Soffit or not? Another ventilation question.

Date sort Score sort
I would not soffit. I didn't, and also vented the roof along the ridge, then covered the ridge vents with a ridge cap. My thought was that air would draft in under the overhangs and vent out the ridge line. I'm sure it does this as planned, but that in the heat of summer this wasn't enough...my girls were still getting too hot. I added vents on each eave end that close up in the winter. I live in the heat and humidity of the south, though.


https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/792316/my-4x6-pallet-coop-build-completed-pic-heavy#post_11409168

Lots of pics in my build...just skip forward to the roof detail
 
At this point in building our coop and wondering if you put the soffit up and how your winters have gone with the numbers you have and the ventilation you chose. We are in Wisconsin.
Thanks.
 
I did not put up soffit. The winter before last it was pretty brutal and try as I might I couldn't keep the humidity down to the point that the chickens didn't get frostbite on their combs and wattles. I had plenty of ventilation (Half th space between each roof jouists were left open).

That fall I bought a 12 x 24 rough cut shed built by a local Amish guy (awesome shed and looks way better than the coop I built) and last spring I bought another 30ish chickens (darn chicken math) and converted half the shed to another chicken coop. It's built a little tighter than my coop but still has plenty of ventilation. Last winter was mild by northern Minnesota standards and my new birds still got frostbite.

The thing I realized is that the frostbit combs and wattles healed right up as soon as warmer weather arrived. I'm sure it wasn't pleasant for them but it also didn't seem to bother them a whole lot. I think in Northern MN I'm just always going to have condensation/humidity problems in winter.
 
Hey JailerJoe, that is a beautiful interior on that coop! My ventilation needs are much different than yours. Heat is much more of an issue than cold. I bought something very similar to this. A soffit would restrict the draft too much for me.

http://growace.com/yield-lab-4-boos...DkpfGC1bRcnYvz1R0bNkA__Y0mnqa-A31sBoCH5bw_wcB

I placed it in the peak of my gable. These in-line fans move a lot of air. I now have a 1 1/2-inch space between my floor and walls covered with hardware cloth. On hot days I run the fan for the much needed draft. I also run it when the gnats and mosquitoes are unbearable. I might install a much bigger fan in a window for the bug issue.
 

Similar threads

ChickensInMA
    • Like
Need Help! Gable Vents *with* Soffit and Ridge Vents?
Replies
4
Views
931
RoyalChick
RoyalChick
S
    • Like
Lets talk vent size - Ridge and soffit
Replies
7
Views
580
3KillerBs
3KillerBs
D
    • Like
Is it possible to have to much ventilation? Open air coop questions.
2 3
Replies
20
Views
2K
My Very First 6 Chickens
My Very First 6 Chickens
B
Ventilation for new coop
Replies
8
Views
310
Ridgerunner
Ridgerunner
Kalobis
    • Like
Sheathing / Siding
2
Replies
11
Views
1K
Kalobis
Kalobis

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom