Need Coop Ventilation Ideas

[Yardegg]

Friends,

I'm converting a mini-barn (10' x 14') into a coop for a dozen layers and a few bantams. I'd like to know if any of you have ideas, or sources, for exhaust fans that are appropriate for that size building. Most of the ones sold as "agricultural" are way too big. Any ideas or caveats would be appreciated.

Yours truly,

Yardegg

 

[Chickenfiend]

They sell roof vents at lowes which i plan on installing on my coop. I f you decide to go this wat you will need some vents on the side of the house. I have seen people use floor vents on the walls.

http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=54544-228-SLP61BL&lpage=none

 

[patandchickens]

You shouldn't need a ventilation fan, just ventilation openings (screened with hardwarecloth to keep out predators). A dozen or fifteen birds in that size coop is plenty few enough for passive ventilation to be sufficient. Just cut *lots* of openings that you can shut down with hinged or sliding flaps/doors/etc.

If this is the kind of mini-barn that doesn't really have much of any roof overhang, you can build a little awning or hood for some of the upper vents so they can be left open no matter what the weather.

And that way you will avoid all sorts of issues like what happens to your otherwise-insufficiently-ventilated coop when the power goes out, and having to spend a bunch of extra money for an industrial or ag-quality fan that won't immediately choke on coop dust, and having to worry about fire risk (ventilation fans are not *that* infrequent a cause of barn fires), and cleaning the fan and its grille every month or so, and all of that.

Really truly. Lots of vents, let the air move itself. You'll be fine

Pat