Shed to coop conversion

[moniquem]

Thanks @aart . What about the vents at the floor? How many, how high should they be off the ground and where in the coop?

 

[jthornton]

I had another though about the windows, frame them so the window fits, hardware cloth on the outside and in the winter just put the window in the "box" from the inside with a screw on each side to keep it from falling out. Just take them out in warmer weather.

JT

 

[moniquem]

I had another though about the windows, frame them so the window fits, hardware cloth on the outside and in the winter just put the window in the "box" from the inside with a screw on each side to keep it from falling out. Just take them out in warmer weather.

Now that sounds like something I can totally do with my limited experience.

 

[aart]

I had another though about the windows, frame them so the window fits, hardware cloth on the outside and in the winter just put the window in the "box" from the inside with a screw on each side to keep it from falling out. Just take them out in warmer weather.

JT

Well, top hinged, opening to outside, would help keep rain out of windows.

 

[aart]

Thanks @aart . What about the vents at the floor? How many, how high should they be off the ground and where in the coop?

Not sure. The only 'low vents' I have are the pop doors.
But my roof line creates air flow from 2 lower eaves to 1 higher eave.
In your shed I'd have open eaves, gable vents and a ridge vent.
Is the roof in good shape?

 

[moniquem]

In your shed I'd have open eaves, gable vents and a ridge vent.
Is the roof in good shape?

Roof is in good condition, I believe it was new when I purchased the place. Putting in open eaves, gable vents, ridge vents.....way beyond my technical abilities. I did purchase four 14X6 inch return air vents, I plan on putting 2 on each side of coop. The windows will help with ventilation as well as the double front doors. I plan on keeping them open during the day as much as possible.

 

[lazy gardener]

I put one louvered vent in at "floor level in my 10 x 12 coop. I do deep litter, so put the vent well above any litter level. About 12" above floor level. Depending on your lay out, you could put it on a wall opposite your pop door. It all depends on your climate and your prevailing winds. I'm in snow/cold country, so put mine on the South wall. (pop door is on east wall) Depending on climate, there is always the option of closing off a low vent, but once it's there, you'll never have to "wish you had put it in" again! Most vents come with screen already attached. To make it predator proof, all you need to do is cut a piece of 1/2" hdw cloth to the same size, and screw it in place under the vent.

 

[aart]

Roof is in good condition, I believe it was new when I purchased the place. Putting in open eaves, gable vents, ridge vents.....way beyond my technical abilities. I did purchase four 14X6 inch return air vents, I plan on putting 2 on each side of coop. The windows will help with ventilation as well as the double front doors. I plan on keeping them open during the day as much as possible.

Your eaves may already be open?....and need to be covered with HC.
Putting a couple gable vents in isn't much different than putting the return air vents in.

 

[moniquem]

Your eaves may already be open?....and need to be covered with HC.
Putting a couple gable vents in isn't much different than putting the return air vents in.

Oh, I will check on the eaves, I do not want anything getting into my coop!

I recall when I first moved to Spokane a couple years ago, a family a few blocks up the street had 3 chickens; a big orange one, a big black one and a little grey one. Every time we took walks in the neighborhood, I always stopped by to look at her chickens. One day they were'nt there and I saw the big orange one in front of her house....missing its head. So there is something around here that is capable of that, so I need to keep that in mind when building out this shed!

Maybe a dumb question but whats the difference between a return vent and a gable vent?

 

[lazy gardener]

Location.

I used something like this for my floor level vent. super easy. Simply cut a hole and screw it in place. Mine needed a bit of framing.

or you could use something like this

Soffit vents come in varying widths to place on the bottom side of the overhang of your roof, (called the soffit) Kind of like this one. It's 8' long.

Or for soffit vents, you could simply attach some 1/2" hardware cloth on the underside of the eaves.