Dehumidification question

[Club cramahe coop]

has anyone ever tried Eva Dry dehumidifiers ? I have added vents in my coop and still have too high of humidity. I added some extra wood chips in the covered run yesterday and they are not helping as they are wet. I googled lowering humidity within a chicken coop and found a place suggesting these dehumidifiers.re safe and quiet and require no power or batteries. Apparently they work for a month or two and then you renew them by plugging them in. Seems way too easy


https://www.eva-dry.com/product/e-500-renewable-high-capacity-dehumidifier/

 

[Folly's place]

Coop humidity shouldn't be higher than outdoors; that's what's important. Running a dehumidifier isn't a good idea out there at all.
If your coop is damper than outside, you don't have adequate ventilation, and that's what needs to be addressed.
How about posting some photos of your coop, dimensions, and flock size? Maybe we can all help here.
Mary

 

[Club cramahe coop]

I guess this thing is more of a humidity absorber.
My coop seen here is 4x8 I have a window on each end plus two open full time into covered run. The two large openings in the larger doors are now closed off for winter as they are where the roost is. Also their small door to the run stays open. The cupola is real and I have drilled tons of 5/8” holes in the soffits on each side. I have also added 24”x8” vents with louvred grills on each end up high in the gables that don’t show here.

I don’t have anymore space to put vents.
I should also say I have ten chickens

 

[Folly's place]

It's cute!
It's also very crowded inside for ten birds, but there's an easy fix. Wrap sheet vinyl or some sort of plastic around the lower 'run' section under the coop, and on at least the windward sides of the run, leaving the leeward side open, or at least the upper section open. Then the entire structure will function as a coop, and be much more comfortable for them.
If there are any issues with predator proofing the entire building, fix them, so they are safe at night.
@aart has a good article about coop ventilation, and in part it recommends one sq. ft. of opening for each standard sized bird. You can do that if it's all coop!
Mary

 

[Folly's place]

You can open up the upper wall section of your coop facing the run, over the little chicken door. A big triangular opening, covered in hardware cloth. The run roof will protect everything, and that will add lots of ventilation.
Mary

 

[CityslickerHomestead]

I looked at the product, and it seems like it’s more for small, low-humidity rooms. However for only $25 I don’t think it would be a horrible waste of money if you bought it.

I have an overcrowding issue myself but have not had any humidity issues. I have a 3x5 floor space, seven chickens, and around 9sqft of ventilation. I block some every now and then when the weather gets nasty and blows snow or rain into the coop. Humidity is either the same or lower inside the coop as it is outside.

I agree with the others to wrap the run to extend their coop space, and then add additional triangular openings just under the apex of the gable. On both sides if possible, but definitely on the side protected by the run.

 

[aart]

I have added vents in my coop and still have too high of humidity.

Measure the humidity inside and outside the coop...they should be within ~10%.
If inside humidity is higher than outside, then more ventilation is needed.
I'd put a huge opening in the coop gable under the run roof.

@aart has a good article about coop ventilation, and in part it recommends one sq. ft. of opening for each standard sized bird.

Not sure about the 1sqft per bird, not always possible and can depend on air flow due to where openings are located.
This is think link I usually suggest, a pretty good discussion about...
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/ventilated-but-free-of-drafts.1048597/

 

[Club cramahe coop]

Thanks. I could open a larger triangle opening on the run side . I added a 2x1 ft grill there but could go larger. The run now has clear plexi glass on it to prevent wind (open on the top 10 inches all the way around and the top half of the man door is not covered. They have access all day to this. The entire thing is completely predator proof.
It’s har dot Tell now as the outdoor temp today was 8 degrees C and the outdoor humidity is around 75%-80%. It’s supposed to cool down this weekend so will watch it. I shouldn’t of added those fresh, damp wood chips last weekend to the run.

 

[gtaus]

Measure the humidity inside and outside the coop...they should be within ~10%. If inside humidity is higher than outside, then more ventilation is needed.

That's the info I was looking for in my new thread about coop humidity in winter. I'm looking at current outside temp of 32F and humidity of 83% and was wondering if that would negatively affect my birds because of high humidity and dropping temps at night. I got a remote temp/humidity sensor to put in the coop tomorrow. Just needed some guideline as to when/if more ventilation was needed. If I read your post correctly, as long as the coop is ~10% of outside air, ventilation in the coop is adequate.

 

[aart]

I'm looking at current outside temp of 32F and humidity of 83% and was wondering if that would negatively affect my birds because of high humidity and dropping temps at night.

This is when frostbite often happens, high humidity and near freezing temps.......maybe more so than when the temp are much lower, but it's drier.

If I read your post correctly, as long as the coop is ~10% of outside air, ventilation in the coop is adequate.

Yep.