This is my second time posting and since my first question was answered very quickly which I greatly appreciate, I'd like yo ask another question: I have five hens living in a coop 12" off the shed floor. When there is a bad and long lasting storm the shed floor gets damp but the coop is completely dry. However, we have a large screened area leading into the shed so the chickens breathe the air in the shed. I open the doors to the shed every morning and by the end of the day, the shed is just about completely dry. We have fans going in the shed and an exhaust fan. Is this enough or could a few hours of dampness hurt my hens? Should I dump straw on the floor to absorb the water, put cans of Damp Rid around, etc? Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thank you
The birds will likely be fine however I would still worry that repeated dry/wet on wood could cause mold which would impact on the birds (I tend to worry about that stuff). If your birds have NO ACCESS to the area, I would probably put down kitty litter and change it when it becomes wet. If you birds have access to the area I think I would put down sand with pine shavings or straw on top.
Thank you Vickie 51. I also am a worrier and just getting thru this hot summer with the nights reaching the mid 90s was a challenge! But we made it and I need to keep the coop and shed free of mold. I think I will try the straw as it will be easy to rake out. I do use the shed every day and the girls do have access to it when we let them out to free range although not every day.
