Suggestions/Assistance for temporary air circulation in Coop

[ladybrasa]

So I’ve started moving out some of the chicks out into the coop. The coop is divided in to two sections, so I only needed to shut the door in between to separate the old adults from the chicks. The door has chicken wire on it, so they can see each other. The idea is, once all the chicks are at least like maybe 3/4 the size of the adults, to finally open the door. The adults have the run access door, the roosts they were using anyway, and appear to be using the temporary nest boxes I set up. It’s hot and humid, but the adults have options - shade and such outside. The chicks however are staying in the coop, and I didn’t realize how stuffy it got in there during the day. Some are struggling already - panting and wings out. There is ventilation, but it’s up in the, I guess you’d call it, the eaves. Definitely no current at or near floor level. There is an old run access door (chicken size) that has been closed off for many years that I could possibly pry open and staple up some temporary chicken wire. Well maybe, I have to check and hope it’s not been permanently sealed.

There is electricity in the coop. I do have an old house box fan. Keep in mince I don’t really know squat about electronics. Would that be safe running all day in an out building unsupervised while I’m at work for at least 12 hours a day? Kind of makes me nervous. Is there some special “outdoor” fan that’s safer to use? What if there is a storm while I’m at work? Are there other options? I am not able to permanently alter the coop at this time. Thanks for any input!

 

[black_cat]

So I’ve started moving out some of the chicks out into the coop. The coop is divided in to two sections, so I only needed to shut the door in between to separate the old adults from the chicks. The door has chicken wire on it, so they can see each other. The idea is, once all the chicks are at least like maybe 3/4 the size of the adults, to finally open the door. The adults have the run access door, the roosts they were using anyway, and appear to be using the temporary nest boxes I set up. It’s hot and humid, but the adults have options - shade and such outside. The chicks however are staying in the coop, and I didn’t realize how stuffy it got in there during the day. Some are struggling already - panting and wings out. There is ventilation, but it’s up in the, I guess you’d call it, the eaves. Definitely no current at or near floor level. There is an old run access door (chicken size) that has been closed off for many years that I could possibly pry open and staple up some temporary chicken wire. Well maybe, I have to check and hope it’s not been permanently sealed.

There is electricity in the coop. I do have an old house box fan. Keep in mince I don’t really know squat about electronics. Would that be safe running all day in an out building unsupervised while I’m at work for at least 12 hours a day? Kind of makes me nervous. Is there some special “outdoor” fan that’s safer to use? What if there is a storm while I’m at work? Are there other options? I am not able to permanently alter the coop at this time. Thanks for any input!

With fans, I dont' know about a special outdoor one, but you would need one that wouldn't hurt or cut your chicks if they managed to reach it. Maybe one of the ones with the cage around it, and use hardware cloth as well as an extra measure?

 

[Peppercorngal]

I have regular house portable box fans in both my coops. They run day and night. I turn them up during the day when it's the hottest and turn them down to the lowest setting at night. I've been doing this every summer for years. No problems, no fires, no issues at all. Try it!

 

[ladybrasa]

but you would need one that wouldn't hurt or cut your chicks if they managed to reach it.

Oh definitely it will with be on the other side of a wire door or up very high!

No problems, no fires, no issues at all. Try it!

Nothing to do but try I guess!

 

[ladybrasa]

Plugged in the old thing in the coop and it immediately made a difference.

Peppercorngal, did you ever have problems with your fans running during a thunderstorm and not being around to shut it off/unplug?

 

[Ryguy3684]

Plugged in the old thing in the coop and it immediately made a difference.

Peppercorngal, did you ever have problems with your fans running during a thunderstorm and not being around to shut it off/unplug?

Is the fan outside the coop, blowing in, or inside the coop? My fan stays in the covered run and blows in through the pop door. If there's a chance of rain, I wouldn't leave it where it will get rained on.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Even though you said it's not an option right now, down the line (like, by winter) I'd be looking at adding permanent ventilation solutions. If it's stuffy now, it's been stuffy for the adults too this whole time, and more birds = more respiration = more moisture than ever before.

As far as the chicks I'd also revisit your integration plans to integrate earlier so they don't have to be in the coop, considering the number of weeks they potentially could be stuck in there. How old are the chicks now? How many adults and how many chicks? How big is the coop, and the run?

 

[Peppercorngal]

Plugged in the old thing in the coop and it immediately made a difference.

Peppercorngal, did you ever have problems with your fans running during a thunderstorm and not being around to shut it off/unplug?

I'm in California and until this year we never had thunderstorms. (It doesn't rain in the summertime here) The last (only) one made no problems at all. I left them on. Now California is full of fire, but my fans are running!! My coops are basic wooden sheds with metal doors, the fans are inside. They are box fans so the fan is protected in a box!! No harm can come to the chickens if they get near or jump on it. Perfectly safe and they love the air circulation!

 

[Peppercorngal]

I agree with Rosemarythyme. I integrate chicks with the main flock at 4 weeks. The smaller the bird the less of a threat it seems. Little chicks are seen as no threat to the food supply, no threat to the pecking order, so integrating them as early as possible is better.

 

[rosemarythyme]

This is my early integration article, but since I don't know how you have things set up, there's several other articles linked at the bottom that might have a set up more similar to yours (in coop brooding area) for ideas: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/short-on-time-recycle-a-prefab-brooder.73985/