To vent or not to vent

[Alipete21]

Ok so I took diy plans for an 8x8 coop and combined it with a lean-to shed to make my coop.
I live in Alaska and know nothing about ventilation. Everywhere I look contradicts what I was thinking.
My plan was to leave the spots between the rafters open with hardware cloth over them. My construction friend said that would cause a major draft and would let all the warm air escape.
Thoughts?!
I know I need more ventilation I just don’t know where would be best. Thanks!!!

 

[Alipete21]

Here’s a side view

 

[Stravager]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/repecka-illustrates-coop-ventilation.77659/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...-there-and-cut-more-holes-in-your-coop.47774/
Here's some articles that might help.

 

[Ted Brown]

... My construction friend said that would cause a major draft and would let all the warm air escape.
Thoughts?!
...

Appropriate (ie no drafts hitting your flock while on their roosts) and sufficient (rule of thumb is 1 sq ft/bird) ventilation are critical to chicken health.

What warm air is your construction friend referring to? Cold hardy chickens can successfully survive in temperatures below -30 without adding a heat source to your coop, sustained temperatures below that will benefit from a source of heat. I have read that winter temperatures can vary in Alaska.

The most usual area that is used to provide ventilation is the fascia/soffit locations as you intended. These can provide sufficient and appropriate (ie over the chickens heads) ventilation.

 

[Kiki]

Looks like this side is protected from rain by being under the house.
I'd cut this WHOLE section out and cover it with 1/2 inch hardware cloth.

 

[Sally PB]

A problem with too little ventilation in cold temps: Frostbite. Chickens breath = water vapor, just like for humans. If the warm, moist breath can't escape, it can lead to frostbite on the birds' combs and wattles. Damp cold is a problem. Dry cold is not. Chickens are wearing down parkas.

Ammonia also rises, and needs to escape upward, above the birds' heads.

 

[Kiki]

Side question...the top roost bar...is is it a foot or more away from the wall?
If not you will want to move it and make sure both roost bars are at least a foot away from each other too.

 

[Alipete21]

Appropriate (ie no drafts hitting your flock while on their roosts) and sufficient (rule of thumb is 1 sq ft/bird) ventilation are critical to chicken health.

What warm air is your construction friend referring to? Cold hardy chickens can successfully survive in temperatures below -30 without adding a heat source to your coop, sustained temperatures below that will benefit from a source of heat. I have read that winter temperatures can vary in Alaska.

The most usual area that is used to provide ventilation is the fascia/soffit locations as you intended. These can provide sufficient and appropriate (ie over the chickens heads) ventilation.

he said that the cold air will travel straight across the top and cause any warmth produced by deep bedding and chickens would escape.

 

[Alipete21]

Side question...the top roost bar...is is it a foot or more away from the wall?
If not you will want to move it and make sure both roost bars are at least a foot away from each other too.

the top roost bar is 10 in away from the wall. is that for heat or for size/not pooping on wall? they all seem to fit just fine.

 

[Ted Brown]

he said that the cold air will travel straight across the top and cause any warmth produced by deep bedding and chickens would escape.

The goal of deep bedding in a coop is to keep things dry. Dry bedding does not give off heat. If your bedding is wet you are going to have respiratory issues and frost bite on combs/waddles.

Scientific experiments have been done that show that a chicken gives off 10 watts of energy, the equivalent of 35 BTUs. Their feathering with down is designed by nature to retain heat not give it off. A 100 square foot room requires 5000 BTUs per hour to heat. A backyard flock does not generate enough heat to increase the inside temperature, the coop will be whatever the temperature outside is.

If you do not have sufficient ventilation you are going to have sick then dead chickens.