how many vents should I have in my coop?

[buttons]

If I have a coop that's 5'w/4'l and 4' high with two floors how many vents should I build?
I don't want mold to build up !

 

[brooster]

you probably wont get mold, it is more for ventilation for the birds amonia fumes, and heat in the summer. I would put those eave vent on each end wall.

 

[Mahonri]

Don't know where you live.. (that would help), but here in AZ I have two vents, (one with a fan on a timer) and two windows... (also a sky light)... to help the hens lay and so I can see when I go in there especially on a moonlit night. :0)

 

[SpottedCrow]

I'm gonna be a smartie pants and say one for each chicken butt...

Seriously though,I also would add a window that you could open and close depending on the weather.

 

[buttons]

I live in California so I have pretty constan sun shine.

 

[rooster-red]

Quote:
Good.

I'm not the only one who thought of doing this.

 

[JHaller]

My double-decker coop is similar in size. Originally, I had two vents on opposite sides, high up, for cross ventilation. Each opening was about 8 square inches. It was not enough. I cut a window about 8 inches wide and 18 inches tall. It made a huge improvement, not just in ventilation. The birds sleep in front of the new opening, even when it gets chilly. They use the space during the day, because they can see better. With early morning light, they lay more often despite the shorter winter days.

I'd say start with about a 4 x12 inch vent on each side. If you don't have a window, go little bigger. The birds should have enough light to find their way in the daytime and enough air that you never have a burning sensation in your eyes when you stick your head in!

 

[patandchickens]

It depends on your climate and #birds and management style. However I'd say a good safe place to start would be something on the order of 1 sq ft per chicken. That is unlikely to be seriously deficient for most situations, and gives you the capacity to ramp ventilation up when needed (and of course can close it down more when not).

So if you are going to have like 5-6 birds in the coop, that would be maybe a 2'x8" vent on each side, or the equivalent. Make flaps or sliders for them so that each can be partly or wholly shut when weather dictates and you'll be good.

It is really a whole big lot easier to build in plenty ventilation in the construction stage than to discover once chickens are in there, probably in January, that you need to get the Sawzall out

Have fun,

Pat

 

[cmom]

I have eve vents on two sides of my coop and windows that open on the opposite sides of the coop. I never calculated the area for venting. I used materials from other projects. My nest boxes are vented also. When I build the new coop the nursery coop will be a garden shed. There are Pics on my BYC Page.