Wet Coop

[Lavender6]

Where, exactly, did the water get in?

The plastic might be the problem because the roof looks good and the vents look reasonably well-sheltered.

Can you stretch a tarp over the coop from that wooden wall down to the fence posts instead of wrapping the coop? It would work on the same principle as a rain fly for a tent.

The tin I used was from an old barn. I don't think my husband sealed the screw holes good enough. He just came back with plastic. We are going to use it till we can enough sealer to put all over the roof. Since it is built from pallets, it is necessary for the plastic to be on the outside. We have straight line winds. We are on a hill between two ridges and it blows straight through.

 

[Lavender6]

Where, exactly, did the water get in?

The plastic might be the problem because the roof looks good and the vents look reasonably well-sheltered.

Can you stretch a tarp over the coop from that wooden wall down to the fence posts instead of wrapping the coop? It would work on the same principle as a rain fly for a tent.

Probably if you could tie it. We have extremely high winds here at times

 

[Boise-girls]

You might try using a hair dryer to help dry out the wood if you have electrical access and enough time and patience.

 

[3KillerBs]

Probably if you could tie it. We have extremely high winds here at times

I wonder if you could put up some pallets on the upwind side to act as a windbreak?

A row of them could be leaned against each other in an A-frame arrangement to make a secure structure and the chickens would enjoy both perching on them and hiding under them while out in the run -- serving two purposes at once.

 

[Lavender6]

I wonder if you could put up some pallets on the upwind side to act as a windbreak?

A row of them could be leaned against each other in an A-frame arrangement to make a secure structure and the chickens would enjoy both perching on them and hiding under them while out in the run -- serving two purposes at once.

That side of the coop is outside of the run. I will broaden the fence out past it in the spring, but for now it is closed off. I just got those chickens in the spring and I have been through hell and back LOL. I seem to always find out something when it was past time I should have known it. Like those darn mites, I didn't find out about them until they had about taken over. They had them when they came. Has cost a mint plus a lot of time dealing with that. Now that is under control... now this...I don't regret getting them though. I love my girls! Thank you for helping me!!!!

 

[Lavender6]

You might try using a hair dryer to help dry out the wood if you have electrical access and enough time and patience.

I tried lol. It has a heating element that keeps shutting it off

 

[Boise-girls]

I tried lol. It has a heating element that keeps shutting it off

Bummer!

 

[BjAngel]

Hello. I built a new coop out of pallets. I used all used materials. I used some barn tin that I had and up to this point my coop has been dry and worked beautifully. I also insulated it with plastic, cardboard and wrapped my whole coop in tarps. The problem is yesterday we had treacherous downpours and the tin leaked. It didn't get my litter wet but the cardboard on the back and one of my nesting boxes got wet, not soaked but wet none the less. The roof lumber is wet also. It was 75° yesterday. Today it is going to rapidly drop and tonight it will be 23°. I am going to change out the cardboard and try to stop the leak. I am afraid that moisture that is in the coop will cause frostbite. I am wondering what I should do with that roof being wet because no way will it dry out before dark. Could I paint it, or cover it with plastic inside? I am really concerned my girls will get sick. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Hello KY neighbor from London with the heavy rain lately its hard to keep everything perfectly dry. You have a very nice coup that should keep all the chicks happy

 

[rosemarythyme]

The question I wonder is the bare wood enough to protect from the terrential rain?

Depends on the wood but yes bare, untreated wood can be adequate rain protection. I have a 5 yr old dismantled unpainted/treated cedar prefab that's holding up fine even with my typical PacNW wet weather - my chickens have used it as a rain shelter for years and I even brood chicks out in the rain with it.

I think the issue is both the cardboard (water sponge) and plastic (condensation collector) are holding in extra moisture in the coop. At 23F, with very good ventilation (but no drafts) you really shouldn't be getting frostbite even if a bit of dampness leaks into the coop.

 

[Lavender6]

Depends on the wood but yes bare, untreated wood can be adequate rain protection. I have a 5 yr old dismantled unpainted/treated cedar prefab that's holding up fine even with my typical PacNW wet weather - my chickens have used it as a rain shelter for years and I even brood chicks out in the rain with it.

I think the issue is both the cardboard (water sponge) and plastic (condensation collector) are holding in extra moisture in the coop. At 23F, with very good ventilation (but no drafts) you really shouldn't be getting frostbite even if a bit of dampness leaks into the coop.

I took a lighter out today and closed myself in the coop. I struck the lighter and there was a little movement in the flame but very little. At the very top the flame was more bend over. The draft was at the top only. Where they perch and on the floor was very little flicker. I removed a lot of the plastic inside and just left the tarp on the outside and stapled some of my feed bags around that I have save.