Any reason not to replace vents with hardware cloth?

[Toothpick]

Other than predators (which I’m not worried about) any reason not to remove these vents and cover the holes with hardware cloth?

I can’t think of any except it will be a bit colder during the winter, but I can always put the vents back up. Also rain might get in....

I think it will cool down the inside of the coop a lot more. I got about 4 vents on the other side too.

 

[archeryrob]

I see blowing rain coming in that way. I have all my soffits filled with hardware cloth, but the roof blocks the rain from coming in.

I am assuming you need more air flow. Maybe a small 45° pitched roof over the hole and sides to block the rina nd hardware cloth covering the hole?

Let me see if I can find a pic of my windows. I made a hinged frame in the hole and screwed plexiglas over it. Hardware clothed the entire inside. I can prop it open 45 degrees in summer and hardly cracked in the winter or North closed in the winter and south open.

 

[archeryrob]

 

[Toothpick]

I just checked the temp and it’s 106 in there. The chickens spend most the day outside anyway, but I’ll soon be putting chicks out there.

 

[Toothpick]

View attachment 1827162

That's a great easy idea for windows. I think I'm going to try that.
Do you ever notice any rain coming in when the window is open?

 

[jthornton]

If you extended the roof out some it would block the rain. If you have a place like a window where you can put a box fan blowing into the coop in the afternoon that will help cool it down some.

JT

 

[Ghosty]

I don't see why rain would get in there much at all. I use only hardware cloth, and my door is the only place rain noticably comes in. That is because the entire door is meshed, and I still need to block the lower section of the door where rain comes in. I don't have any more of an eave overhang than you do, and my "windows" are bigger.

 

[archeryrob]

That's a great easy idea for windows. I think I'm going to try that.
Do you ever notice any rain coming in when the window is open?

Not really, The coop is pointed north south and winds are NW and S and West around here mostly. Its high so the over hang helps. I still have to put a metal aluminum L over the windows, door and chicken door roof still. just as extra insurance. I have left over metal wrap saved.

I have the prop stick noched to sit on the outside wall, or rest on the hardware cloth or angled up (screw is tight) against the hardware cloth or just barely hanging open. All depending on how I want air flow. In the winter north side with me just barely open with the south just fairly open.

 

[Toothpick]

I don't see why rain would get in there much at all. I use only hardware cloth, and my door is the only place rain noticably comes in. That is because the entire door is meshed, and I still need to block the lower section of the door where rain comes in. I don't have any more of an eave overhang than you do, and my "windows" are bigger.

So you have basically the same set up with just hardware cloth as “windows” ? And no rain? Interesting.

Not really, The coop is pointed north south and winds are NW and S and West around here mostly. Its high so the over hang helps. I still have to put a metal aluminum L over the windows, door and chicken door roof still. just as extra insurance. I have left over metal wrap saved.

I have the prop stick noched to sit on the outside wall, or rest on the hardware cloth or angled up (screw is tight) against the hardware cloth or just barely hanging open. All depending on how I want air flow. In the winter north side with me just barely open with the south just fairly open.

The rain down here blows mainly to the East. Which is where the windows would be. I might try just one and see how it works with the rain. Only way to really know.

 

[Ghosty]

So you have basically the same set up with just hardware cloth as “windows” ? And no rain? Interesting.



The rain down here blows mainly to the East. Which is where the windows would be. I might try just one and see how it works with the rain. Only way to really know.

My rain blows in from the west. I only have a tiny bit come in from that side when it storms hard. Not enough to do any damage or even get the bedding wet, though. I've had it open for over a year and no ill effects. I have a long woods style meshed window on the south side and no problems there either. Anything that comes in is more like a mist, and only during the heavy, windy rains. My meshed door is on the west side and near the bottom rain does get in. I just meshed it a couple weeks ago, and need to get a board across the bottom this week to prevent that.