Coop design

[U_Stormcrow]

I see you are in really good hands here, and I've work that needs doing outside.

Good luck with your build, and know that you've already made a great start, by planning and reading, and asking questions first. To often we see pictures of beautiful boxes, sheds, dog houses people have just built, then the question "how do I make this a hen house"? Its almost painful at times to tell them to take a circular saw to it, add tons of ventilation, rip off a side, and expand it for the size of their current (or expected) flock.

 

[Ted Brown]

Thank you again. I didn’t know that birds would face towards close by wall!

Yes, some of mine hunch in the back most corner heads to wall

I have one more specific question on winter ventilation, which obviously is so important. In my area winters are mild , typically daytime is in mid twenties, on occasions just at freezing point. However we have for a week at a time, several times over winter, the temp in mid to low teens (degree F). At this time I am planning to have one 24”x6” screened opening high on the gable on east side and the same size on the opposite wall. The total area is 2 ft2. My floor area is 40 ft2 and plan to have 9-10 chickens. It calculates to be 0.5 ft2 / 10 ft2 of the floor area.

My winters are normally -15C/5F, we can get a week or two at -30C/-22F.

I have not read beore that a ratio of ventilation to floors space is important. The absolute is vent size to bird at 1 sq ft per bird.; number of birds varies sq footage does not. Do not exceed the number of birds that your ventilation was handle.

Be so kind and give me your opinion on such winter ventilation for my coop.

BTW, for summer I will have additional ventilation by having 8 ft2 screened openings (2 ft2 / 10 ft2 of the floor space). So the total summer ventilation area is 2.5 ft2 / 10 ft2 of floor space OR for my 10 chickens 1 ft2/chicken ( what I hear is the rule of thumb).

YES

(see comments embedded above in red).

 

[Rodrad]

(see comments embedded above in red).

Thank you Ted. Can you please give me little bit more about how much ventilation you have at days when your day temp is -15C/5F? I assume you close a good amount of the summer vent area.

 

[Rodrad]

I see you are in really good hands here, and I've work that needs doing outside.

Good luck with your build, and know that you've already made a great start, by planning and reading, and asking questions first. To often we see pictures of beautiful boxes, sheds, dog houses people have just built, then the question "how do I make this a hen house"? Its almost painful at times to tell them to take a circular saw to it, add tons of ventilation, rip off a side, and expand it for the size of their current (or expected) flock.

Thank you. I may attach my second generation schematic drawing. Mostly in scale (but not all dimensions). Based on Ted’s input I will rearrange roost so that perches are in the same level. It is still just a schematic.

 

[Ted Brown]

Thank you Ted. Can you please give me little bit more about how much ventilation you have at days when your day temp is -15C/5F? I assume you close a good amount of the summer vent area.

I have a Woods KD (Knock Down) Fresh Air Poulty House. This is the design that is commonly used herein. The two panels are the front of the coop; lowers are open year round; uppers closed for winter along with both side windows.

In the winter air is "forced" in and warmer/moister air from the chickens is displaced out at upper level; coop front is 10' wide.

 

[Rodrad]

View attachment 2408688

I have a Woods KD (Knock Down) Fresh Air Poulty House. This is the design that is commonly used herein. The two panels are the front of the coop; lowers are open year round; uppers closed for winter along with both side windows.

In the winter air is "forced" in and warmer/moister air from the chickens is displaced out at upper level; coop front is 10' wide.

If read the drawing right, you have fully open two 3’2”x2’8” ( 16.9 ft2 total) openings even in winter when days temps are in 5F and even in much colder days?! Another thing I may not understand, if all upper windows are closed in winter, how the hot humid air can escape? Or, you may have some upper windows open?

 

[aart]

will put winter vents only on the gables.

Open soffits, covered with 1/2" HC, under large(12-18") roof overhangs.
They will also help protect your top hinged windows.

Few more questions regarding my plan for a small coop, 9-10 chickens:
- what is a good distance of the floor above the ground,
- what is the optimal height of the wall/roof above the highest roosting perch,
- winter vents, I plan one on east and one on west side, can they be at the same height in the gables?
I would appreciate all inputs.
Thanks

1. High enough for you to crawl under these if necessary. 18-24"
2. As high as possible.
3. Yes.

Here's some others tips on heights:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/coop-stack-up-how-high-stuff-works-well.73427/

 

[Ted Brown]

If read the drawing right, you have fully open two 3’2”x2’8” ( 16.9 ft2 total) openings even in winter when days temps are in 5F and even in much colder days?! Another thing I may not understand, if all upper windows are closed in winter, how the hot humid air can escape? Or, you may have some upper windows open?

Yes, two 3'2" by 2' 8" fixed frame openings, covered with 1/2" by 1/2" 19 gauge galvanized welded wire.

Simple physics: the back 2/3rds of the coop has no openings when the monitor (upper) windows are closed in winter; an "air cushion" is created which causes incoming cold air to enter the lower portion of the openings which forces warmer/moister out the upper portion of the same openings.

As @jthornton says: "You should read the Modern Fresh Air Poultry House book by Prince T. Woods... "

IMHO the best coop you can get, scalable.

 

[aart]

Woods is a great design for cold climates....but size and proportions are critical.
Might be too big for what @Rodrad is insisting on(40sqft).
I think 6x10 is the smallest.

 

[Rodrad]

Open soffits, covered with 1/2" HC, under large(12-18") roof overhangs.
They will also help protect your top hinged windows.


1. High enough for you to crawl under these if necessary. 18-24"
2. As high as possible.
3. Yes.

Here's some others tips on heights:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/coop-stack-up-how-high-stuff-works-well.73427/

Thank you ver much for your good inputs! Especially on overhangs, will follow your advise on it.