A-frame ventilation requirements?

[Ashlee22]

I am almost completely finished building my A -frame chicken tractor. These are my very first chickens and I am in a residential area. So a build a decent size chicken tractor I can move around my backyard. It has just about everything they need BUT I'm realizing this may not have been the best build for ventilation requirements. (If I ever build a bigger coop at my new house I probably won't choose A-frame, but what's done is done!)

I have a 12x11 inch entry door that will remain open during the day and I can close it at night. At the top of the A frame, I am leaving space for ventilation just stapling chicken wire over the top. But I just realized that during storms and extremely cold weather, the chickens could get cold or wet if I don't have the ability to close up that vent.

1) If I create a plexiglass window on a hinge that can close over this ventilation portion during storms or cold days, will that create a ventilation issue?

2) I am located in Utah and we can get single digit winter nights. Would you recommend closing this ventilation window completely at night along with the door?

Any design tips are appreciated too. Thanks!

 

[rosemarythyme]

So multiple issues here:
- chicken wire is nowhere near predator proof, and too large in openings to stop rats/mice
- during cold winter nights, ventilation is even more important because you need to let moisture out of the coop to prevent frostbite or damp feathers (dry chickens are warm chickens)

You can use a hinged cover to help buffer a vent from wind/rain, as long as it stays propped open a bit to still allow airflow.

Photos of your set up would help.

 

[aart]

BUT I'm realizing this may not have been the best build for ventilation requirements.

...and weatherproofing.

Photos of your set up would help.

Yes, please.

 

[Ashlee22]

Okay. I can upgrade to hardware cloth as an extra precaution. And i will close the coop door at night.

Thank you for the suggestion regarding a hinged window. We are going to set up a hinged windo that allows us to leave it propped open completely during warm weather and adjust back during storms.

I posted some photos (still in progress) where you can see the sliding door, space where I will have window, etc. It still needs some sealant to be water tight, but the white coating you see is waterproof silicone as well to prevent rot.

 

[rosemarythyme]

One spot where you can probably add a vent is just under the peak on the wall facing into the run space (photo 4). If you can roof over a little bit of that run space just past there, the roof should help protect and buffer that wall from the elements, along with any vents there. Or you could do overlapping pieces of wood as in photo 2, spaced out to form small gaps like 1" wide, to serve as a louvered cover over a vent in that area.

Out of curiosity, any particular reason for that roost set up? I would think a single roost down the center would be more efficient. Problem with those corners on a diagonal roost is they're dead space, not really enough room for a chicken to fit.

 

[Ashlee22]

One spot where you can probably add a vent is just under the peak on the wall facing into the run space (photo 4). If you can roof over a little bit of that run space just past there, the roof should help protect and buffer that wall from the elements, along with any vents there. Or you could do overlapping pieces of wood as in photo 2, spaced out to form small gaps like 1" wide, to serve as a louvered cover over a vent in that area.

Out of curiosity, any particular reason for that roost set up? I would think a single roost down the center would be more efficient. Problem with those corners on a diagonal roost is they're dead space, not really enough room for a chicken to fit.

Wow, that is an obvious solution. I was wracking my brain and put a second section of the roosting bar in to help with the dead space. Cant believe I overlooked the middle! Is it okay to have a heat lamp above their head during the winter if they are in the middle?

 

[rosemarythyme]

How cold does it get in winter? Heat is unnecessary unless you're talking about arctic type temperatures. Chickens can keep themselves warm even below freezing if they can stay dry, which is why ventilation is so important - it lets moist air out of the coop so their feathers stay dry so they can trap heat against their bodies.

 

[Ashlee22]

How cold does it get in winter? Heat is unnecessary unless you're talking about arctic type temperatures. Chickens can keep themselves warm even below freezing if they can stay dry, which is why ventilation is so important - it lets moist air out of the coop so their feathers stay dry so they can trap heat against their bodies.

It can get down in the low teens. So with just 3-4 chickens I hope they have enough ablity to stay warm together. I did add some more ventilation in the front, however, I put in a hinged plexiglass window at the top of the A frame to allow flexibilty and also to let sun through the window in the winter.

 

[Ridgerunner]

It can get down in the low teens.

A member in Alaska said he starts to see cold related problems at -20* F, about 30 degrees below what you see.

 

[Ashlee22]

A member in Alaska said he starts to see cold related problems at -20* F, about 30 degrees below what you see.

Wow, good to know! Thanks