Still wondering-Added Photo and location! ----Wondering about roosts and drafts

[johndeerelover]

My new coop has 4 good size windows, and it is only 5x7 floor. I also have an opening where the roof meets the walls. I could put roosts up in the peak of the a frame above the roof/wall vents, on the same level, or below which would be on the level of the windows. I imagine it is fine in the summer to be near the windows, and I can close them in the winter. I am mainly wondering about winter and the roosts being near the roof/wall vent. Should I put them way up, about 6 feet off the floor, or just 2 feet in the middle of all the windows? My only thought with being on the level of windows was if it would attract predators more, or scare the chickens to be near the windows. Maybe I am just over-thinking it too!

 

[johndeerelover]

it's hard to tell, but you can see where the window frames are, and the vent is right at the top of the main square part.

 

[aart]

Chickens seem to like windows near the roost, until it gets cold and any drafts might bother them.
Any windows should be covered with 1/2" hardware cloth to deter predators.

Some Rules of Thumb-your mileage may vary due to flock size and temperament as well as climatic location:
-roosts higher than nests
-10-12 inches of roost length per bird
-provide ramp if roost is too high for birds to fly or jump down safely-especially in a small coop like yours.

-post your location in your profile, so folks can give better advice.

 

[RonC]

You always want some ventilation even in the winter. Moisture created from their breathing can cause frostbite in cold climates. Mine sleep on the top roost nearest the ventilation even in the winter. I do cut down the venilation in the winter but not close it. Summertime is no problem. The winter wind blowing directly on them is what you should avoid. Again a more specific location would give a more accurate explaination.

 

[johndeerelover]

Thanks for the help. We are in Maryland, and we are on top of a hill, so we do get a little more wind/breeze than if we were in a valley. All the windows are removable. There are the 2 smaller ones together as you can see on the right, one large in the front, and one more large on the left side closer to the front. There is a space at the top of the walls that gets a good vent going. It isn't direcly open, so you can see right though, but the air goes up and around. Right now it's about 50 in the day, and around 30 at night. Today I had one small window open, and tonight I put it back in, so it was just the vent. It was kind of breezy.

Like I said, I'm just not sure how to gauge on how much airflow is good. I don't want them too cold, but I dont' want to make it stuffy and unhealthy haha!

 

[johndeerelover]

If anyone has any more advice, I'd love to hear it

 

[jetdog]

You could put a couple of gable vents one on each end.

 

[yogifink]

If you open the windows on one side, and only one side, you should have good ventilation without too much of a breeze. From the looks of it you've got windows on all four sides, so just pay attention to the wind patterns and open/close windows against the wind.

You could always build a wind block in close distance to one of the windows on one side, so that if you keep them open, the breeze would stop at the block rather than entering the window.

 

[johndeerelover]

Ok thanks! So for now, with lows right around 30 do you think leaving one window open is good as long as it isnt windy? The top near the roof is always vented too

 

[yogifink]

They'll be fine, just stick your head in there around dusk and if you feel a breeze, close the windows.

With the ridge venting, if you open the windows you will get a breeze, even if the other windows are closed. With your pop door and ridge venting, you may just have enough ventilation to keep things dry without having to open a window. You'll just need to feel things out day by day.