I feel so bad atm....need to add ventilation!

[Amethyste]

I have never seen problems before in our coop, but then again we didnt have this many girls. Its been about 33 F high and last night it hit 25 F

I went outside yesterday morning and there was moisture/frost on the suntuff roof inside the coop!! And it was beading up on the beam that holds the suntuf up!! It wasnt landing on the girls, but I made DH go with me and get some stuff to add more ventilation. There IS a lot of ventilation already, but it seems like not in quite the right spots. The roost is not under the drips at all...it is only on the underside of the suntuf in the center of the roof.

So, late yesterday afternoon we got some stuff for the coop, and today we are going to cut some vents at the highest point under the suntuf roof since the heat rises...and that is probably where it will gravitate to. There is already ventilation over the roosts, so that doesnt seem to be an issue....

Roof looking at it from inside:
<--vent--> {-------ceiling vent thru roof over the roosts
[-------------------------|---------------------|----------------------------]
<---------wood------> <-----<suntuf>---><--------wood---------->
<--roosts--------->

Am I thinking correctly then? The roof is pitched, so if we cut under the highest point and ventilate there, that should help since the heat rises to the highest points, and it looks like it is only on the suntuf that drips slightly onto that beam? I can have DH take pics if that helps at all....



Poor birdies

I know they are essentially dry, and I have not seen any drips onto the bedding. Only onto that beam from the inside of the roof. I never noticed this issue before, but then again we didnt have as many as we do atm.

 

[chookchick]

Don't feel bad--you've found an issue and now you are going to take care of it! Is the suntuf clear for sunlight to get through? If it is not, you might want to insulate the entire underside of the roof. When moisture hits a cold surface, it will condense and collect. The high vents sound like a really good idea, I am having problems visualizing the situation--a photo would be great! If you are using a clear suntuf for light, you may not be able to avoid some condensation. I'm sure Pat will weigh in on this. In our area, the temps don't require insulation, but it may be helpful in your situation.

 

[patandchickens]

(edited to comment that chookchick and I were typing at the same time, so much of the following is redundant with her post

)

The other thing you should do is to insulate the underside of your plastic roofing panels -- that may be a lot of your problem, rather than high coop humidity per se. If the coop is at all warmer than the outdoors (which it usually will be, and which you *want*) then having that more-humid (b/c warmer) air touching the roofing material, uninsulated and thus essentially the same temp as the outdoors, condenses out moisture the same as happens on single-pane glass windows. It does not necessarily take much difference in temperatures to have this happen, especially if you are in an intrinsically humid climate (as you are).

Rigid foamboard panels make the best ceiling insulation IMO, but you could even try just staplegunning some bubblewrap up there (bubbles facing the roof panels) which is better than nothing.

I am not, obviously, arguing against more ventilation in general

, its just that people in cold climates with uninsulated plastic or metal roofing panels are GOING to get that sort of condensation even WITH quite a lot of ventilation. If it still happens after you insulate, or is happening on walls as well, then for sure you have a humidity problem; but insulating may fix your problem right there.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[Amethyste]

None on walls at all that we can tell. Its only on the suntuf. It is smoky grey, and lets light thru. That was the reason we went with it was for the filtered light to go thru. I checked above their roosts and around it and there is nothing. No moisture at all.

I also ran and checked the other walls, and there is nothing there either. It seems to only be on the plastic Suntuf and the removable plexiglass on the window. There is nothing on the walls whatsoever. Its very dry really except for that condensation.

DH is going to help me put that ventilation in this afternoon and see how it works tonight/tomorrow, and he is being sent out now to get some bubblewrap too.

Thanks for the help!