New Member with Ventilation Question.

[Remo]

I am building a 6x4 coop that will be 2'6" off the ground. I will put a vent on each end near the top and it will have a 2'x2' window that will open. My question is will this be enough ventilation and is it possible to cut a small hole in the floor (maybe a 6"x6") near a corner and cover with wire to allow air to flow from the bottom. I would fix it so it could be closed during winter months. Thanks for any and all advice.

 

[Chook-A-Holic]

Here is a page from patandchickens. She is very knowledgeable about ventilation. Lots of information...

https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=1642-VENTILATION

Edit: I forgot...

 

[Cindiloohoo]

That's a good link!

 

[Bantimna]

patandchickens is a very knowlegeable person, she has for the same qeustions that you have wirtten a page about ventalation.
And welcome to the BYC

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
Well, that sort of depends on how big those vents ARE

If you are planning on having 6 chickens in there, I would suggest making the vents perhaps 6-12" high and 4-6 feet long (basically the full length of the wall), with a flap or other arrangment so you can close each vent partly or (on the upwind side) totally in wintertime, as the day's weather requires. With that size vents and openable 2x2 windows, you should be ok if you are not in a very hot-summer climate. (If you are, you might ought to have a bit more)

and is it possible to cut a small hole in the floor (maybe a 6"x6") near a corner and cover with wire to allow air to flow from the bottom. I would fix it so it could be closed during winter months.

You *can*, but honestly I am not personally real keen on floor-level vents. First, because they kick up bedding something AWFUL when you get gusty winds; and secondly because frankly they just do not DO very much. The fact that they're at floor level does not matter nearly so much as their small size. If you want extra airflow in hot weather, cut a LARGE opening out of one or more sides, closeable for the colder parts of the year. That will do more good, in terms of keeping the coop from overheating, than a weenie little floor-level vent

JMHO, good luck, have fun,

Pat​

 

[Intheswamp]

Quote:
Follow Pat's lead. To clarify something...Pat was saying that the vents should be 6-12" tall but still at the top of the coop and not 6-12" from the floor. I'm sure you followed what she was saying, though.

You might want to add a location to your information so we know what type of climate that you are dealing with...makes a difference.

Best wishes,
Ed

 

[Remo]

Thanks for the fast replys. I am from East Tennessee ,I should have posted my location earlier. I will probably add an extra window in the back or side that can be closed if necessary. But, please continue to give advice. Thanks.

 

[imthedude]

gonna resurrect this oldish thread. has anyone tested that 1 sf of vent per 10 sf of floor space rule of thumb in the ventilation article referenced above?

 

[speckledhen]

The more ventilation, the better. Actually, lots of vents that you can close off work very well. Mine are never fully closed, no matter what the temps outside. Here is a pic of my main coop. See the red panels that run horizontally across the top of the coop under the roof line? Those are ventilation all the way across that opens in sections so I can have as much or as little as I need. Also, there is a bsmt type vent on the back of the 8x8 part on the right and at the other end, a window above the roosts that opens as little or as much as we want. Of course, the windows on the front open fully, if desired, as well. The entire coop is 8x20.

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
Tested in what way?


Pat