Exhaust fan or handful of vent covers??

[Baker1181]

Hello all. Redesigning a few things after replacing panels of the coop. Should I invest in an exhaust fan and let that do the trick on keeping air flow and moisture out?? If so what one do you have or suggest (I’d like it to be made for outdoors with the internals covered along with a safety shut off for over heating? Or the probably cheapest route is cutting holes and putting these vent caps over it similar to like a heating vent in your house. My question is how many do I need of these caps for 7 birds in a 6x4 coop. Will that be adequate ventilation to prevent moisture and overheating if the doors are closed?

 

[rosemarythyme]

My question is how many do I need of these caps for 7 birds in a 6x4 coop. Will that be adequate ventilation to prevent moisture and overheating if the doors are closed?

You want 1 sq ft of ventilation per bird in moderate temperatures, optimally with the option of more in summer (especially since we've had a few heat domes the past few years).

 

[LaurelC]

Also having passive ventilation will always be less fuss than having powered ventilation, especially if power outages are things that happen for you. The last thing you want to worry about is your chicken coop.

Have you considered one of those self-extracting roof vents (think ball with fins on it) with intakes somewhere that won't create big drafts during the winter?

 

[Baker1181]

I have just the passive, changed my mind on the fan. Didn’t want to deal with it. I looked at the vents your talking about that was my l
Thought, it would be perfect for where my coop is. It’ll have to wait till summer when I replace the roof, they are outrageously priced.

 

[aart]

It’ll have to wait till summer when I replace the roof,

If you're going to replace the roof add large(18") overhangs to protect any windows and vents.

 

[Debbie292d]

When we started 7-8 yrs ago, the humidity in our coop was so bad the walls ran. Mold can start growing at 70% humidity, and at 90%, we knew we were going to wind up killing our chickens.

We didn't have the option to vent more (hubby didn't want to cut holes in our steel roof) so bought a digital fan. It's 91% humidity right now, and the coop is 61% and the chickens are still in there.

Part of that is also due to horse bedding pellets, stall refresher on their perch boards (silkies) a DYI nipple waterer, and we heat to 40F although it hasn't been running much at all these past couple of weeks.

The only vent we have is an 18" baffle vent in the human door. Right now, the fan isn't running so there's not much ventilation, but there isn't a need for it either.

 

[Baker1181]

If you're going to replace the roof add large(18") overhangs to protect any windows and vents.

Thats how my current roof is and I will replace it the same.

When we started 7-8 yrs ago, the humidity in our coop was so bad the walls ran. Mold can start growing at 70% humidity, and at 90%, we knew we were going to wind up killing our chickens.

We didn't have the option to vent more (hubby didn't want to cut holes in our steel roof) so bought a digital fan. It's 91% humidity right now, and the coop is 61% and the chickens are still in there.

Part of that is also due to horse bedding pellets, stall refresher on their perch boards (silkies) a DYI nipple waterer, and we heat to 40F although it hasn't been running much at all these past couple of weeks.

The only vent we have is an 18" baffle vent in the human door. Right now, the fan isn't running so there's not much ventilation, but there isn't a need for it either.

That is the fan I was actually looking at getting, price is steep but one of the only ones I found that are made for it and have enclosed housings from what I can tell to prevent water on them and fires.

I’m assuming there is plenty of ventilation right now, due to everyone staying on the roost at night. (I’ve had an issue with them leaving the roost and sleeping on floor, boxes or outside before I had the auto door and i narrowed it down to being to hot.)

 

[aart]

Thats how my current roof is and I will replace it the same.

Guess I assumed you had no roof overhangs as you were asking about vent covers.
Posting some pics of your coop, inside/outside/all around, might help garner more viable advice.

 

[K0k0shka]

I built my coop with lots of permanent year-round ventilation - the tops of the walls are open all around with a 6" gap between the wall and the roof. I added awnings to protect the vents from snow blowing into them in the winter (or rain if it's too windy and the roof overhangs aren't enough). This setup has been working out great! You can see pictures here.

I'd much rather leave lots open and let it air out than close it up and try to set up fans and rigs to suck air out. It doesn't get that cold where you are, you don't need to seal them shut. If you'll be doing modifications, cut more vents out, and I mean real vents for 1 sq. ft. of vent area per chicken, not just some holes. You are already over capacity in your coop (ideal is 4 sq. ft. of floor space per chicken minimum), so you'll need even more vent area.

 

[Baker1181]

I built my coop with lots of permanent year-round ventilation - the tops of the walls are open all around with a 6" gap between the wall and the roof. I added awnings to protect the vents from snow blowing into them in the winter (or rain if it's too windy and the roof overhangs aren't enough). This setup has been working out great! You can see pictures here.

I'd much rather leave lots open and let it air out than close it up and try to set up fans and rigs to suck air out. It doesn't get that cold where you are, you don't need to seal them shut. If you'll be doing modifications, cut more vents out, and I mean real vents for 1 sq. ft. of vent area per chicken, not just some holes. You are already over capacity in your coop (ideal is 4 sq. ft. of floor space per chicken minimum), so you'll need even more vent area.

Correction. It’s actually 4x8 and they have 16feet of roost space. They have plenty. I forgot I put 8 foot 2X4 roosts in there.