Question about venting

[Haunted Chicken]

I ended up getting chicks sooner than I thought (was going to wait until next year.... until I went with my friend to get her chicks, so much for waiting) Anyway I decided to buy an existing coop to save time, that way I only have to focus on building my run. I bought a 6'x6'x6' coop sight unseen (great price

). It has a huge opening for the chicken ramp but no other venting. There are 3 huge doors but no hardware cloth. I was thinking I could screen a couple doors (w/ hardware cloth) and open them for summer for great ventilation. But for winter I wouldn't want that much venting.

So the question is, where to put it? I noticed most of the venting is at the top of everyone's coops. I'm guessing for ammonia venting?

Does ammonia rise like heat? But then don't you also lose all the heat rising to the top? My run will be completely inclosed in hardware cloth so I wont be locking them in the coop at night. Will their large door be enough venting? Too much? Do I need to add higher venting as well?

I want to do this right.

I'm also worried about it being too dark. So will I'll add a couple windows, but they may not be the kind you can open so may not be the answer to my venting problem. (heading to the rebuilding center to buy a couple small used windows tomorrow).

Thanks

 

[patandchickens]

See my ventilation page and cold coop page (links in .sig below) for discussion of those issues and suggestions about winter-appropriate venting.

Good luck have fun,

Pat

 

[BoltonChicken]

See my ventilation page and cold coop page

Do that. Patandchickens has the answers to all your ventilation questions!

 

[Haunted Chicken]

Thanks so much, I just finished reading it. It's A LOT of good information. I'll go back and re-read it tonight to absorb more, but I'm getting the feeling that it's more about the amount of ventilation and if it causes a draft than whether it's up high or in the middle. I'm thinking two windows (with hardware cloth) that open so I can adjust them and their ramp door is going to be plenty for 3 chickens in the winter (or 6......chicken math

) Hopefully I'll be able to find louvered shutters to close on windy days but still allow some air flow. The coop will sit in the center of my covered run so I'm not worried about rain blowing in (Oregon

) In the summer one entire side will open up. Ahhhhhhh, I feel so much better about this now. It seemed like the more I was reading up on it the more I was getting confused. I kept hearing about venting at the top under the roof which I didn't want to do (adding windows will be enough of a challenge

).

 

[bryan99705]

As to the existing coop you are using, is your coop inside a secure run with a wire top and skirting or will it be attached to one. If you're inside a secure run, you don't need to worry about securing the coop.

As you will find, coops don't hold heat. The provide shelter and the chickens will keep themselves warm. A radiant heat source like a heat light is not really needed till you drop below zero. As to venting, a idea for a controllable vent is using floor vents like in a house with forced air heating. The can be very ornate, you can plunge cut them in where you need them, and you can close them it nedd be.

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
Except for the considerable number of them that do. It depends on how the coop is built and managed.

Pat

 

[Arielle]

I forgot to lock up my little girls one night this week (8-11 weeks old) and when I hustled out at midnight to lock them up safe, 6 where perched on the roof at the peak. Smart birds. Hard for preditors to reach there! THe remaining 10 had gone night-night on their roosts. Point is both locations are high air movement areas. THey don't usually roost at the far end which has a much smaller vent. I think they like the light breeze at this time of the year (60 degrees night and 80 days).

It is ok to loose heat if it keeps the air clean and healthy. Ventilation first, heating second.