Trouble with ceiling humidity

[3rdtimesacharm]

Hi There!

I'm freaking with a humidity issue. My coop doesn't smell. I was doing the deep litter method but the humidity on the plastic/fiberglass ceiling is dripping and making their bedding pretty wet/damp so I've been cleaning the shavings out.

It still retains humidity. I made the mistake of putting hay in. That made matters worse. Soo, I got 150 lbs of sand, cleared out the entire center of the coop and put the sand in, though I'm worried as it felt pretty cold. The good thing is, the coop is in direct sun and has windows along both the east and west sides.

It's got A LOT of ventilation. In fact, I worry it could be too drafty but when I'm in it I don't feel a draft. There's a strip of hardware cloth underneath the windows on east and west side. And the north and south walls are about 4' tall before the roof starts, and about 2/3 of hardware cloth with plastic shields over it so raccoons don't try to murder my girls. But it's definitely got ventilation going, and like I said, there's no overwhelming ammonia smells.

Basically, I think the roosts (they kind of need to be) are too close to the ceiling. The reason is because the nesting boxes are about 2.5' up, followed by the roosts at about 4' high. Ceiling is about 6' high. My birds are bigger birds. I've got 2 Cochins, 2 Buff Orpingtons, 2 Dominiques, a Barred and a Partidge Rock along with a BPR rooster, a Welsummer, a Green Queen, a White Leghorn in a 40 sq ft coop. They come out to free range about 1 hr a day about 4 days a week right now. We're working on a run. The entire west side opens up and stays open while they're out.

I just hope the sand can warm up and keep some insulation. I've read comments on both sides-I've read sand had better thermal conduction, and I've read it's worse. Same with hay/straw: some say it's hollow and gives warmth while others say it gets wet, moldy, and can bring in mites and other parasites. I can say my chickens had ZERO issues until either the moisture started up, or when I brought one of my horse's hay bales home to try to help-we think we noticed mites. As soon as we saw what we saw in the nesting box, I treated all of their legs with a sunflower oil ointment with tea tree oil, and added tea tree to the coop, along with diatomaceous earth which I always use.

My next thought is to have my husband put up insulation boards along the ceiling with either plastic sheets over them so they don't peck/eat at the insulation or cover with thin wood.

I think 12 chickens in a 40 sq ft box 23 hrs a day is just too much, eh?? They need an attached run. I really think that's the key, though they're all laying and happy!! I am just curious as to your thoughts, as well as opinions/experiences with the different beddings as insulation as well as poop control. Obviously I'm going to bed to be scooping poo a lot more now that I've added 150 lbs of sand.

Thanks all! Happy 2021

 

[black_cat]

How much ventilation do you have?

Make an attached run ASAP! That is much too small a space for them to be confined in.

 

[21hens-incharge]

Pictures of your set up can answer a ton of questions folks will have.

From what I read....
There are 12 birds cooped up 23 hours a day.

You need a run and likely better ventilation.
Without pictures I will also suggest moving the nests down and with that the roosts as well.

 

[3rdtimesacharm]

Yes, I know. The problem is, I was hit with a cornea tear after a bout of shingles IN my eye. I've had to be treated at Cleveland Clinic Main 3x a week, and simultaneously, my husband's best friend from way back when they were kids was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer/spread to the liver. He's needed us for care, so due to the rural ecosystem we live in, it's too unsafe for them to be free ranging/pastured without someone standing guard. During Covid this summer they ran around all summer. But, we lost one at dusk in Sept so no more. They come out, weather permitting whenever someone can hang with them. But yes, my husband is making a run tomorrow. He's already committed and it's a done deal.

 

[3rdtimesacharm]

Pictures of your set up can answer a ton of questions folks will have.

From what I read....
There are 12 birds cooped up 23 hours a day.

You need a run and likely better ventilation.
Without pictures I will also suggest moving the nests down and with that the roosts as well.

The nest boxes really can't be lowered, otherwise, they lose about 5 sq ft. They have space under them to forage around in

 

[3rdtimesacharm]

Hopefully you can gain a better understanding of the coop. The run underneath is not accessible YET. We have way way too much wildlife-from hawks, eagles, opossums, raccoons, skunks, weasels, to coyotes, fox, and bobcats so I only use the run when it's rainy. But the detachable run my husband is making tomorrow will roll up to the door and allow access to outside and then underneath. We have an automatic door opener, we just don't use it since they can't free range

 

[Cattle dog Mom]

Too many birds for the amount of space.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Wow you're lucky that despite the fact that they don't get to go out at all, they haven't killed each other. How big is the run going to be?

I think in your worry about them being taken by a predator, you're risking health and behavioral issues from literally cooping them up.

 

[3rdtimesacharm]

They all get along quite nicely to be honest. I raised them from hatch day inside my house, in my living room with my GSD and myself sleeping in the room with them for 7 weeks in the brooder. And my other dog, Sundance a golden/lab/Aussie is their BESTIE. She comes out for feedings and when they get let out and wanders with them. They sit on her back and nest in her fur. They can't do that with the GSD, but she's more the fox deterrent.

I just don't know if I got lucky or what. I give them plenty of stuff to forage for during the day, so maybe they're just too preoccupied?? I make a mix of raisins, dried fruit, unsalted sunflower meats, black soldier fly larvae, meal worms, peanuts, and typical scratch like oats, corn and other seeds. They're VERY spoiled.

I have: 2 Cochins, a blue and a white, 2 Dominiques, 1 Partidge and 1 Barred (and a barred roo) Rock, 1Welsummer, 2Buff Orps, 1 Green Queen and 1 White Leghorn and all but 2 have started laying!! I get 6-9 eggs a day in dead of winter!! Besides the humidity, E think they're pretty happy. They are never upset like I've read other ppl say, and they all fly out and have a GREAT time foraging. I live on 22 acres, no fences sooooooooo, yeah. That's part of the reason for the high predators. And now bobcats have been officially spotted just 5 miles away. My property backs into a summer camp, and just past the summer camp is a nature preserve where bald eagles nest. There are bobcats there now.

I switched the center of the coop/under the roost bars to sand yesterday-150 lbs of sand. I left the bedding under the nest box shelf and along the edge/border of the coop since some of it is the original stuff from Aug and I'm sure it's breaking down/giving off heat. I just hope maybe the sand will collect a little of that excess moisture but maybe warm up a bit on some sunny days. I don't know- Ice read ppl who swear by sand and others who despise it. We shall see. And my husband is coming home from our cancer patient friend's today to build the run.

The run will be 40 sq ft (under the coop) with an additional 60 sq ft so 100 sq ft with roof/drop cover sides so snow/rain doesn't get them. I do have 3 with feathered feet, which I trimmed bc T was worried about frostbite. I also put Vaseline on all of my hens and roos legs, combs (those with straight combs), and wattles. They are handled A LOT. I bought them as day is hatchlings at Meyer Hatchery, drove and picked them up at noon on hatch day. So, they are used to each other-they are family. And to us too. I picked out my rooster type, and a few must haves like the Dominikers and the Partridge Rock. Everything else I gambled on-I ordered from Rare Asst, Brown Layer Asst., Heritage Breed Asst, and Rainbow Asst. (I did my homework though, and saw that I could save at least $20 by ordering my chicks in June 8 and picking asst by what they had left

Anyhoo, hoping that by getting them out more, combined with the sand in the center of the coop, it'll lower the humidity issues a bit.

THANKS!!

 

[21hens-incharge]

What I am seeing is a metal roof, not much if any ventilation and lots of condensation.
When the metal is cold and then the sun hits it moisture condenses like crazy.

Not sure where in the world you are located but you need to add vents up high or at least open those windows.

The sand will hold moisture only to release it again and again. the moisture has no where to go so is building up in the coop.