Do I need more ventilation? (Pics) (another ventilation ?)

[TheJuan-n-Only]

Hello, I'm almost done with my coop, but I have a question regarding ventilation. I live in Tampa Florida AKA is hot and humid...oh and HOT! lol .....It rains a lot and we get about 7 hrs a year of real cold temps! hehehe

So I have a 3 sided coop/run combo with the south and west walls having ventilation on the tops....do I need to add a window on the South wall or is this good enough? (east side is open to the run)


South wall..ventilation on the top

Close up...vent is 4' long and about 3" tall

Pic from the inside...both vents...the vent on the west wall is 5' long and about 4" tall and closes as it reaches the back...

Here is my coop post if you want to see more pics

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=6597383#p6597383

 

[bryan99705]

Looks nice and it should be ok ventilation wise. If you're unsure hang a thermometer in there, your inside temps should not be much different than the outside temp. I hope critters don't find your bird's coop, it would be a massacre.

 

[Tenmore]

Ventilation looks good....I would chicken wire the top there so critters cant get in looks great..

 

[Sunny Side Up]

You can start with that much ventilation, and check with a thermometer. Are the nest boxes going to be in that enclosed area or somewhere else? Your birds will probably spend most of the hottest parts of the day in the run or under the enclosed area, only going inside at night to roost, or in there to lay.

Since you're doing such a wonderfully thorough job on this coop, go ahead and cover those ventilation spaces with hardware cloth battened on all sides with wood strips to keep the critters out and your birds safe. If you need more ventilation you can add it easily.

 

[TheJuan-n-Only]

Quote:
Thanks!! yes I have not put wire cloth on anything yet

...that comes today...the ventilation areas will be wired...no worries. I may not have enough trim for the ventilation areas, but I do have screws and washers to secure the wire up there

I just bought a thermometer last night for the brooder...I will follow everyone's advice and check the temp....thank you all

The nest boxes are going to be under the coop on the south side (the 1st pic) coming out (like and outside coop nest box) with a door from the back to collect egg when the day comes....I seen it on "Chics in the sun's" coop and I liked that idea...plus since that area down there is already "framed up"...well LESS WORK! lol

Thank you all!!!

 

[patandchickens]

It looks pretty plausible to me. But as others have said, the real test is to put a thermometer in there. If at 3 p.m. or so it reads the same as outdoor-in-the-shade temps, you're in good shape

If you were going to add a window, I'd suggest that being in Tampa you put it on the NORTH wall rather than the south. You don't really need additional solar gain

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[Harvey'sHens]

This looks very similar to my coop. I have a window on the opposite side of the coop door. That would be west in your setup. It allows for a lot of air movement when the east door is open. Everything covered in hardware cloth. The small area under the coop they love for dust bathing and shade when it gets hot. I ran cloth underneath the whole run and then put lots of sand on top. It is very secure so I can leave the door that opens into the secure run open all night in the heat. Just make sure there are no gaps and the cloth is very secure.

 

[colebarnhart]

Great Job!!!! I think it's beautiful and if I was still living in Clearwater that is the same style that I've always thought I would've built. But I like yours better than my mental images

You might want to put a coat of paint on the inside just because of the humidity, mold, and etc. or if you like the wood look some type of stain or clear coating, but it's really awesome.

 

[TheJuan-n-Only]

Quote:
I had totally forgot about the thermometer..I just went out and put it in there....the coop seemed cooler than under the tree..but then again is the AM and the wood is cool...

The north wall is against the yard fence..so not realy an option! lol