HELP!

[chickenwisper16]

Hello friends,
I have a huge draft problem !! I'm stumped on what to use to stop these drafts. My DH and I have 15 hens and 1 rooster who love to pearch up high almost to the ceiling of our lean to off of our barn. We had converted this lean to to our chicken coop/run. It's pretty open we do put up chip board on the outside to help stop drafts in the winter, but we do not do it all the way to the end, so it's still pretty open. Unfortunately between the beams the air comes up hitting our poor flock. I have no idea what to put in between the beams there's a out 20 opens in between the beams. I've tried stapling plastic it would fall down from the wind. Any ideas would greatly be appreciated I don't want my poor flock to freeze to death!!

 

[DobieLover]

Hello friends,
I have a huge draft problem !! I'm stumped on what to use to stop these drafts. My DH and I have 15 hens and 1 rooster who love to pearch up high almost to the ceiling of our lean to off of our barn. We had converted this lean to to our chicken coop/run. It's pretty open we do put up chip board on the outside to help stop drafts in the winter, but we do not do it all the way to the end, so it's still pretty open. Unfortunately between the beams the air comes up hitting our poor flock. I have no idea what to put in between the beams there's a out 20 opens in between the beams. I've tried stapling plastic it would fall down from the wind. Any ideas would greatly be appreciated I don't want my poor flock to freeze to death!!

Can you install lower roosts and a chicken wire ceiling so they can no longer fly up there? Pictures would help.

 

[chickenwisper16]

Can you install lower roosts and a chicken wire ceiling so they can no longer fly up there? Pictures would help.

Will post photos tomorrow

 

[nuthatched]

Can you get a can of great stuff and fill the gap?

 

[CanadaEh]

Unfortunately between the beams the air comes up hitting our poor flock. I have no idea what to put in between the beams there's a out 20 opens in between the beams.

if you are talking about the gaps between rafters above wall top plate, I stick empty grain bags in ours (and remove by the summer for ventilation)

 

[aart]

Best to close openings allowing too much airflow with something permeable like burlap or furnace filter, or redirect the air with a well placed solid baffle.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/ventilation-baffling.75434/

Will wait to see pics before giving specific advice.

 

[3KillerBs]

Photos, please? And dimensions?

Draft-free =/= no moving air at all. It means no breeze on the birds that is strong enough to ruffle their feathers.

This diagram is from an article on cow barns, but the principle is the same.

 

[linguini]

@3KillerBs @aart

The ventilation illustration @3KillerBs provided is very informative. I just have one question: If the ventilation is sufficient on non-windy days for a given building, can one completely close off or deflect the direct air-intake gap on very windy days (as the blue marked area) and still allows the building to get enough ventilation as non-windy days?

 

[CanadaEh]

The ventilation illustration @3KillerBs provided is very informative. I just have one question: If the ventilation is sufficient on non-windy days for a given building, can one completely close off or deflect the direct air-intake gap on very windy days (as the blue marked area) and still allows the building to get enough ventilation as non-windy days?

That is an excellent point. It just does not work (keeping ventilation at constant level during whole season) where I am. In 80km/h blizzard winds there is probably 10km/h wind inside instead of "slow overturn of air" or "gentle upward movement" and there is still enough ventilation with every hole plugged.

Conversely on other calm soggy nights that underoof ventilation is not enough and I have to open the windows.

 

[3KillerBs]

@3KillerBs @aart

The ventilation illustration @3KillerBs provided is very informative. I just have one question: If the ventilation is sufficient on non-windy days for a given building, can one completely close off or deflect the direct air-intake gap on very windy days (as the blue marked area) and still allows the building to get enough ventilation as non-windy days?

If there is no draft at chicken level and your roof overhangs are sufficient to keep blowing rain/snow out then there would be no reason to bother. Extra fresh air is not a problem unless it comes in the form of perch-level drafts.

Chickens, like all birds, have very delicate respiratory systems -- remember the canary in the coal mine thing? IMO, we should err on the side of extra fresh air.

In 80km/h blizzard winds there is probably 10km/h wind inside instead of "slow overturn of air" or "gentle upward movement" and there is still enough ventilation with every hole plugged.

We keep saying "Climate matters". When I get winds like that it's usually associated with tropical storms; a totally different set of circumstances.

Extreme climates certainly call for practices outside the norm of what's needed in more temperate climates. In my case I need a minimum of double or triple the usual ventilation in the summer to prevent my coops from turning into rotisserie ovens.

You've got your data and that's the critical thing.