New to Chickens, Building Coop!

[TSArmendarez]

So just an update, we expanded the coop today (in the rain and ever growing mud, ugh!) to 6.5x5. So that's close to 5.5 sq ft per bird, which I feel a lot more comfortable with. The run is the same for now, but once we move them in (hopefully tomorrow) and get everything situated, we'll extend it.

So I have some questions about venting. We have one 6"x11" window on the run facing side, another 6×11" window directly opposite that, above the nesting boxes. The roost runs from the run wall to the nesting box wall. The gable of the nesting box wall is partially open (covered with wire) at probably a square foot total. What about putting a vent below the roost? Would that be beneficial to create the vortex and push air under and up? Or has anybody ever put a vent below the nesting box? My husband mentioned raising the nesting box and having a floor vent under it, a couple inches wide and running the length of the whole wall.

 

[jthornton]

The ventilation in the winter should be draft free. Humidity from breathing and pooping naturally rises without a draft, put vents up high. In the Summer more vents are better depending on the heat in your area. I have one door down low that I open in the summer and close in the winter, the inside is covered with hardware cloth. All of my high vents (above their heads when on the roost) remain open year round.

JT

 

[Alaskan]

I have below roost vents that stay open all year long. I had to close up my eve vents because for some reason they caused snow to swirl in... but the larger below roost vents do not cause that issue.



My advice would be make as many vents as is practical, but make covers so some can be closed in winter.

Usually a vent from the coop to a roofed run is the best vent to have wide open all year, since it is most sheltered. That is the vent that I would make as large as possible.

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

For 6 chickens 2 nesting boxes is sufficient. They will all want to use the box that another chicken is occupying. When a box is occupied by one chicken other chickens will stand around and scream at it to hurry up rather than just hop into an empty one. Sometimes they just climb into the nest with the other chicken.

 

[TSArmendarez]

Well they are in their new coop and run tonight! Just got finished and ate a terribly late dinner!

There is still some work to do, but I'm so happy to have them in and getting used to their new permanent home!

Both the gables are open, there's one window and we're putting in the other, and I think I'm going to run a low, long thin vent under the roost to help air flow for the rest of the summer.

Now we just have to extend the run another 4-6 feet and finish the shingles. We laid a few inches of maple mulch throughout the run to help keep them up out of the mud.

I'll get some more photos and post the progress! Thanks for everyone's help so far!