Is this enough ventilation?

[cjweaver13]

Northeast Pennsylvania here with a converted garden shed beasure 7.5ft x 8ft and about 6.5ft high at the point.

For summer I have a storm window and entire wall screened in for summer, but my concern is will these 2 cross vents going across the top be enough in the winter when the window and doors need to remain shut? The vents are On opposing sides and measure about 13.5inches x 98inches. If it's not enough I'm thinking of opening up the top more. I wanted To try and keep these as is if possie because on the outside are gable covers so it would stop some rain and snow from blowing in.

 

[DobieLover]

Northeast Pennsylvania here with a converted garden shed beasure 7.5ft x 8ft and about 6.5ft high at the point.

For summer I have a storm window and entire wall screened in for summer, but my concern is will these 2 cross vents going across the top be enough in the winter when the window and doors need to remain shut? The vents are On opposing sides and measure about 13.5inches x 98inches. If it's not enough I'm thinking of opening up the top more. I wanted To try and keep these as is if possie because on the outside are gable covers so it would stop some rain and snow from blowing in.View attachment 2756163

What does your soffit area look like? What type of roofing do you have? Can you add a ridge vent?
Those tiny gable vents are not going to cut the mustard.
Can you post pictures of the entire interior of your coop and a shot of under the soffit?
If you can open up the area between the rafters like this and install a ridge vent, that will greatly improve your ventilation.

The gable vents you have now are too small. Can you find larger ones with exterior louvers to divert rain away? I'd remove the screens from them and just install them over 1/2" hardware cloth instead.

 

[Fluffy Lambs]

@aart can help you.

 

[3KillerBs]

The vents are On opposing sides and measure about 13.5inches x 98inches.

Those vents are in the ideal place -- up high to allow heat, moisture, and ammonia to exit without allowing drafts to blow on the chickens -- but they are not going to be enough -- especially because so much of the area is blocked by the louvers and the debris caught in the fine screening.

It's recommended to have a minimum of 1 square foot of permanent, 24/7/365 ventilation per adult, standard-sized hen. Or enough to ensure that the temperature and humidity are the same inside and out.

Show us photos of the entire coop and we can help you figure out how to vent it more effectively.

 

[cjweaver13]

I will have to post more inside pics tomorrow then. There's no room for a soffit vent because of minimal overhang. My other thought is to basically blow out the entire triangle you see on both sides and cover with hardware cloth. My other concern is because of said no Eve's or overhang, water could theoretically blow in

 

[aart]

I will have to post more inside pics tomorrow then.

Outside pics too, please.

 

[3KillerBs]

I will have to post more inside pics tomorrow then. There's no room for a soffit vent because of minimal overhang. My other thought is to basically blow out the entire triangle you see on both sides and cover with hardware cloth. My other concern is because of said no Eve's or overhang, water could theoretically blow in

Both those problems can be fixed.

A quote from an article in progress:

Adding roof extensions to shelter these vents can be intimidating to inexperienced handymen. Here's how-to (and how not to), extend a roof by sistering the extension to the rafters: https://strousehomeinspections.com/blog/structural-roof-extensions.html

And here is how to use lookouts to extend the roof at right-angles to the rafters: https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...e-overhangs-eaves-of-a-shed-coop-house.76599/

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Late to this party, but agree with the other posters. Not nearly enough ventilation, and the addition o pictures should help us help you. Inside and out. Removing the gable ends and covering with hardware cloth would be a good start. There may be other options, and we should have some recommends for protecting the now open gable ends against incliment weather, as well.

louvers, as you can see, both slow and disturb the free flow of air, resulting in accelerated clogging of the screens. While sometimes necessary, they are best avoided - coops are already dusty environments with lots of light materials which can be carried aloft and become eventual maintenance issues. As a general matter, thin near vertical louvers (such as those pressed out of the aluminum vent are the worst, because they block so much air flow and alter the travel direction so radically. Largely spaced, near horizontal louvers are vastly superior in that respect.

I couldn't find a good picture, but this should give you the idea -

Here in hot, humid FL, we have lots of restrooms on public ball fields made from cinder blocks with minimal roofing. Near the top of the wall, they will often leave a number of cinder blocks out to create large gaps for ventilation, then frame them out and use 1x6 lumber (or thinner, think the stuff used for picket fences) as fixed louvers to deter our near horizontal storm blown rains and provide privacy to those inside.

 

[cjweaver13]

Here are some pictures. Excuse the mess and terrible lighting but hope this helps. I appreciate the suggestion of extending roof but with lumber prices and time restraints now, that's honestly not a viable option.

 

[mowin]

I'd opening up the gable ends up high, and put a wooden awning (for lack of a better description) to help keep driving rain out.