Coop Advice Wanted

[PouleNoire]

Gary, what do you think about low vents?

Sorry, I know you were asking Gary but I thought I would say something on the subject

If you have low vents the problem with them is that is they are too low around where your birds are going to be, you will create drafts which is NOT what you want, the ventilation is so moisture doesn't build up in the coop and stick to the birds wattles and combs which entices frostbite! So in short, you want ventilation high enough so you have no drafts chilling the birds and you DO want ventilation so you keep as much moisture out of the coop as possible! I recommend keeping water OUT of the coop too so it wont evaporate into the coop. Hope I helped!

 

[Fanci Feathers Marans]

Sorry, I know you were asking Gary but I thought I would say something on the subject

If you have low vents the problem with them is that is they are too low around where your birds are going to be, you will create drafts which is NOT what you want, the ventilation is so moisture doesn't build up in the coop and stick to the birds wattles and combs which entices frostbite! So in short, you want ventilation high enough so you have no drafts chilling the birds and you DO want ventilation so you keep as much moisture out of the coop as possible! I recommend keeping water OUT of the coop too so it wont evaporate into the coop. Hope I helped!

No, you're wonderful! I haven't a clue on the subject. Thanks for the input!

 

[Ridgerunner]

Warm air rises, as long as you have cool air to push it up. Cool air is heavier than warm air and gravity provides the force to move warm air up. If the air in your coop is warmer than air outside, that cooler outside air can come in, ands you have vents up high for the warm air to exit from, you will get air movement. If that cooler air is up high, it will come in through high vents and push warm air out of the same vents. The bigger the temperature difference the more air movement.

In the summer a good place to find cooler air is in a shade. If the hot sun is beating in it the air is not likely to be as cool. So you are looking for shade for your inlet vent. You may have your coop next to something that shades it, but in Missouri a good place to find shade is normally on the north side of your coop, away from the sun. Usually the air is cooler down low in that shade. But that is worthless if you don't have enough venting up high to let the hot air out.

To say it a little more bluntly, put a low vent on the north side of your coop.

 

[SunHwaKwon]

^ yes, this is the same concept as when ventilating your attic, with air coming in through the soffits pushing the hot air (and in this case, moisture and odor) out at the ridge.

 

[Fanci Feathers Marans]

Warm air rises, as long as you have cool air to push it up. Cool air is heavier than warm air and gravity provides the force to move warm air up. If the air in your coop is warmer than air outside, that cooler outside air can come in, ands you have vents up high for the warm air to exit from, you will get air movement. If that cooler air is up high, it will come in through high vents and push warm air out of the same vents. The bigger the temperature difference the more air movement.

In the summer a good place to find cooler air is in a shade. If the hot sun is beating in it the air is not likely to be as cool. So you are looking for shade for your inlet vent. You may have your coop next to something that shades it, but in Missouri a good place to find shade is normally on the north side of your coop, away from the sun. Usually the air is cooler down low in that shade. But that is worthless if you don't have enough venting up high to let the hot air out.

To say it a little more bluntly, put a low vent on the north side of your coop.

Thanks to both of you. It is a mobile coop, so the direction may change... what about closable vents? I don't really want to create all that extra work, but if it's worth it, I might.

I am building this coop to sell. Do you think it would really help?

 

[aart]

Closable vents are always good, flexibility for changing weather conditions.
Deep roof over hangs can help protect venting also.

I'd put glass/plastic in the top hinged window(and maybe door too) for light infiltration,
and add another.... or two.

Not sure why the nests are so large, and up so high.
Roost/nest height has been covered I think tho.
Perches for nests has been mentioned too,
but height could be a problem there too.

4x7 foot print makes things tight for roost height,
tighter foot print - less fly/jump off roost landing space.
Roost length is what often limits occupancy in a coop.

Barrier(removable) at people door to keep bedding in has been mentioned.
Nest access (and fronts) needs the same and not much room for it.

Just my observations.

 

[IdyllwildAcres]

Gary, what do you think about low vents?

More is better, mine is basically wide open. Think of summer not winter....

Gary

 

[Fanci Feathers Marans]

Closable vents are always good, flexibility for changing weather conditions.
Deep roof over hangs can help protect venting also.

I'd put glass/plastic in the top hinged window(and maybe door too) for light infiltration,
and add another.... or two.

Not sure why the nests are so large, and up so high.
Roost/nest height has been covered I think tho.
Perches for nests has been mentioned too,
but height could be a problem there too.

4x7 foot print makes things tight for roost height,
tighter foot print - less fly/jump off roost landing space.
Roost length is what often limits occupancy in a coop.

Barrier(removable) at people door to keep bedding in has been mentioned.
Nest access (and fronts) needs the same and not much room for it.

Just my observations.

Awesome. I'm on the hunt for plexiglass. Definitely putting in more ventilation. It's pretty hot in there.

It is kind of hard to fit enough roosts. What does everyone think of think of these?
I know SunHwaKwon said something about putting them by the window.
I haven't tacked them in yet. I can make both removable, and have 18" on either side. 2 1/2' jumps

I looked for actual vents at lowes.com and saw one and thought "oh, that's cute!"
Not $524 cute, but cute.

 

[Ridgerunner]

In the summer you want plenty of ventilation. Breezes blowing on them is a good thing, not a problem.

In winter you do not want direct breezes blowing on them. This gets a little more tricky. If you have nothing but plenty of vents over their heads when they are on the roost, any breezes will be over their heads. Block off the low vent. That's simple.

If (a nasty work "if") that low vent and the high vents are positioned so any breeze created by them does not hit the birds, you don't have a problem even with a low vent. If the combination of low and high vents puts the birds in a direct breeze, you can have problems.

The way I determine height is to determine the top of the floor, including bedding. Then position the nests. Next. make the roosts noticeably higher than the nests, say a foot. Your winter venting should be high enough above the roosts that cross breezes do not hit the birds.

If those nests are as high as I think you may have some problems.

I understand you are building this for sale. Kind of wish you'd ask for a review before you were so far along.

 

[Fanci Feathers Marans]

In the summer you want plenty of ventilation. Breezes blowing on them is a good thing, not a problem.

In winter you do not want direct breezes blowing on them. This gets a little more tricky. If you have nothing but plenty of vents over their heads when they are on the roost, any breezes will be over their heads. Block off the low vent. That's simple.

If (a nasty work "if") that low vent and the high vents are positioned so any breeze created by them does not hit the birds, you don't have a problem even with a low vent. If the combination of low and high vents puts the birds in a direct breeze, you can have problems.

The way I determine height is to determine the top of the floor, including bedding. Then position the nests. Next. make the roosts noticeably higher than the nests, say a foot. Your winter venting should be high enough above the roosts that cross breezes do not hit the birds.

If those nests are as high as I think you may have some problems.

I understand you are building this for sale. Kind of wish you'd ask for a review before you were so far along.

I do, too. I had some non-chicken people helping me with this, and changed my original plans.
The nests are 3ft off the ground. Is that bad? I have some nests in my other coop the same height...