Coop Roof Option for Best Ventilation

[aart]

@aart

Ya the framing will be built to handle the snow. I plan on putting 1/2" plywood over the framing as well. The soffits are going to be completely open (with hardware cloth covering openings) for additional venting. I have read on here that running open soffit and a ridge vent are the most optimal setup for chicken coop ventilation. Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.

Might want to add fly rafters over gable ends and to protect some gable vents.
Ridge vents might help a bit in summer but once covered with snow they won't do much.

 

[Drake_D]

Might want to add fly rafters over gable ends and to protect some gable vents.
Ridge vents might help a bit in summer but once covered with snow they won't do much.

@aart
Okay. I see what you're saying. The fly rafters will protect the gable vents in the winter for snow and what not?

I wasn't really planning on doing any gable vents. I've heard that the gable vents can impede the venting process between the soffit and ridge vent. Again, please correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

@aart
Okay. I see what you're saying. The fly rafters will protect the gable vents in the winter for snow and what not?

I wasn't really planning on doing any gable vents. I've heard that the gable vents can impede the venting process between the soffit and ridge vent. Again, please correct me if I'm wrong.

Stepping in.

In places where you have potential for a roof covered in snow, a ridge vent becomes at times useless - snow blocks the vent. Additionally, even in places where snow isn't an issue (like mine), the size of the ridge vent forms a limit on the effectiveness of your soffit venting (my ridge vent free air space is measured in square inches per linear foot, my soffits provide about 30x more free air flow per linear foot, and there are two of them).

Many address that imbalance with large gable vents.

Its true that when building a house, gable vents can seriously cause chaos in under roof air flow - but home attic spaces are separated from the conditioned space and allowed, even encouraged, to be much hotter than the space they cover. That isn't the case with a chicken coop. and the volume of air you want to turn over per hour in a coop is much higher than what is required or desired in a home attic space. You are hoping to move moist, ammonia laden air out of the coop as rapidly as practical w/o creating drafts.

So the "rules for people houses" about soffit venting, ridge vent sizing, etc don't really translate well to coop design. You have the right idea, but for a different application.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

for an alternate solution, look into Clerestory roof designs.

or Monitor roof designs where a large overhanging on the "upper" roof protects what is a glorified ridge vent on the short vertical.

 

[aart]

Okay. I see what you're saying. The fly rafters will protect the gable vents in the winter for snow and what not?

Yes. Well. From rain and maybe snow depending on the wind.
You can dampen airflow if needed in winter, I have to if snow gets deep on lower roof on my clerestory:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/ventilation-baffling.75434/

I wasn't really planning on doing any gable vents. I've heard that the gable vents can impede the venting process between the soffit and ridge vent. Again, please correct me if I'm wrong.

@U_Stormcrow covered it.

 

[Drake_D]

Stepping in.

In places where you have potential for a roof covered in snow, a ridge vent becomes at times useless - snow blocks the vent. Additionally, even in places where snow isn't an issue (like mine), the size of the ridge vent forms a limit on the effectiveness of your soffit venting (my ridge vent free air space is measured in square inches per linear foot, my soffits provide about 30x more free air flow per linear foot, and there are two of them).

Many address that imbalance with large gable vents.

Its true that when building a house, gable vents can seriously cause chaos in under roof air flow - but home attic spaces are separated from the conditioned space and allowed, even encouraged, to be much hotter than the space they cover. That isn't the case with a chicken coop. and the volume of air you want to turn over per hour in a coop is much higher than what is required or desired in a home attic space. You are hoping to move moist, ammonia laden air out of the coop as rapidly as practical w/o creating drafts.

So the "rules for people houses" about soffit venting, ridge vent sizing, etc don't really translate well to coop design. You have the right idea, but for a different application.

@U_Stormcrow

That makes total sense when you explain it like that. Thank you for taking the time to explain that to me.

So now my next question. If I am doing a ridge vent and having 2 gable vents as well now.
Do I need to have all of my soffits open like I mentioned before? There will be 3 per side and they are approx 22" in length, or does that seem like overkill. If it is, I can just put soffit vents in each section. Just want to make sure it's sufficient.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

@U_Stormcrow

That makes total sense when you explain it like that. Thank you for taking the time to explain that to me.

So now my next question. If I am doing a ridge vent and having 2 gable vents as well now.
Do I need to have all of my soffits open like I mentioned before? There will be 3 per side and they are approx 22" in length, or does that seem like overkill. If it is, I can just put soffit vents in each section. Just want to make sure it's sufficient.

I left my soffits wide open. Ultimately cheaper and faster then covering them, only to make holes in them to then install venting.

If I had lower risk tolerance, I'd have covered them with hardware cloth but otherwise left them open. That is my general recommend as well. My goat shed has no doors on it, so placing hardware cloth on the soffits for predator protection seemed less than effective. My Hen house, the door is ALWAYS open, unless we are staring down a hurricane. My risk tolerance is much greater than the typical BYCer, so... Yeah. Hardware cloth them, call it done.

/edit and glad you found it useful. That's what BYC is about. Happy to have been of help.

 

[aart]

Do I need to have all of my soffits open like I mentioned before?

Leave them open, covered with HC.
See my coop page on how I did that,.
Pics or plans of your coop would help us help you.

I am in Canada

Where in Canada, a plethora of climate zones there.
Here's how to add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, and then it's always there!

 

[Drake_D]

Hey Everyone.

Still working away on this coop. Finally got most of the structure built (hasn't been screwed together yet). Waiting on some warmer weather to bring it outside and start assembling. Just wanted to post a couple pics of the roof (following a set of plans I got off the internet). Please let me know what you think. Im hoping it's enough of a slope because I am in Canada so we do get snow in the winter.
Thanks!