Trouble with ceiling humidity

[3rdtimesacharm]

You say there is a lot of ventilation but I do not see it? You need 12sf of ventilation, 1 sf per bird. Or less birds,

 

[3rdtimesacharm]

If you can tell from this angle, there's about a 6"x 18" vent on the east and then another across it on the west, asking with the ENTIRE south and north sides of the coop with hardwire along the entire length of the coop. It's under the white corrugated plastic which is just there as a wind/rain/raccoon guard. It's not against the hardwire tight or flat.

 

[3rdtimesacharm]

Did some digging. In a he OP's intro post it says they are in Ohio.

To me that means cold as well as possible high humidity.

A suggestion @3rdtimesacharm is to get two thermometers with a humidity gauges. Put one inside the coop and one outside the coop. The goal is to have the humidity within 5% of each other.

If your humidity in the coop is more than 5% higher you need to do a cleaning AND open/add more ventilation.


Of note is that a camper topper (in this case a metal coop roof) will turn it into an oven in summer. Given the size of the structure it can also do that in winter.
In my opinion that needs addressed ASAP.

It's a fiberglass truck cap. It's white and it stayed mighty cool all summer.

I was doing the deep litter method, but then decided that was creating part of the humidity issue. I have been cleaning it out about 3-4 times a week now that I've noticed the humidity build up.

My thermometer is reading a steady 40° the past few weeks. I'm keeping a close eye, and I'll be getting one for humidity. Thanks!

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Nice! And your birds are very pretty, by the way!

 

[David61]

It's a fiberglass truck cap. It's white and it stayed mighty cool all summer.

I do not see where the truck cap is vented. It can trap as it is above the vent you show.

 

[aart]

Thanks for your opinion, however that ceiling is fiberglass, not "metal". The frame of it is aluminum, but the entire ceiling is fiberglass.

Any surface that's cold on one side and has contact with warmer humid air on the other can collect condensation.

These are 1x roof boards on the coop shed during a thaw, after a long spell of single digit F's and lots of snow, other side of roof boards is tar paper, asphalt shingles, and a foot of snow.

 

[Ruby Rogue]

I had this problem with my metal roofing in my coop. I removed the waterer and the issue has resolved.