Chicken Coop Ventilation - Go Out There And Cut More Holes In Your Coop!

Does this article refer mainly to coops that the chickens stay in all the time? I have an enclosed run that is partially covered with a tarp for shade. The girls have a small bunkhouse that they sleep in at night. I think it's well ventilated because the roof sits on a 2" piece of wood; it's not sitting directly on the walls. This is my first year with my little flock (6), so I'm still not sure what winter will be like for them. I live in West Texas, where winter is generally a two-week vacation from summer, although we do get the occasional snow storm.

Great information ,will be watching carefully this winter as I've added 14 more chicken's.I try to poop scoop daily seems to work well only takes 10 minutes. I also live in Niagara region.

Great article! Always worry about the cold weather with my girls. Have an AFrame coop that was built with recycled materials. Have 2 windows and small window on door. No problems last winter and we had a lot of snow! Started with 3’ in December. Gets little wet if rain but dries quick and I remove wet bedding

BYCERS have used this article for newbies looking for ventilation info since I have joined. It is a classic

Thank you that was a wonderful article!!

Fantastic information that is explained clearly!! The article covers so many questions I had about ventilation. Thank you.

So glad I found this very well written article before constructing my chicken coups. Thank you!

Great article. I have 3 hens in a 8x10 coup to sleep but free range all day. The double doors are open all day and I clean their poop (sand) every morning. There is a little window also And vents on each end that were made in the shed/coop. Since the double doors are open all day, is that enough ventilation? I shut the doors when they roost and I have a small dehumidifier inside. I’m a newbie, thanks.

A must read article before you start to build any kind of poultry coop. You think chickens release a lot of water-vapor, ammonia and other noxxic gases? - Get Ducks! - You need even more ventilation…

Thanks for posting! Very informative for all levels of us chicken keepers It is also a subject that needs more attention apparently, as people don't realize how important ventilation can be to the health of your flock.

Wow! This was a great article! I learned so much about Ventilation in chicken coops! Also, if this is your first time reading this, read the comments too! They help almost as much as the article.

The more the better!

Thank you everyone who added in~ the more the better!

This is the best article I have ever read on ventilation! I knew ventilation was important, but I didn't know how important it is until I read this!

A lot can be learned in this article if you're unfamiliar with the importance of ventilation. Clearly written and full of useful material. I just wish the author was still active.

Very very VERY helpful.

This is a great article. I have a question, though;
I built a 12’x8’ shed (8’ tall single pitch roof) for 31 chickens (16 will be butchered 3 months in). So I will have 15 layers…
I have installed a 3.5’x2’ window and a 3.5’x3.5’ window for ventilation in the summer. Can I just drill 2” holes into the top of 2 walls for winter time ventilation? It will be fully insulated…

Thank you for this article. I'm trying to design my first coop for my first flock of chickens (to come). Ventilation is one of the topics I've been confused about still. You did a good job of explaining the difference between ventilation and a draft and the types of ventilation and ways to add ventilation to a coop. Specifically, I now know how to work some specific ventilation into the coop design to be used in the summer months. I do still have a question or two about summer -- generally, what do you do for ventilation at night? My instinct is to close up the windows and other ventilation that is down low for extra safety from predators, but it seems like I may need to leave the additional ventilation open even at night. Thoughts anyone?

I plan to have 4-6 hens purely for pets. I'll, of course eat their eggs, but egg production isn't my primary goal. Since they will be like part of the family (hopefully) and since I live in the country, I'm crazy worried about predators and plan to go to the greatest lengths in coop design to keep them safe. So the thought of lots of open ventilation at night frightens me. I know it should all be covered with hardware cloth, no open holes, no large holes, but is this enough? Or can I close up the ventilation not near the roof at night? I, of course, want them to be cool and comfy. Maybe I should include insulation in my coop walls? Or a fan? I swear I'd even add an AC if it kept them safe from predators. LOL

I live in northwest (upstate) South Carolina. Summers get very hot. 90s. And usually a week or few days here and there in August that may hit very high 90s or slip over 100. My coop and run are going to sit off the edge of my back yard into the edge of my woods in a small clearing that is very shaded. My coop and the attached run will be about 9-10 ft tall. The run will be wood frame and hardware cloth with a shingled or metal slanted shed roof.

Again, fantastic article. Before reading, I had pretty much no understanding of ventilation other than I needed it.

Thank you! Alot of work went into writing this article. I wish the correct humidity was posted. Example: what percentage of humidity is too high and what percentage is comfortable for chickens would be a great help. I have a digital thermometer I use in the coop and having that type of details would help me alot. Thank you!

Great article addressing the need and types of ventilation needed in coops!