Additional ventilation needed? Brand new to this.

[Lumikko]

Hello all! We are planning on getting our first ever chickens this Spring and we’re working on getting their future home set up. We picked up a free chicken coop this weekend (yay for Facebook marketplace!) that was in need of a little love. We’ve replace some of the wood in the run area and will be adding additional roosting areas. I’m concerned it may not have enough ventilation. It has two tiny little circle holes (likely not doing much) and then sliding panels on either side at the top (open areas covered in hardware cloth). The pictures below are from the manufacturers website. I’d appreciate any ideas and feedback! Thank you in advance.

 

[Ted Brown]

Rule of thumb is 1 square foot of ventilation per bird. Ventilation is very high on the list of things that contribute to healthy birds.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Rule of thumb is 1 square foot of ventilation per bird.

This is a good minimum to aim for, though you may find it very difficult to provide that amount of ventilation without making the coop drafty.

 

[Alaskan]

Often, if all of the ventilation is in one side, the wind will not blow through.

One good way to add lots of ventilation when you have a covered run.... is take off part of the coop wall that is under the run roof and replace it with hardware cloth.

 

[Lumikko]

Rule of thumb is 1 square foot of ventilation per bird. Ventilation is very high on the list of things that contribute to healthy birds.

We’re planning on 3 chickens. I’ll have to measure the open areas on each side and see what that gives me. Thank you for this information!

Often, if all of the ventilation is in one side, the wind will not blow through.

One good way to add lots of ventilation when you have a covered run.... is take off part of the coop wall that is under the run roof and replace it with hardware cloth.

The ventilation will be on both sides but just those sliding door type things. This is might be a silly question but wouldn’t that make it pretty drafty? It gets pretty cold here during the winter so trying to work out that balance. Thank you!

 

[Ted Brown]

... This is might be a silly question but wouldn’t that make it pretty drafty? It gets pretty cold here during the winter so trying to work out that balance. Thank you!

Far from a silly question! Yes open both sides will produce a draft and that is deadly to your birds. It is a balance and the trick is to ventilate while having a place for them that is out of the draft, smaller coops present more challenges in the regard.

Is there anyway to open the top area (sofits, roof vent...)?

 

[jthornton]

You will find out real soon why it was free... in the winter chickens need draft free ventilation which is difficult to do with a coop like that.

JT

 

[chrissynemetz]

You want to make sure your ventilation is above where the chickens roost. They do need lots of ventilation, but you definitely don't want them sleeping in a drafty area.

 

[Lumikko]

Far from a silly question! Yes open both sides will produce a draft and that is deadly to your birds. It is a balance and the trick is to ventilate while having a place for them that is out of the draft, smaller coops present more challenges in the regard.

Is there anyway to open the top area (sofits, roof vent...)?

I’m not sure how’d we go about roof soffits given the current construction (I’ll be pondering this at work today) but a roof vent seems very doable! Thank you for this input! Planning time!

You will find out real soon why it was free... in the winter chickens need draft free ventilation which is difficult to do with a coop like that.

JT

Well that isn’t at all disheartening! I’m hoping I can work with what we have to create something that will work well.

 

[jthornton]

Well that isn’t at all disheartening! I’m hoping I can work with what we have to create something that will work well.

I just visited their website and I "assumed" it was a cheap Chinese coop. But there is still the height issue in a coop of that size. I did see a photo of a customer that added a frame below the coop and run to raise it up and gain more room. Doing that and moving the nest box down to the ground and as suggested open the wall that is in the run and perhaps closing off the walls for a few feet in the run may make a decent coop. Chickens don't know they are supposed to sleep on a 2x4... they want to sleep up high and if that is not possible they will sleep anywhere and poop where they sleep like in the nest box. And I wish I knew all this before I built my coop...

JT