Air conditioning the coop?

[SarahLadd]

Okay, so I live in Minnesota so the weather here is still delightful and pleasurable to be in the sunshine. However, the last five years have been pretty brutal, temperature wise. Cold, and hot. My chicken fancier friends in southern states have chickens that are just straight up dying of heart stroke. I want to be prepared for this changing climate. My coop is a shed with windows. What's to stop me from outfitting it with an in window air conditioning unit? Folks make climate controlled dog kennels, why can't I have a climate controlled coop?

Has anyone done this? Is there any reason I shouldn't try this?

 

[3KillerBs]

Okay, so I live in Minnesota so the weather here is still delightful and pleasurable to be in the sunshine. However, the last five years have been pretty brutal, temperature wise. Cold, and hot. My chicken fancier friends in southern states have chickens that are just straight up dying of heart stroke. I want to be prepared for this changing climate. My coop is a shed with windows. What's to stop me from outfitting it with an in window air conditioning unit? Folks make climate controlled dog kennels, why can't I have a climate controlled coop?

Has anyone done this? Is there any reason I shouldn't try this?

Better to modify your coop to provide excellent passive ventilation.

Any electrical machinery in a chicken coop that is not specifically designed for and rated for barn use presents a significant fire hazard due to the dust from the bedding and the feather dander.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/hot-climate-chicken-housing-and-care.77263/

 

[SarahLadd]

Better to modify your coop to provide excellent passive ventilation.

Any electrical machinery in a chicken coop that is not specifically designed for and rated for barn use presents a significant fire hazard due to the dust from the bedding and the feather dander.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/hot-climate-chicken-housing-and-care.77263/

Okay that's valid. A lot of my friends are bringing their chickens inside. It's only June, it's still technically spring, this is going to be a long summer and every summer after the next is going to be worse. Is bringing them inside the house the only thing we can do? Last year I tried keeping the grass wet where they like to walk, but I can't force them to do things that I think will help them cool off. I can't make them drink, I can't make them dip their feet in the pool. They lay in the dirt and heave with suffering.

 

[igorsMistress]

Okay, so I live in Minnesota so the weather here is still delightful and pleasurable to be in the sunshine. However, the last five years have been pretty brutal, temperature wise. Cold, and hot. My chicken fancier friends in southern states have chickens that are just straight up dying of heart stroke. I want to be prepared for this changing climate. My coop is a shed with windows. What's to stop me from outfitting it with an in window air conditioning unit? Folks make climate controlled dog kennels, why can't I have a climate controlled coop?

Has anyone done this? Is there any reason I shouldn't try this?

They will not be well adapted to the climate they’re living in. Just like you need a coat when it’s cold they’ll need the a/c every year when it warms up. Give them deep shade, cool, damp soil to bathe in and cool treats. Melons and cucumbers have a lot of water in them and can help with hydration. Mix their feed with some cool water and give to them wet in the evening. Electrolytes every few days in addition to plain water, and a block of ice in a wide pan or kiddie pool in the heat of the day can also help.

 

[3KillerBs]

Is bringing them inside the house the only thing we can do?

Did you read my article that I linked?

I keep chickens in central North Carolina, where 95-95 weather is our summer norm and I don't use any special measures to keep them cool.

VENTILATION is #1.

After that hydration.

And shade.

 

[samanthaoverton]

Brutal in Minnesota? I lived there a couple years as a kid.. I never remember brutal. I live in tn now..My girls are fine in 90s. Are you sure it's not because your used to the cool climate? Not trying to be rude.

 

[igorsMistress]

Okay that's valid. A lot of my friends are bringing their chickens inside. It's only June, it's still technically spring, this is going to be a long summer and every summer after the next is going to be worse. Is bringing them inside the house the only thing we can do? Last year I tried keeping the grass wet where they like to walk, but I can't force them to do things that I think will help them cool off. I can't make them drink, I can't make them dip their feet in the pool. They lay in the dirt and heave with suffering.

We had a high of 113 today. Shade and hydration and ventilation are the most important as @3KillerBs said

 

[SarahLadd]

Brutal in Minnesota? I lived there a couple years as a kid.. I never remember brutal. I live in tn now..My girls are fine in 90s. Are you sure it's not because your used to the cool climate? Not trying to be rude.

Last 4 years we have had several days in a row of over 100 degree weather with no rain and water restrictions in Minneapolis

I've lived in Central Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota and now Minnesota so I'm just kinda doing the Midwest tour. It's not Phoenix hot here for sure but to say it doesn't reach 90-95 for several weeks in a row is probably verifiable in records. I stayed inside last year an awful lot because of how hot it was

 

[samanthaoverton]

Im shocked. I lived there for a couple years as a kid and I remember the cold and the summers weren't warm like that..I lived in the country though (dad was army). Couldn't swim in the lakes,etc. They never warmed up. We lived next to a pig farm. The smell was delightful. Chickens can handle more than you think though. We are having 90s this week. I have a mixed flock. Leghorns are excellent for heat. I have those and some other breeds.

Last 4 years we have had several days in a row of over 100 degree weather with no rain and water restrictions in Minneapolis

I've lived in Central Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota and now Minnesota so I'm just kinda doing the Midwest tour. It's not Phoenix hot here for sure but to say it doesn't reach 90-95 for several weeks in a row is probably verifiable in records. I stayed inside last year an awful lot because of how hot it was

 

[SarahLadd]

Sioux falls didn't feel as hot as it does here, but the wind is always blowing there and the heat is more dry. It's muggy and buggy here in the summer. I moved here 5 years ago and I'm still adjusting