@rosemarythyme
During the day I prop that door open to let it breathe and clean it out so it doesn’t get saturated in an ammonia smell and I clean it out daily by working it over.
Should I install a window? Typically I close the chicken house door but it’s left slightly ajar to allow for some breathability. They all pile in there at night regularly as the sun sets. I’m just concerned about them coming across pathogens laying in the bedding where they poop.
So, the simple answer would be to cut a box out in the housing and install wire over it?
What would I do in the winters when it gets cold though and to avoid drafts overnight?
So I personally do not count doors as ventilation, reason being, they're usually closed up at night, which is exactly when the chickens are all inside the coop. That means ammonia and moisture build up over the course of the night.
Recommended minimum ventilation is 1 sq ft per bird/10% of floor space, whichever is greater.
Windows add both air flow and light, which is why I like them compared to some other ventilation options.
As far as winter, how cold does it get where you're at? Cold isn't usually an issue, unless you're talking arctic level deep freeze. Drafts are something you want to avoid, so there's various ways of avoiding those:
- minimize vents facing into predominant winds
- place majority of vents well up above roosts
- have buffers (awning, louvered covers, top hinged windows) over or partially covering vents to buffer air flow