Another ventilation question

[rainbowgardens]

I'm building my new coop. It is 8'x8' and the roof slants down one foot to the back, 6' in front to 5' in back. The roof supports run from front to back.

I was thinking that the openings between the roof studs would be for ventalation along with a very large screen window that would be closed in the winter.

The roosts are along the back wall.

Will the air coming in through the opening along the roof line be too cold and drafty in the winter, being right above their roosts?

Would having only the front part open in the winter provide enough air exchange?

Sorry, I cant post pictures. I know that would make it easier to understand my question.

 

[pkeeler]

A 1' drop over 8' is basically a flat roof. I think you will have fewer long term problems with a steeper roof. If you are close to 6' tall, or taller, I would build it 7' in the front. Otherwise, you could lower the back to 4'. I don't know how many chickens you want or if that would cut too much into your roost space. 4' in the back would save on lumber.

I would definitely leave the roof open (cover all openings with hardware cloth). Chickens can handle the cold, especially in places like Virginia. What they can't handle in the winter is dampness. Ventilation is important and I would probably leave everything open all year. You should also probably put a window in one of the sides to increase cross ventilation. That one you could close on very cold nights.

 

[Ridgerunner]

In central Virginia, I would not think you would get heavy snow. If you are using metal roofing, a 1' in 8' slope is plenty. If you are using shingles, it might be a little flat.

If I read this right, you would have the screening on the front and the back, creating cross-ventilation. That would be esentially two opentings 3-1/2" high and probably equivalent to 7' long. The window is closed in the winter and open in the summer. I'd probably want more ventilation in the winter. As long as the openings are above the chickens when they are roosting so they are not directly in a draft, it will not be too cold. I'd expect your winter temperatures to occasionally get down to 0 degrees F. I don't know how many chickens you will have in there, but in the winter your enemy is humidity more than the cold. I would not think an opening along the front only would be sufficient.

I'll include a link to Pat's Ventilation Page which I think should be required reading for anyone building a coop.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=1642-VENTILATION

 

[patandchickens]

Make sure your roof is built to specs for your local maximum snowload (like those freak 2' dumps of wet snow every 10 yrs).

If you have the vents you describe on both the high and low ends of the roof, you can just close the ones over the roost on cold nights, use only the ones on the opposite wall, that will be ok (provided total am't of ventilation is sufficient, which is possible if you're not going to jam-pack chickens in there).

But it will get aawwwwwful hot and stuffy in there most of the year. I'd really really advocate putting in a much larger ventilation area, perhaps in the form of a removeable section of wall or some very BIG openable windows.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[rainbowgardens]

My roof is metal over OSB board. The most snow we ever got in the 11 winters I've lived here is about a foot, and it was accumulated over several days. Most likely, I'd have time to brush one layer off before another came.

My window that is open in the summer is a full length shower door that will be taken out for the summer and the opening, along with all other openings will be secured against chicken buffet diners. Do you think that's enough, along with the openings between the roof joists?

One other thought, my window is on the sunny side of the coop, so I am planning on building some sort of awning to shade things a bit.

The lowest temp. we've had in the time we've been here is about 5 degrees. Do you think as long as there's ventalation I shouldn't worry about their combs freezing? I have speckled sussex and dominiques, though, two of my dominiques have the tall skinny comb.

 

[rainbowgardens]

Oops, forgot to mention, I'll have about twenty hens. The new coop is attached to my old 8'x4' coop and I will also have a run. They free range most of the time.