Right amount of ventilation?

[jackandkaren]

This is my first winter with chickens and I've been worried about getting the right amount of ventilation. I have four chickens in this 4x4x4 coop. During the summer, I just left the pop door open. I've been closing it this week with the rapid drop in temperature to the single digits. Are the top vents enough ventilation?

 

[bobbi-j]

I leave my pop door open except for the really cold temperatures (like last night when it was -29). Today I went out and opened it back up when the temp had gotten up to -4. I believe it helps bring in fresh air from the bottom, pushing the moist, stale air out the top vents.

 

[chickens really]

This is my first winter with chickens and I've been worried about getting the right amount of ventilation. I have four chickens in this 4x4x4 coop. During the summer, I just left the pop door open. I've been closing it this week with the rapid drop in temperature to the single digits. Are the top vents enough ventilation?

You will know if it is to much or to little........Frost bite.....Cold Birds......Illness......



Cheers!

 

[Finnie]

This is my first winter with chickens and I've been worried about getting the right amount of ventilation. I have four chickens in this 4x4x4 coop. During the summer, I just left the pop door open. I've been closing it this week with the rapid drop in temperature to the single digits. Are the top vents enough ventilation?

You will know if it is to much or to little........Frost bite.....Cold Birds......Illness...... Cheers!

Hopefully you are kidding. I've been known to take comments seriously when they were supposed to be a joke. I'm sure the OP asked their question because they are hoping to AVOID frostbite and illness. Jackandkaren, to me it looks like a good amount of ventilation. Unless you have sealed the lower part of it as tight as a drum, then even with the pop door closed, there is bound to be some cracks that would serve as intake for fresh air flow. A good place for built in air intakes would be at the lower end of the roof. I can't see that in the photo. Are there ventilation holes back there?

 

[mobius]

Looks like a great venting system. Consider buying a remote hygrometer to measure interior humidity . Be sure to do the salt test on it so you know how much it is off. If I am seeing ALL the ventilation in the pic shown, I would suggest propping the pop door (you could do this progressively too) open with say chunks of 2x4 so there is SOME draw. You may not need to close it at all. I do not close mine (which is small like yours) until it is at least minus zero or more (closed it a few nights ago at -8F).

 

[aart]

Ditto bobbi-j and Finnie.

 

[chickens really]

No reason to be rude......My point was, how do we know in all reality if that ventilation will be enough, to much or just right?.....Can you tell from the picture which direction the coop is sitting....I cant...Does the wind blow directly at the vents?.....How cold does it get there, Blizzards?.....


Anyways,


Cheers!

 

[mobius]

No reason to be rude......My point was, how do we know in all reality if that ventilation will be enough, to much or just right?.....Can you tell from the picture which direction the coop is sitting....I cant...Does the wind blow directly at the vents?.....How cold does it get there, Blizzards?.....


Anyways,


Cheers!

By getting a hygrometer and monitoring, that is how. I don't think anyone was rude to you...in fact I will chime in and say I was rather shocked at your comment myself. I would not want to find out there was a problem by finding a dead or partially frozen or sick chicken either. That is precisely what i myself am trying to prevent.

 

[Mrs. K]

I think the ventilation looks great. If you have deep dry bedding underneath them, I think they are going to do just fine. If you can't do the hydrometer, use your nose. Does it feel damp, is there frost built up inside or ice? Can you smell ammonia, if no to all of those, I think you are set up well. I would be very surprised to see frostbite. Sometimes sever cold will kill off an old bird.

Mrs K

 

[Mrs. K]

I think the ventilation looks great. If you have deep dry bedding underneath them, I think they are going to do just fine. If you can't do the hydrometer, use your nose. Does it feel damp, is there frost built up inside or ice? Can you smell ammonia, if no to all of those, I think you are set up well. I would be very surprised to see frostbite. Sometimes sever cold will kill off an old bird.

Mrs K