Starting a coop build, it is my first build and first chickens so feedback is very welcome

[Auntiejessi3]

I forgot to update.

Several weeks ago, we fixed the crack where the board warped and popped the batten off. First we tried taking the batten off to see how to straighten the board. We thought we could put screws in it and gradually tighten the screws over several days or weeks. After a good look at it, we left it warped, put the batten back on, and added a piece of quarter round molding from the scrap bin. That covered the crack very effectively. It isn't noticeable, even if you know it is there, since it being painted.

The paint on the windows did not last well. I think the putty didn't cure long enough before I painted them. I repainted them. I didn't spend as much time getting the shims in this year. I put enough shims in to hold it securely then put duct tape over the cracks.

The ridge vent is closed off this year. That turned out to be much, much, much easier than I thought it would be. We reshingled the house this year. There was a liner to some kind of membrane used on it. I cut it into strips a little wider than the gap. It is stiff enough to stay up with just the support of the edges of the gap and the rafters.

I checked for drafts when we had a strong east wind. I redid a few of the eave blocks. There is a bit of gap along the bottom of the entry door. Otherwise, the coop is pretty tight except the open side.

I don't know how to fix the gap along the door, yet. The boards and battens still overlap the floor - the gap is vertical, like the door warped outward at the bottom. I could add weatherstripping, maybe. I don't want to warp it further out, though. Maybe a door sock of some sort.

Can I ask why you are covering all that ventilation?

 

[saysfaa]

Can I ask why you are covering all that ventilation?

Sure.
It has 28 square feet of ventilation from the 4'x7' open side, so has plenty of ventilation for 4 hens.
It keeps nearly all the snow out and eliminated drafts because the building becomes three-sided so there is no where for the wind to go so it doesn't blow through.

The turnover of the air is driven by the warm air rising which pulls fresh air in the lower part of the open side and pushes the warmer, moister air out the upper part of the open side. I need a very light flag (like a kleenex tied to a stick) to see the air flow because it moves so slowly. But it carries all the moisture up and then out. I tested it with thermometer and hydrometer to show it works but it wasn't necessary for myself because I can feel the difference and see it (such as in how fast snow tracked in melts - technically is sublimates when the temperatures are far below freezing, but that is getting pretty geeky)