Coop almost done (pic added)

[bsruther]

I haven't been keeping real close track of how much I've spent. I'd say it's just under $200 so far.
I used some scrap, but not much. I already had the shingles from the patio roof that's above the coop, in the pic.
The only things I'll need for the run are 4X4s, 2X2s and hardware cloth.

 

[Zahboo]

Oh my the Foghorn Leghorn piece just makes it. Lovely!

 

[Intheswamp]

Quote:
It's just not heat that you've gotta deal with, but moisture, too. I say it's got *way* to little ventilation for both heat and ventilation reasons.

Best wishes,
Ed

 

[bsruther]

Quote:
It's just not heat that you've gotta deal with, but moisture, too. I say it's got *way* to little ventilation for both heat and ventilation reasons.

Best wishes,
Ed

Yes and I believe you. I said that I was going to make a removable screen for the left barn door and leave that door open. The screen would be about 15"X40". That still wouldn't be enough ventilation?
Thanks again for pointing that out.

 

[LittleMamaBigPapa]

ADORABLE.....my tip....DONT put silk flowers in your little planter on the side....my hen ate one of ours and got an impacted crop and died. Make some from wood!!!

 

[RHewittJr]

Excellent job...you should be proud of doing some great work!

 

[bsruther]

Quote:
I asked the wife what she was going to put in the flower box and she said there's only one thing that she can put in there...Hens and Chicks.
The Chickens won't be able to get at it though, it's on the opposite side of the coop from the run.

 

[LittleMamaBigPapa]

We let our chickens roam the yard as long as we are out there with them....that's how my hen got the flower, but I realize there is no way to watch them every second and even if you could, they gobble stuff up so darn quick that all you can do is hope they won't find something that can hurt them. Anyways, very adorable coop. I am sure your screen you have planned will provide excellent ventilation.

 

[gsim]

Quote:

Definitely ventilate the cupola. You do not have enough ventilation as built in my opinion. I have a turbine vent that stays operable all year in Tennessee. It works in tandem with both gable vents and continuous soffit vents as well. I did around 1 sp ft permanent non-closeable ventilation for each 4 chickens. Cold is not even nearly as important as dry and well ventilated. As long as no open windows at roost height to make for drafts, chooks will weather any cold just fine with all vents open and working.

 

[Intheswamp]

Quote:
It's just not heat that you've gotta deal with, but moisture, too. I say it's got *way* to little ventilation for both heat and ventilation reasons.

Best wishes,
Ed

Yes and I believe you. I said that I was going to make a removable screen for the left barn door and leave that door open. The screen would be about 15"X40". That still wouldn't be enough ventilation?
Thanks again for pointing that out.

A 15"x40" screen should give you adequate ventilation in the summer since you will be replacing the fixed plexiglass window with a mesh window. That much ventilation should be good enough for heat issues and will create a bit of flow-through ventilation (I'll hold my tongue on recommending more...living in the south I tend to believe you can't have enough ventilation like a window opposite the 15"x17" window would be nice. Oops, sorry about that!

)

I am afraid that you will still have a moisture problem in winter....unless you're planning on leaving that 15"x40" screen installed permanently. You need more ventilation up high so you can close off the vents at roost level and let the warmer (moisture laden) air escape out of the vents. Putting the vents up high should help to keep drafts from hitting your roosting chickens. If you don't vent out the moisture adequately there is a real danger with frostbite due to the elevated humidity level. Plus the higher moisture level promotes mold and mildew, respiratory disease, moldy/damp food and litter....imagine living in a cave.

My primary issue down here in south Alabama is HEAT which I intend to handle with large expanses of screened windows (semi-walls). In the winter time I will cover *some* of these windows and still have the permanent ventilation. I'm shooting for at least 1 square foot of permanent ventilation per chicken. This past winter was the exception, rather than the rule, in regards to cold temperatures and even then the chickens could handle the temps well. I would think your situation is similar, though you probably have a bit colder normal winter time temperature...thus my prodding for more ventilation. With what you have planned (replacing the small window with a screened one and one of the doors with a screened door) I think you'll be ok for heat...but, for the size of coop you have I would think you'd need 6 to 8 square feet of permanent ventilation area.

Here's some food for thought:
A 3" circle has ~7.07 square inches inside of it.
A 2 1/2" circle has ~4.91 square inches inside of it.

(Somebody check my math here!!!

) Therefore, you have ~47.90 square inches, or ~0.33 square feet, of permanent ventilation out of your 8 round holes. In my opinion this is inadequate, but....that is just that, my opinion.

If you haven't already you might want to check out Pat's "Big Ol' VENTILATION Page "

Best wishes,
Ed