Air ventilation... chimney??

[NysiaAnera]

Would a chimney work for adding ventilation to a chicken coop?
If so, how big around should it be? Does anyone have one?
I really think it should work, but I don't want to add one and then not have it work.

 

[tmarsh83]

Yes. And no.

If you're talking about putting a vent stack on the roof of the coop, that is open to the ceiling of the coop, then, basically, yes. You are providing a vent by which warm air will be drawn out and ventilate the coop. It shouldn't be the only ventilation, but it would vent air.

The key is that the "chimney" has to be gathering air high in the coop.

A chimney in the traditional sense vents a fireplace. The fireplace is at floor level. If this setup were employed in a chicken coop it would vent nothing. The cool air at the bottom of the coop isn't the air that needs changed. It is the warm, moist air, higher in the coop that you need to evacuate.

 

[JackE]

What you would be talking about, is a cupola, like the pic below. Old time engineering.

 

[ECBW]

It would work based on heat rises, similar to gable vent and ridge vent, but more construction.

 

[NysiaAnera]

Thanks for your replies! We have ventilation holes that worked great during the summer, but for winter, I think we will need some changes. With our setup, the cupola would not work without some major construction changes, but maybe down the road that would be a good option. A vent stack is more what I was thinking. Because of the way our coop is, it would go from the ceiling of the coop, through a loft (it is in a large storage shed), and out the top. Opening up the ceiling is not an option right now, but if it was (I am hoping I can do that down the road) I would definitely build a cupola.