Roof Vent?

[Attila]

I built my coop this past summer and it has been working out great for my girls. it is Basic rectangle flat top roof design that is 4x8 and is about 4 feet high in the front and 3 feet high in the back. I put vents that I can open on each end of the coop to get cross ventilation. One vent is over the covered nesting boxes and the other is directly in front of the roosts. I also add DE to there bedding to help keep things dry.

Since the weather has turned colder I have been closing both the vents. When I open the coop in the morning there a a build up of moisture from the birds breath and poop. I am afraid if I leave the vents open, particularly the one in from of the roost, that it will make the coop to drafty with the cross ventilation.

I was thinking that if I add a roof vent that would be open all the time it would release the moisture and keep the coop dry.
What does everyone think? Will something like this help or hinder?

 

[JackE]

How big are your vents? I would definently open the vent over the nestboxes. And depending on the size of that vent and how much fresh air it lets in, I would probably make it BIGGER. You never want to shut off the ventilation in a chicken coop. As you are noticing for yourself now. A roof vent can't hurt, go ahead. Check out the pic below, and see my winter ventilation. That's a 7X3' opening. No frost or dampness in that coop.
Jack

 

[Attila]

The vent over the nesting boxes is 1 foot by six inches.
The by the roosts is 3 feet by six inches.

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

The vent over the nesting boxes is 1 foot by six inches.
The by the roosts is 3 feet by six inches.

That's enough ventilation for 2 birds (2 Sq Ft)
There should be one Sq Ft per bird, but it shouldn't be too near the roosts