Hi Everyone
I'm in process of creating an open air enclosure inside my 20'x40' metal pole barn to overwinter the chickens. The pole barn has a concrete floor and no insulation, basically metal sheeting on a wood frame, and a metal roof.The chicken enclosure will basically be 10ft high walls covered in chicken wire with no top, and the roosts will be a ladder against the sides. The enclosure is basically 16'x16' inside the barn. I will have about 20 nests boxes accessible from outside the coop enclosure. The roof of the pole barn is higher than the walls of the coop by about another 7-10 ft. There are 4 windows on each side of the long sides of the barn, way up high, but they are covered with milky plastic panels that are screwed over them which allow some light in the pole barn. I plan on putting about 4-6 inches fine pine bedding on the concrete floor of the coop enclosure and raking it occasionally during the winter to make sure it doesn't get a hard "poo cap". Also will be adding more bedding as needed. The barn has electric, so I can also add lighting as needed in winter .I do not plan on adding any heat as the barn is draft free.
My question is this, because of the open space in that huge pole barn, will I still need to open some of those windows to allow for ventilation for my 30 chickens in the winter? The area is not drafty inside the barn at all, but the area isn't airtight either. I just don't want too much moisture buildup. I will be be creating a pop hole from the enclosure in the barn to a small chicken yard outside the barn for the chickens to get fresh air when the weather is better in the winter too.
Any idea or suggestions about ventilation or this whole setup (but especially about ventilation) is welcome!
Thanks!
I'm in process of creating an open air enclosure inside my 20'x40' metal pole barn to overwinter the chickens. The pole barn has a concrete floor and no insulation, basically metal sheeting on a wood frame, and a metal roof.The chicken enclosure will basically be 10ft high walls covered in chicken wire with no top, and the roosts will be a ladder against the sides. The enclosure is basically 16'x16' inside the barn. I will have about 20 nests boxes accessible from outside the coop enclosure. The roof of the pole barn is higher than the walls of the coop by about another 7-10 ft. There are 4 windows on each side of the long sides of the barn, way up high, but they are covered with milky plastic panels that are screwed over them which allow some light in the pole barn. I plan on putting about 4-6 inches fine pine bedding on the concrete floor of the coop enclosure and raking it occasionally during the winter to make sure it doesn't get a hard "poo cap". Also will be adding more bedding as needed. The barn has electric, so I can also add lighting as needed in winter .I do not plan on adding any heat as the barn is draft free.
My question is this, because of the open space in that huge pole barn, will I still need to open some of those windows to allow for ventilation for my 30 chickens in the winter? The area is not drafty inside the barn at all, but the area isn't airtight either. I just don't want too much moisture buildup. I will be be creating a pop hole from the enclosure in the barn to a small chicken yard outside the barn for the chickens to get fresh air when the weather is better in the winter too.
Any idea or suggestions about ventilation or this whole setup (but especially about ventilation) is welcome!
Thanks!