just needs a bunch more ventilation. Try extending one side to provide a generous overhang, then make that side only mesh, while also maintaining some ventilation in the other walls. There is no excuse for a coop that small not being the exact same temperature as the outdoor-shade air temperature. So you would only need a fan in there IF your nighttime temps are staying around 90 F, which they probably aren't

Good luck, ahve fun,

Pat

 

[Coreyboy18]

Quote:
Unfortunately Pat, they are staying that temperature. It gets near 100 during the day, so it is actually staying a couple of degrees cooler, that's why I want to put a fan in there. It has plenty of ventilation from what I think, but I will post a couple of pictures so you can see it.

Window on each side and and opening at the top of the roof

Better view of roof vent

Inside of the coop

Where I planned on putting the fan

The babies will only be in the coop at night, but I plan on running the fan all day just in case they decide to go in. I also have frozen water bottles ready. They aren't in the coop yet, about another week or so.

 

[Turner]

Fan is a very good thing in your climate this time of year.

 

[ray2310]

I have a fan in the back door to our coop. It is set to blow air out. I like this because it seems to blow the dust out keeping the coop cleaner.

 

[bfrancis]

Here is a pic of the small fan we have in our coop.

I tried it both ways, facing in to bring fresh air in and facing out. I found in my set-up, facing out works better. It sucks the stale coop air out, but draws fresh air from the window on the other side. There really isn't a noticable breeze, but the air quality is noticably better and stays several degrees cooler inside than the 98 degrees outside temps we've had here in Oklahoma lately.

Hope this helps

I'm editing because after looking at your pics again I thought of something else with your set up. It might be more effecient if you could build a small box or enclosure to help direct the air flow through the fan reguardless of which direction you choose vs. just have the fan stir things up in an open air enviroment.

Just a thought..good luck

 

[cowdogcadillac]

I put an oscillating fan in my coop but it is not pointed directly at the nest boxes. It bounces air around in the coop to keep some kind of air movement. They were panting as they layed before I put it in there but now they seem to be happier with an indirect breeze on them