Eave vents for coop ventilation?

[Quesse]

Hi everyone!

So I'm brand new to keeping backyard chickens and I'm in the process of constructing a coop and run in the backyard. (Actually, it's a family friend doing the construction although I drew up the plans myself.)

I wanted to know if eave vents would provide adequate air circulation for the chickens. The coop is meant to hold about 4 chickens.
I live in San Diego where the weather is hardly a concern besides those occasional Santa Ana winds. Is it still prudent to go with a basic rectangular opening covered in hardware cloth or would the eave vents work?

 

[gryeyes]

Eave vents would work, as long as there are enough of them.

 

[jaj121159]

I am installing eve vents as wall vents in my coop. They are much cheaper than heating/cooling vents and they are made of metal with a heavy duty wire mesh on the inside.

 

[Quesse]

Wonderful! Thanks for the advice.

I should post some pics once the coop is complete!

 

[patandchickens]

If you have enough of them and are in a cool-summer climate they may be sufficient -- but realistically most of us need a lot more than just that, to keep the coop from overheating in summer. You will, where you are located. I would recommend extending the roof overhang on one side, and making that side of the coop all mesh. At least.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[Quesse]

Yeah, around this time of year, it can get quite hot all the way into early fall. I'm hoping since I'm fairly near the coast, that might offset some of the heat that San Diego further inland usually gets.

 

[CityChook]

I have 4 vents in each eave, moving air along the ceiling line, pulling air up inside the coop and out the ridgecap vent. I'll tell you that with 4 chickens, it is not enough ventilation. I leave them open year around. In the winter, when it gets really cold, I have to close up my gable vents and rely solely on the eave vents. It tends to get a little stinky in there, which tells me that there's just not enough ventilation. Just my experience. Now, granted, you're in San Diego (I used to live in Solana Beach) and can probably leave windows open year around, so the eave vents might have less work to do... hopefully someone with this type of ventilation system in your climate can chime in.

 

[Quesse]

I'm actually just 10 minutes east of Solana Beach.

Hmm, I feel like I need to decide this now because the family friend who's been building the coop and run will probably deal with the ventilation holes tomorrow. =X