Coop ventilation, needs improvement?

[Mark94]

Hey everyone! First I wanna say how amazing this site is and I wanna thank you for keeping it up, I've learned so much from people on it *I'm a newbie.
So I've made my first chicken coop ever, back in April when my chicks were still in the egg under their mama, it's not looking splendind from the outside but it's very cozy and dry from the inside. Now when they are 5 months old I'm starting to question my ventilation. I've made the entrance door on the South side, it's wide and it's always open, we don't have many predators here and I've secured the coop well enough. I've made a small window, about 20cm width and around 10cm and thought it would be good enough as a ventilation point, it's located on the west side. The east side has huge door which I use to collect eggs and change their beddings, you will see it in the photo below. Now I've read that there has to be a ventilation on the side where wind goes, I didn't want to put it on the North side because we have northern winds, combined with heavy rain equals freezing rain, and I didn't want any of that to go in the coop. We've been having haivy rains and still are, the coop is dry and beddings don't smell cause I open the door (the one I use for eggs collection) and leave it open when it's sunny, I close it at night. But still, it doesn't smell even when I don't open it. Now I'm questioning how it smells at night when they are all inside, I really don't want them to get sick. Oh and btw. the roof has small openings on north and south sides, you will see them in the photos. I would appreaciate any comments, suggestions and whether it is good enough as it is now or I need to change things.

First photo: South
Second photo: West
Third:North
4th: east (where the door for eggs collection is)
5th and 6th: the openings where roof meets the coop
7th and 8th: the inside of the coop
9th: the roof view from the inside

 

[Rldad1]

Your ventilation should be high, not low. Ammonia and heat rise. You also need to close those holes where the roof meets the walls with HC or solid blocks. A weasel, rat or snake can get through there. Wire would be best so you can keep the holes open for ventilation. I would open up the last few inches on the walls to get more air. Ventilation is important but you don't want a draft blowing on the chickens. In the second picture, I would take off the top board and cover it with HC giving you a lot more ventilation. Rule of thumb, 1 sq foot of ventilation for every bird minimum.

 

[Mark94]

Your ventilation should be high, not low. Ammonia and heat rise. You also need to close those holes where the roof meets the walls with HC or solid blocks. A weasel, rat or snake can get through there. Wire would be best so you can keep the holes open for ventilation. I would open up the last few inches on the walls to get more air. Ventilation is important but you don't want a draft blowing on the chickens. In the second picture, I would take off the top board and cover it with HC giving you a lot more ventilation. Rule of thumb, 1 sq foot of ventilation for every bird minimum.

I see. The side u are referring to in the second photo is the side where they roost at night, just below. I think I made a mistake opening that tiny window there, since they roost below but still, there's no wind on the west side blowing. Should I still get rid of that top board then?

 

[drinkoj]

Your ventilation should be high, not low. Ammonia and heat rise.

I would open up the last few inches on the walls to get more air. Ventilation is important but you don't want a draft blowing on the chickens. In the second picture, I would take off the top board and cover it with HC giving you a lot more ventilation. Rule of thumb, 1 sq foot of ventilation for every bird minimum.

He's got some decent ventilation because of the curves in the roofing he used but definitely needs some hardwire cloth to stop animals from coming in there.

 

[Mark94]

He's got some decent ventilation because of the curves in the roofing he used but definitely needs some hardwire cloth to stop animals from coming in there.

Thank you for response. I'm located in Eastern Europe, and in the area I live we don't have many predators, few hawks only but I've secured the coop well enough from their attacks, rats are not the concern, for now...

 

[Rldad1]

I see. The side u are referring to in the second photo is the side where they roost at night, just below. I think I made a mistake opening that tiny window there, since they roost below but still, there's no wind on the west side blowing. Should I still get rid of that top board then?

As long as there is no draft it won't hurt. I have a window over my roost but have it protected from creating a draft. Here is a pic showing my ventilation.

 

[drinkoj]

Thank you for response. I'm located in Eastern Europe, and in the area I live we don't have many predators, few hawks only but I've secured the coop well enough from their attacks.

You still have mice and rats as predators, and possibly snakes. Just food for thought.

 

[Mark94]

As long as there is no draft it won't hurt. I have a window over my roost but have it protected from creating a draft. Here is a pic showing my ventilation.

Wonderful! Thank you for an idea! I will make few adjustments here and there, expanding the area just a little, under the roofing curves.

 

[Sally PB]

I've made the entrance door on the South side, it's wide and it's always open, we don't have many predators here and I've secured the coop well enough.

All it takes is - one - predator. What kinds of wild animals live in your area? People have mentioned mice, rats, and snakes. What about neighbors' dogs? A pet ferret on the loose would be a big problem. Weasel or mink don't need much of an opening either, if you have any of those. Be sure to think of the little critters too.

My feelings about any opening is, if I can't close it, cover it with hardware cloth.

The fact that your coop is cozy and dry is great! Dry chickens are warm chickens.

 

[Mark94]

All it takes is - one - predator. What kinds of wild animals live in your area? People have mentioned mice, rats, and snakes. What about neighbors' dogs? A pet ferret on the loose would be a big problem. Weasel or mink don't need much of an opening either, if you have any of those. Be sure to think of the little critters too.

My feelings about any opening is, if I can't close it, cover it with hardware cloth.

The fact that your coop is cozy and dry is great! Dry chickens are warm chickens.

Thank you for your help! The coop yard is secured with an iron fence and I have put a curtain all over the fence to use as an extra protection, to keep them a little hidden, the top is secured with a green mesh that gives them a little soft shade but enough sunlight. There's no way a bigger animal would enter unless they dig pretty deep. So, rats and mice would be the only concern, rats are not aggressive and they won't go after them at night, but just the thought of having them around the coop makes my stomach sick lol. So far I haven't noticed any around and no feces around feeders, the yard is in open area, so they have nowhere to hide and I don't think they would risk going out in open, cause we have many owls at night and few hawks + neighbor's cats during the day. Still, I keep an eye on it, I hope I won't have to deal with them.