Pop door/ Ventilation question

[lazy gardener]

I would not use a window as your pop door. Let the windows be at window level, and make a separate pop door.

I recommend putting the pop door a minimum of 8" above floor, and perhaps even 12' would be better. This would allow you to keep nice deep litter in your coop.

As for the windows, I recommend having them hinged at the top. That will allow you to open the windows even in wet weather.

I suggest putting some soffit venting under the eaves. If you use a ridge vent, that will provide good air flow. If you don't use a ridge vent, you can put a vent on each gable end. I also like to have a louvered vent at floor level. This provides even more natural air flow. It's easy to cover some of your vents as needed. Much better to have good air flow and close some as needed, than realize that you don't have enough ventilation, and end up having to do an after the fact modification. During the winter, I might cover my floor level vent. My soffit and gable vents are open all the time, and my windows are open at least somewhat in all but the coldest and nastiest weather (below 0*F for multiple days/nights in a row.)

 

[jthornton]

I recommend putting the pop door a minimum of 8" above floor, and perhaps even 12' would be better. This would allow you to keep nice deep litter in your coop.

WOW 12 Feet is really deep litter... sorry I could not resist.

JT

 

[Nicole A.]

Thanks for everyone's suggestions! I'm thinking I will make the pop door 9"x12" and have it 18 inches from the floor (due to 12" deep litter). I like the idea of having it a little higher above the litter. I'm going to add just one lower wall vent ~18" (16"x8"). It will also have a ridge vent and a 12"X12" wall vent high in one gable. It does get really windy in winter so I might have to cover some of it later. I definitely wouldn't want to add more ventilation in the middle of winter though.

Maybe have the poop board 24" from the floor and set up a 2x4 perch ~12" above the poop board.

The windows for the shed I'm getting only have the option to slide open, so I don't think I will be able to get ones that open outward. I'm thinking I will have the nesting boxes to the right of the door.

Does that make sense?

 

[cavemanrich]

I don't think 12" of litter is necessary. Normally peeps build up their litter and start with less, then add to it. About once a year some remove and use in their gardens. Others just remove to run area. I read in many posts of such doing. Everyone's methods may differ. You should also be aware that if deep litter is on wooden floor, the moisture from it will shorten the life of floor. Many use a linoleum over floor to help preserve floor. If your shed will have the ground as floor, then I see no problems.
Your poop board and roost sound GOOD. If you are going to maintain 12" of DL, then make your 24" from the top of DL.
Sliding windows have the advantage of being opened in varying amounts so that extra ventilation can be provided if needed. Especially in cold.
Whatever height you decide for the pop door, You can always provide a short ramp, or step inside, and appropriate ramp outside so that chickens have an easy walkout.
I also like what @blackdog043 said in the end.
You may get a lot of different answers but choose what will work best for your situation.

 

[Nicole A.]

It will be a wooden floor. I was planning on covering it with something, just hadn't decided yet. Its good to know about the litter. I had a feeling I should start with less than 12". Do most people not actually get to 12" depth for deep litter?

 

[aart]

Before you decide to do 'deep litter' in the coop, read up on it some a lot.
A 'true' composting deep litter doesn't work that well unless it's on the ground.
It also can create some heat, which you wouldn't want in your coop in a Nevada summer.
There are a lot of different ways to manage manure and bedding.
If you want to use a poop board, deep litter becomes kind of moot as it needs that poop to work. Some folks who claim to be doing deep litter just have a lot of poop and bedding on the floor, the microbes and moisture needed to reduce odors and break down the poops and bedding are just not there. The deep in a true composting deep litter is important to create enough habitat for the micro and macro organisms to survive and thrive to do their job.

All the options are confusing because there are so many, and some don't work well with others. Just keep gathering info and taking notes, when it's time to build you'll be able to decide how you want to chickeneer.

Oh, here's my take on heights in the coop, easily adjusted if you decide you want deep litter.

Here's my theory on the 'stack up' aspect to coop design:
Bottom of pop door is best about 8" above floor so bedding doesn't get dragged out of coop.

Nice to have bottom of nests about 18" above bedding to allow use of that floor space under them(doesn't count if your nests are mounted on outside of coop).

Roosts are best about 12" higher than nests so birds won't roost(sleep) in nests and poop in them, if you use poop boards under roosts it will also 'stretch' your floor space.

Upper venting works best as high as possible above roosts so no strong drafts hit roosts in winter...and hot/moist air and ammonia can rise and exit coop

 

[Nicole A.]

I actually had to tell the people making the shed where to put the whole ahead of time since they will be cutting the hole. I was thinking it might be best if I choose the hight of the hole based on deep litter depth just in case. That way it won't affect anything too much either way. I will have more time to decide on the poop board, roosting, and nest hight. I can definitely see that there seems to be a lot of different ways to set thing up. I will continue the research!

 

[blackdog043]

I was planning on covering it with something, just hadn't decided yet.

I used Black Jack Rubr-coat 57. It's a rubber roof coating, that can be bought at Lowes. As long as you put it down on a new clean floor, you won't have any problems with it. The stuff is very durable. Turn the container upside down a day or two, before applying it, it makes mixing it easier. Here's a link to a thread https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/is-blackjack-57-safe.764640/page-9

 

[Nicole A.]

I used Black Jack Rubr-coat 57. It's a rubber roof coating, that can be bought at Lowes. As long as you put it down on a new clean floor, you won't have any problems with it. The stuff is very durable. Turn the container upside down a day or two, before applying it, it makes mixing it easier. Here's a link to a thread https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/is-blackjack-57-safe.764640/page-9

Thanks for the recommendation. I'll have to consider using that, it seems like it would be better than vinyl or linoleum.