What Cooling System to use for coop??

[Ohmyheart]

How ventilated is your coop?
If it's well ventilated your dehumidifier would be useless.

Now I'm not familiar with the heat in TX but we do get 110+ days here in AR with crazy humidity. I open all my coops doors and run a nice strong fan inside and one in the run under the coop. During the day and at night I lock them up inside and it's a bit cooler with the fan on. I have it raised 4 feet the girls make dirt baths and cool off in front of the fans. In the afternoon I added a small tub of ice water and sunflower seeds to get them to drink and cool off. My silkies just like my other chickens got hot but not out of the norm for that type of weather.

 

[aart]

How ventilated is your coop?
If it's well ventilated your dehumidifier would be useless.

Exactly!

Misters don't do much in high humidity scenarios either.

Deeply shaded ground(all day - total shade) is number one.
Electrolytes can really help...I give a dose every few days during heat waves here.
Our 'heat waves' are nothing like down south tho,
but it can stay 90'sF/90% for days on end and the birds suffer for sure.

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

In a humid environment like Dallas/FW a fan that exhausts coop air is going to provide the best cooling. That's what they use in the large chicken houses in the south.

 

[RonP]

If your coop is properly ventilated, I would design a small fan (bathroom fan) to blow fresh air into the coop well above the roosting bars. Coop air would then exit through the existing ventilation equalizing the inside temperature and humidity with the outside.

 

[Fairview01]

I have several silkies who are getting heat exhaustion when it gets above 70* here in Texas. There coop seems to be approximately 10* hotter than outside temps. There is shade, water, ventilation, dehumidifier, and airflow throughout the coop but they are panting. They are not always going to be in their coop but considering it gets 105* here in the summers, I need to be planning for something asap. There is access to electricity out there so I would be okay with using a unit if i knew what to get. I dont want to spend over $100. Does anyone use or recommend a portable AC unit/cooling system, etc. that they have been successful with?

Coop is 8x4x6h.

Thanks!

What do you consider shade and ventilation? I live just north of dfw. My coop is elevated approximately 4' off the ground and pushed under some large hackberry trees. The coop itself is 12x8. I raised marans and white rocks until the bobcat wiped me out. During July/august during the day the flock would be dug in under the coop. The one side is 2x4 welded wire at the midpoint to the roof. I built the wall in Amish clapboard style. I don't have any drafts but have maximum ventilation. This year I'll be modifying the front wall so I can drop half of it down with 2x4 wire behind it.

Shade under trees can be 10 degrees cooler than shade by a roof that can be more than 10 degrees warmer. Deciduous trees provide roof shade during the summer but allows a tiny bit of warming in the winter.

The problem with any type of cooling system is usually it is recirculated air allowing ammonia to build up and the chicken dander will probably require daily filter cleaning/changing.

 

[Barb Root Hinkkanen]

I would look for a swamp cooler instead of an AC unit. Check Craigslist to maybe find a decent used one. There is also a large portable cooler that you can hook up to your hose, called "port-a-cool", and those will work but can be pricey new. Good luck keeping it cool It is an ongoing battle for us here in southern AZ.

I read that swamp, or evaporative coolers are not suitable for high humidity areas.

 

[SonoranChick]

You're right @jthornton. I was thinking a swamp cooler would be better because they are usually cheaper price wise, and OP said there was good ventilation. But OP also has a dehumidifier, which tells me it's humid...which means an AC might be best

 

[SonoranChick]

You read correctly!