How much ventilation is too much?

[I have WHAT in my yard?]

Hello Everyone! I am very new to this and most of what I know about chickens I learned here!! Thank you!

We've built a coop and the back wall completely opens so the nesting boxes are enclosed on three sides until you open that wall and then you can reach into the nests. Is that going to bother the chickens?

Also, the floor has a gap between the floor and the wall and when the doors are open they can get out two ways. But, there aren't any windows. My neighbor has a coop that is only enclosed with chicken wire at the top and has no space that is completely enclosed.... We live in PA and have cold winters. Should mine have more ventilation? Does the neighbor have too much? (No I won't say anything, I'm just confused!)

Thanks for all of the good advice!

Sharon

 

[Dilly]

Hi, I cannot picture what you described. Maybe posting a picture will help.. I do think your neighbor needs some shelter, especially in your area.

 

[Chirpy]

First: Welcome to BYC!

Now ... a picture would really help us help you. If you can stand inside your coop when the wind is blowing and feel the wind ... you probably have too much ventilation. The ventilation should be gotten through vents at the top of the coop so that the chickens never have wind actually blowing on them. There is a fine line between ventilation and drafts. You don't want drafts so that's what you need to figure out.

Also - why do you have a hole between the floor and wall? That sounds like a perfect place for a predator to get in? Again, a picture would help with this.

In PA, you definitely need a solid, secure, four-walled coop to keep your chickens safe and warm in the winter.

Opening the wall to get out eggs shouldn't bother your chickens at all.

In my opinion, your neighbor needs to close up his/her coop for the chickens safety as well as their health. Chicken wire only keeps chickens in ... it does not keep predators out.

 

[I have WHAT in my yard?]

I'll work on the pics. The coop is sort of three stories. The bottom area is floored about three inches off of the ground with chicken wire. It gives them a place to go out of the sun during the day and to feel more secure without them having to go into the coop itself.

The second floor is the main coop floor. It is plywood covered with a blue tarp, wrapped completely and nailed from underneath. This floor slants about one inch toward the open wall for easy cleaning. That's where the gap comes in. The area under the gap ends up in the wired in space underneath the coop so its actually pretty secure.

The "third floor" is the nesting boxes and a roost.

When the wall is open all three levels are open. When the wall is closed there is no access to the coop or run - the dog has been very helpful in demonstrating any weaknesses! Anyplace she can, she jams her snout in to get at them! Any place she jams her snout in gets secured!

Can a fox Or do foxes get through chicken wire?

The roof isn't fully finished, and I had wanted a storage space on one end, but I cannot keep it mobile and have everything else I want!

Today they had their first grapes! Very fun to watch - who knew chickens were funny?!

Sharon

 

[LynneP]

I'd encourage you to use 1/2" hardware wire because the other will keep chickens in but is virtually useless against predators. Your winters are much like ours. You need to cut the winter wind, keep out snow/ice and protect the birds from hoardes of nasty hunters...