coop design questions

[junior67]

That might do it....but....what if it doesn't?

Post a pic of your plans and the windows with dimensions.

oh no you want me to draw plans again? I have a few different plans that I got online and we are just kinda using those as a guide. don't have 100% dimensions on windows yet. there will be a spot about 3' long beside roost and nest boxes (well above it) and I think it should be around 1' over the birds heads when on the roost (but not doing it over the roost bars. Is there a way to keep rain from blowing in an open hardware cloth window?

I will do my best to draw up just one side of the coop and will post my inside plan again too so hopefully it will make sense. My husband still isn't 100% sure on the height of the walls for the coop either which makes it hard to draw up but will do it with the shortest that wall will be.

 

[junior67]

That might do it....but....what if it doesn't?

Post a pic of your plans and the windows with dimensions.

Hope these make sense.

 

[junior67]

An HVAC man should be able to figure out the square footage of the ventilation easily. You want a minimum of 1 square foot of permanent, 24/7/365 per adult, standard-sized hen, plus the extra, seasonal ventilation from windows that will be closed in the winter.

AS @U_Stormcrow says, it needs to be ventilated like a bathroom or kitchen -- plenty of airflow to remove moisture.

He probably can but I wasn't sure if the soffits counted the whole thing or how that worked since it is under the roof overhang and then the openings. so didn't know if you just counted the open area in the soffits or if the overhang counted in it at all or what.

 

[junior67]

Probably.


Probably....might depend on how many birds you have in there.
Adding a ridge vent would be good too.

I have 10 right now but well chicken math so who knows if next year will bring a few more.



I could probably get away with leaving the windows open year round as well. Looking at the side that is showing on the back right wall and a bit on the sides of connecting walls will be poop boards and roosts (so a u shape). next to those on the right side of wall that you can see in my pic is nest boxes. Then far left will be a window that opens and will have a matching one on the other side so won't blow over the roosts at all. There will be a matching window above the roost/nest boxes on the right side of side showing in picture but that won't open so it doesn't blow on them when they are roosting.

 

[junior67]

Maybe.

Might depend on the weather, best to have windows that can open just a bit or more.
Only way to know if things are too drafty is to stand in the spot you are concerned with during high winds and see(feel) what it's like there.
Air movement is fine, but if it's strong enough to literally ruffle feathers of a bird on the roost than it's too much.

You're not going to want snow blowing into the coop, best to keep it as dry as possible.
Amount of 'adequate' ventilation can also depend on how you manage your water and manure. I use poop boards cleaned daily and a 'sealed' heated waterer with horizontal nipples, these cut down on the moisture and ammonia in the coop.

Tho the humidity(and temp) inside the coop is rarely lower than what it is outside the coop.

I am doing poop boards as well. Going to do a heated nipple waterer but was planning on having it in roof covered run not coop.

Windows will be able to open and close different ants and block weather

 

[junior67]

I do have a question. Can a window be open and basically blowing on the chickens in the summer? We are doing matching windows to the right and left of the nest box, mainly for light and so it looks matching. the one on the right when looking at the coop will be right around chicken head height. We can either make it that it never opens so it doesn't blow on them at all or I can make it and be able to open it in the summer and seal it up tight in the winter......

 

[junior67]

Depends on how much "blowing" you're talking about. A gentle breeze, they'll probably enjoy it in the summer. Full gale force winds, not so much, regardless of season.

You probably won't know how much of a draft, if any, you'll get until you build it out. At that point you can test for drafts by going out on a typical windy day and holding something loose and lightweight (i.e. a long ribbon) at where the chickens would be sitting on the roost, to see how much air movement there is.

Thanks. How do you know if it is too much air movement for a summer day? I mean if we had a storm I wouldn't have it open or our cooler summer days. But it will be like right around their head area if not lower so not even like just a tiny bit over them but right on them. I don't want them getting chilled or hurt them even in the summer when it is warm by having too much.

I still have to figure out how to add a bit more ventilation still so I have enough for 15 chickens in case I add more and struggling with that unless I leave the other 2 windows (not near the roosts open 24/7/365. Trying to figure out some roof ventilation that will work with snow and that is hard.......

 

[3KillerBs]

I will have to look up cupola and monitor (isn't that the one that is kind of stand on the roof with another smaller roof over it?)

Yes. Monitors on barns are a traditional way of providing excellent ventilation.

My Little Monitor Coop article has detailed photos of how to frame a monitor roof: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/the-little-monitor-coop.76275/

 

[3KillerBs]

I found sheet metal shears to work best on HC...
.....way better than any of the half dozen wire cutters I have.
And I have this edge bender to fold over the pointy parts.
View attachment 2666137

Love that edge bender!

 

[junior67]

Any ideas on how I can set up some roosts in the run? I was thinking of putting them on the diagonal in a corner but wasn't sure if that would be too close to an edge? Also would I put them up high now or lower where they are still little then raise them? Anything else I should do to make the run more entertaining for them? They have a nice high stump in there to use but they don't use that at all yet.