Enough ventilation?

[HilaryAkin]

I have 21 chickens and so I need 21 feet of ventilation?? I definitely don’t have that much, or even close. I do have two windows across from one another but they won’t be open in the winter. The pic shows one side of the ventilation. The opposite side has the exact same size for ventilation. Do I need a bunch more?

Just double check and the top has openings all along it. See new pic. Should that be enough? I’m in northern lower Michigan.

 

[Tookie]

That is not near enough ventilation.
Does it smell in there?

 

[Nyhillbillies]

Hi Hilary,
There’s a great article written by @3KillerBs regarding ventilation. Innthe upper left corner, select articles Then select search and type in ventilation.

 

[Tookie]

Hi Hilary,
There’s a great article written by @3KillerBs regarding ventilation. Innthe upper left corner, select articles Then select search and type in ventilation.

This article?->
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/repecka-illustrates-coop-ventilation.77659/

 

[Nyhillbillies]

Also search for Baffles

 

[3KillerBs]

Hi Hilary,
There’s a great article written by @3KillerBs regarding ventilation. Innthe upper left corner, select articles Then select search and type in ventilation.

Thank you for mentioning my article.

This article?->
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/repecka-illustrates-coop-ventilation.77659/

Thank you for linking it.

The key thing is airFLOW -- you need to move square feet of fresh air, not square inches. The rule of thumb is to have at least 1 square foot per adult, standard-size hen. But that will need to be tweaked according to climate and conditions.

For example, here in the Steamy Southeast, unless I can located a coop in DEEP natural shade I will need at least double or triple that amount of ventilation just to keep it below 100F on a 90F day.

What you're looking for is to have the temperature and, especially, the humidity, the same inside as out.

 

[Nyhillbillies]

Yes! I can’t figure out how to link articles from this phone…

 

[aart]

I have 21 chickens and so I need 21 feet of ventilation?? I definitely don’t have that much, or even close. I do have two windows across from one another but they won’t be open in the winter. The pic shows one side of the ventilation. The opposite side has the exact same size for ventilation. Do I need a bunch more?

Some more pics of coop, inside and out, would help here.
Looks like some decent roof overhangs, good options are larger gable vents and open the soffits.

Also.....
Where in this world are you located?
Climate, and time of year, is almost always a factor.
Please add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, and then it's always there!

 

[Mrs. K]

Where you are is hugely important. Here in western SD - our humidity is around 35%, nearly year round. I can get by with a little less ventilation.

However, I think it is important in very cold weather, below 0 F to have the air movement above thier heads. To prevent frostbite, look and measure the tops of their heads from the ceiling when they are on the roost. I like 12-15 inches of space above their heads In the winter, I lower my roosts a bit just to make sure there is more space above them. Set up the roost so they are below the movement of air, and so that your birds are or can get away from the walls of the coop.

The birds really need a lot of air space around them, so that the moisture can move out.

And you need to know where your prevailing wind is coming from. That side should be closed or less ventilation.

 

[HilaryAkin]

Where you are is hugely important. Here in western SD - our humidity is around 35%, nearly year round. I can get by with a little less ventilation.

However, I think it is important in very cold weather, below 0 F to have the air movement above thier heads. To prevent frostbite, look and measure the tops of their heads from the ceiling when they are on the roost. I like 12-15 inches of space above their heads In the winter, I lower my roosts a bit just to make sure there is more space above them. Set up the roost so they are below the movement of air, and so that your birds are or can get away from the walls of the coop.

The birds really need a lot of air space around them, so that the moisture can move out.

And you need to know where your prevailing wind is coming from. That side should be closed or less ventilation.

I’m in northern lower Michigan, so cold now. Just got our first snow. Discovered that the top has openings. Is that enough?