Advice on a polyurethane shed for coop

[lannfren]

Hello,
Been referring to this site for quite some time and this is my very first post as a new member! We recently built a lifetime shed we had sitting around unused when we decided we wanted more space for chickens. I've found a few examples of people who have converted a polyurethane shed into a coop but am wondering if anyone out there has been using it for awhile with success. My main concern right now is ventilation. I'll post a few pics of what the current ventilation looks like. I am afraid to take any of the windows out and replace with wire because of driving rain. There is a window on the back that I didn't take a picture but it opens and will help some. So there are two vents on either side of the top and then 2 holes on each side further down meant for severe
weather proofing that I think we will just leave open. Do you all think this is enough ventilation or do I need to add more? Any ideas of how to add more if you think it's necessary?

Thanks!

 

[eggbert420]

What is the weather like where you live? I'm in Texas, my chickens would bake in that shed during the summer.

 

[Pork Pie]

For sure I'd say significantly more ventilation is required - not only for summers, but in winter also since the material cannot breathe and will trap moisture.

 

[wynn4578]

If your close to electricity you can add an exhaust fan to help pull air through. Another thing I do to my old mix flock shed is add a 'second roof' using a tarp stretched over 2x4's to create an attic of sorts and pull heat away from the metal roof. Without the tarp it gets way too hot in there in the summer. With the tarp and the exhaust, it's always decent in there even during the hottest part of summer. I did also add 2 large windows to it as well that I can open during warmer weather.

 

[lannfren]

Thanks for your replies, the tarp idea seems very doable but electricity would be more complicated. I live in Indiana so summers are warm but not terribly so. I'm not worried as much about heat as I am moisture especially in the winter. I put a thermometer in the shed as well as my old wood coop and there actually wasn't any temperature difference at all which surprised me. One thought I had was to drill fair sized holes along the wall near the roof line to let air in and hopefully the overhang would keep rain out...

 

[432bullet]

We have a similar type shed, May be a little bigger. Same mfg I think. Has been in use for several yrs. We put hardware cloth on inside of windows so that they can stay open in hot weather. We framed a wall with a door 3ft back from the original doors and then covered the wall with hardware cloth. We just leave the outside doors open in hot weather And store our feed cans in the 3ft section.

 

[lannfren]

We also plan to leave the door open in the summer, they will have a small chicken door for access outside any time.