ventilation question, humidity gauge?

[Chad the Chicken Man]

Ok I know this topic has been covered a million time about ventilation, but I put a tempiture gauge in the coop and i just noticed there is a small humidity guage on the bottom, now right now its 25 degrees and snowing ouside and 30 degrees inside the coop, the humidity gauge is right in the middle of normal, i belieave 65%. will this work as an accurite reading on how many vents to open or close??? I hope this will work because this is my first winter and it would be a huge help to me to know that everything is where it needs to be.

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

You would need 2 that match. One in an one out. If the humidity was higher on the one inside you would need more ventilation. Good luck finding 2 that match. The could be calibrated to match I guess.

 

[LynneP]

Some of the hardware stores carry a cheapo weather station with three sensors that you can locate in various places. I'm thinking of getting one so that I can put a sensor outside and one in the coop the third in the main floor of the barn. They do temp, humidity, time, etc. Wireless, digital, battery needed about $15.

 

[patandchickens]

DO NOT TRUST THE HUMIDITY READING. Store-boughten hygrometers are notoriously inaccurate, even the pricier ones. You need to check yours and find out what correction factor to apply -- see https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=115856 and similar threads for the method.

Once you have figured out what the relationship is between your hygrometer reading and actual humidity, THEN you can use it as a general guideline to coop management if you wish. You just want to avoid high humidities, like >75% ish. The lower the humidity is indoors, the more ok it is likely to be to close more vents.

Although the 'feel' and smell of the air, and am't of condensation/frost, will tell you just as well as any instrument

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

Quote:
I have not found one of those yet that read outside humidity. The seem to all read outside an inside temp but only read humidity at the base.

 

[LynneP]

I looked today but none were in stock at our Home Hardware. The catalogue says they provide 3 sensors that 'report back' to a central one with the readouts...our coop is clean and dry, so I'm waffling about the purchase. Bought a new shop vac for the barn on sale, thoush...