Needing Ventilation Ideas????

[Kuntry Klucker]

Hi,

We are experiencing some really hot weather here in Tennessee, we are needing some ideas to help
increase ventilation in the coop.

As a background, we got our coop from a neighbor who had chickens and was looking to sale his coop.
So our coop was already built when we got it, we have been making adjustments to fit our specific
flock needs.

We do not want to run electricity to the coop so any suggestions need to be non dependent on electricity.

I have posted some pictures of our coop so you can see what we are working with.

If you have pics of your coops that you can show us for things you have done to increase ventilation that would be helpful.

Front of coop

Looking into the coop from the egg door

View from the side looking towards the front of the coop.

Ventilation in back of coop, was already built in when we bought it.


Thanks

 

[chuckzoo]

Since you have an enclosed run I would remove one or more of the wood panels of the coop on the run side and replace that with 1/2 " hardware cloth for the summer. I have framed the hardware cloth to make a panel which I screw on to the coop. In the winter I remove the wire-framed panels and replace them with the solid wood ones. I also have ventilation under my eaves and on both ends of the gables so they can get a cross breeze. In addition to that I have just added a "cupola" to let the hot air out the top of the coop, where it is most needed.

I did a rendition of the one in the picture I am posting. Mine has floor airvents in it instead of the wire so it does not rain in and I can close them in winter if needed. I also made my overhang much longer than the one pictured for protection from blowing rain.

 

[patandchickens]

If it were me I think I'd just remove all the plywood on the wall that looks into the run, and replace with 1/2" hardwarecloth. You can save the plywood to put part or all of it back on for wintertime.

That might be enough to keep the coop no hotter than ambient shade temperature. If it's not, add some small vents up under the roof overhang.

Also if you could shade the S and W sides of the run, preferably NOT with a tarp (and I'd be reallll careful with that one you've got on there, it looks like a disaster just waiting to happen in a good storm...) but with shadecloth or something like that, that'd help too. You can leave a space 1-2' high at the bottom for breezes to blow thru.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[Kuntry Klucker]

Ok, i am not sure how easy it is going to be to take the front of the coop off to put
hardware cloth up. It is one big board screwed into 2X4's. I am afraid that taking
that off would compromise the structural design of the coop.

I will have to look at that and see if it is possible.

Thanks.

 

[ll]

I read about a solar powered fan that is sold in automotive part stores, good luck.

 

[bryan99705]

Quote:
What a great starting point! Lots of room and possibilities! Keep in mind that with a nice run like that, they will be outside a lot! Maybe a couple outside roosts in the shade would be a nice addition too

Good hardware cloth, well fastened, will be as stable as plywood. Your last picture looks like a racoon highway! Might want to consider hardware cloth over that too.

If you don't want to remove the entire plywood sheet, try cutting out several large squares (on all sides), fasten hardware cloth from the inside, and when/if it gets cold, replace the cutout or even simplier, hinge the cut out and use a prop stick on hot days, and drop the flap in nasty weather

 

[confusedturtle]

we are buying a couple of solar powered vent fans. I found some on ebay but I am going to check out a few places here in town to see if I can beat the prices. Hubby says I have gone solar crazy here, they will have solar lights in the coop as well and I have solar lights all over our front/back yard so I can wonder around and make sure everything is ok if I need to. Im putting solar powered vent fans on our house (attic) and hubbys garage as well. Also works great if there is a power outage, I bring them in the house at night and we have lights, use a generator to power the fridge & small ac unit. Hubby is Navy and is usually deployed during hurricane season, I like having the yard lit up well every night and if there is a storm atleast we will have light

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
That is a very sensible concern. But easily enough dealt with. Just take it off (it should unscrew or pry off as one single piece, cover with hardwarecloth, and then wiggle on it to see how much it's destabilized. Because it is a *small* coop, and you *are* putting hardwarecloth on, it may well be fine. But if you feel it's gotten a bit ominously wiggly, get a couple little pieces of scrap lumber -- 2x2 would be plenty fine, it doesn't need to be big, frankly even good quality 1x2 would probably do it -- and screw that in as two diagonal braces, one on each side of the popdoor, slanting opposite directions. Just screw to the studs, you can even screw *thru* the hardwarecloth. That will replace the diagonal stabilization of the plywood.

Pat

 

[Kuntry Klucker]

Ok, thank you for the ideas to increase the ventilation.
I am hearing that hardware cloth is the best bet.

I think that we may go that route. I liked the idea that
was posted to cut out smaller squares and put hardware
cloth up then replace the panels in the winter.

Thanks again for all the help

 

[elmo]

Do you have any place in your yard that gets shade most of the day, especially in the afternoon? If so, I'd move the coop/run there, no matter how big a job that would be.

I have a completely open sided coop (wire only) but I foolishly put it someplace in our yard that gets afternoon sun. It's just too hot. Our new coop/run is in the shady part of the yard, and even though it's a conventional, closed sided coop (well ventilated and insulated, too), it's much cooler inside than the open sided one.

Shade! I'm convinced it's the southern chicken keeper's best summer friend.