How much airflow is too much? Drafty coop?

[JHH3]

As long as their feather aren't ruffled(literally) on the roost the draft is not too strong. Undisturbed feathers hold the body heat.

Do those windows open at the top too, or only at the bottom?

Any openings in the eave above those windows?


The insulation is really doing nothing. I hope they don't peck at it and eat it.

No, I've never seen it strong enough to ruffle their feathers on the roost. The windows only open at the bottom. There are no openings in the eaves, though they are made up of two long pieces of wood so there's a bit of a crack between them, they're not tightly joined. They pretty much leave the insulation alone, though I think they've pecked a little at part that I accidentally tore. Fairly sure they haven't eaten it.

 

[JHH3]

You're overestimating the amount of open vents are needed in winter. How the air moves dictates how large the openings should be. Passive or convection air flow.

Convection will pull air in and push it out a higher opening. If that long upper vent was fixed open half an inch and the lower windows the same you'd have more than enough air flow for winter and that few of birds.

Putting vents in the gables would be a good move. It will aid in summer and winter. If you have small gable vent each side next winter you'd only have to prop the long vent above roost open less than an inch and could keep windows closed.

I'm not sure I'd use the term "few birds", there are a total of 22 living in the coop right now, the pictures might not give an accurate representation of the numbers.

I can rig the door over the long vent so that it's only open a half inch, the windows would be no problem to close the same.

I've closed the windows down that much before when I was concerned about it being too drafty on windy nights but it smells strongly of chicken poop the next morning and there's frost on the ceiling so I've tried to keep them opened up more which helps with both. If they don't need that much ventilation then I'll close them down to just a crack before the cold front comes through.

Based on the feedback I've gotten, vents in the gables are at the top of my list of modifications to make to the coop when weather permits.

 

[aart]

There are no openings in the eaves, though they are made up of two long pieces of wood so there's a bit of a crack between them, they're not tightly joined.

Are they screwed in place....so they can be unscrewed?
Or otherwise fairly easy to remove?

there are a total of 22 living in the coop right now, the pictures might not give an accurate representation of the numbers.

That's a lot of birds in an 8x10.
Especially without a sheltered run space.
ChickenCabinFever can be contentious.....during those nasty days long blizzards.

 

[JHH3]

Are they screwed in place....so they can be unscrewed?
Or otherwise fairly easy to remove?


That's a lot of birds in an 8x10.
Especially without a sheltered run space.
ChickenCabinFever can be contentious.....during those nasty days long blizzards.

I'm pretty sure that they're nailed in. I don't think they'd be easy to remove, but I'd have to look more closely at them.

Hopefully there won't be too many days where I have to force them to stay inside. As much as possible I'm going to give them the option of going out if they want to.

They don't have a sheltered run, no, but I have a small pallet mounted over their door on bookshelf brackets as a bit of a shelter and a larger pallet right next to the door leaned against the coop for a little outdoor shelter so they can get out of the wind and weather without going into the coop. I have a little dog house I'm thinking of putting out in their yard for them to use also.

Interestingly enough, ever since they moved out to the coop from the brooder the majority of these chickens tend to want to stay in the coop a lot during the day. Even when the weather is nice, a lot of them will stay inside. I'm hoping that means they will tolerate it better when they have to stay inside.

 

[3KillerBs]

and there's frost on the ceiling so I've tried to keep them opened up more which helps with both. If they don't need that much ventilation then I'll close them down to just a crack before the cold front comes through.

If there is frost on the ceiling there can be frost on the chickens and they do indeed need that much ventilation.

Try the draft baffles.

 

[GC-Raptor]

During winter season only vents on wall opposite roosts are open.

Windows are also opposite roosts and hinged at top.

I believe in upper and lower ventilation on wall opposite roosts.

In 4 years I've never had frostbite on chicken combs, wattles or toes in temps as low as -15F/-26C.
In warmer weather I can open vents above roosts.

Windows and nest box face east to catch morning sun to help warm coop and nests during winter and not allow mid-day and afternoon sun to shine in coop or heat nests during summer.

The coop I bought only had two 3 inch vents close to wall with windows.

I added six 2.5 inch holes above windows, the biggest hole saw I had.

This window is open this much all winter.

Vents and windows are opposite roosts and also face east.

GC

 

[JHH3]

After considering my options in the time I had and the available materials, I ended up not doing any modifications to the coop.

I've closed the door over the long vent window, which swings downward, so that there is about a 2 inch gap between the bottom of the door and the frame into which the door closes into.

I ended up closing the 3 windows entirely, I tried barely cracking them but 20mph winds were still blowing in pretty strongly and I could feel it at the roosts.

Once the windows were closed, though, I could feel air coming in pretty good through the cracks in the soffit (it's not tightly constructed). It's high enough up and blowing at the ceiling so it should be good I think.

In any case it's the best I can do for tonight. Thanks for the advice.