Shed brooder in Florida

[Syearling]

I live in North Central Florida and I'm setting up a brooder in my shed which is already a chicken coop. My question is, during the day it's hot, some days it's around 100° in the shed with ventilation. If I have a fan on them and plenty of electrolyte water available to them will they be ok?

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I live in North Central Florida and I'm setting up a brooder in my shed which is already a chicken coop. My question is, during the day it's hot, some days it's around 100° in the shed with ventilation. If I have a fan on them and plenty of electrolyte water available to them will they be ok?

That's rough.
Not impossible, but rough. They need cool places where they can bed down - what's your floor??? (I'm a bit north of you now, but grew up on the I4 corridor, I know the conditions of which you speak).

Anything you can do to further cool the coop, particularly high summer, would be beneficial. Shade??? Shade tarp over the shed to prenet thermal gain thhrough mid afternoon?

 

[Syearling]

That's rough.
Not impossible, but rough. They need cool places where they can bed down - what's your floor??? (I'm a bit north of you now, but grew up on the I4 corridor, I know the conditions of which you speak).

Anything you can do to further cool the coop, particularly high summer, would be beneficial. Shade??? Shade tarp over the shed to prenet thermal gain thhrough mid afternoon?

The floor is wood, but I have a tarp stapled down for easier clean up, I am in the process of getting a window ac unit for the shed.

 

[3KillerBs]

My question is, during the day it's hot, some days it's around 100° in the shed with ventilation.

I have the same problem with my Outdoor Brooder here in central NC during the summer.

Run to Outdoor Brooder Conversion

I have it in the shade and I also have MASSIVE ventilation -- 16 square feet of permanent ventilation and an entire wall that can be opened as needed.

I am in the process of getting a window ac unit for the shed.

This is not a good idea for several reasons:

1. Chickens have very delicate respiratory systems and one of their chief needs is fresh air. It's impossible to combine effective use of an air conditions with adequate air exchange to keep the air fresh.

2. Chicken dust + electric motors = Fire Hazard. Both the feather dander and the dust from the bedding is highly flammable.

3. Even if the dust doesn't catch fire, it will clog up the filtration, gum up the motors, and shorten the life of the unit.

Shade and massive ventilation is probably the best you can do.

I try to avoid brooding during the hottest months of the year, but sometimes have to due to availability issues.

BTW, electrolytes are good in moderation, but should always be offered in addition to rather than instead of plain water.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

In compete agreement.

Air conditioning is exactly opposite what you want for your birds - they need high rates of air exchange, w/o being drafty.

Have you considered converting the coop to an open air design by removing one wall and replacing it with hardware cloth?

This is my goat shed - during the hottest months, my birds start laying eggs in hollows they dig under the raised goat shelf inside. Its one of the coolest places on the property, and as you can see, there is plenty of ventilation.

 

[3KillerBs]

This is my goat shed - during the hottest months, my birds start laying eggs in hollows they dig under the raised goat shelf inside. Its one of the coolest places on the property, and as you can see, there is plenty of ventilation.

My Open Air coop (which doesn't have it's own coop article yet, but which features in my hot climate article), is the coolest place in my yard on a hot day due to the roof my DH designed and our use of local microclimates.