Stubborn Fiancee says I don't need more ventilation.

[featherz]

I'd just start making a window... or two.

. Too bad if he doesn't like it. You can put hardware cloth over the openings or search for 'shed windows' on ebay - have bought several of those and they are really easy to put in. If I can do it, you can do it!!

 

[Jferlisi]

Like everyone has said, ventilation is a must. The "small" amount of ventilation is not enough. What you have is not a coop but a death trap. They will die from either ammonia build up or from the heat.
Here is mine and not only does it have that but at the top in te back it has ventilation that will soon be changed to chicken wire with boards on hinges so i can open it and close it. It can get hot in there even with the side open so i had to put the chicken door and run on the other side so i will be able to get a breeze thru there.

*edit, i still need to paint it, dont know what color tho.

 

[colebarnhart]

Paint it chic poop brown, it'll all blend in real nice

 

[chics in the sun]

I can't remember how far Debary is from the Tampa Bay area, but if it's close I have a bunch of leftover hardware cloth, and you are welcome to take enough for a few vents. You can even borrow my saw. I'd just hate for you to loose your chickens, and you will in that set-up.

We built an aviary that is all hardware cloth on two sides, and will be moving the coop into it shortly (after re-structuring it to be basically a platform with a thatch roof). Here is the current coop, based on one a neighbor had built:

 

[mdbokc]

I opened mine up at roost levels and above. A thermometer 1' above the floor shows temperatures no higher than outside. Roosting beside open wall spaces are highly coveted at night here. Days too, when they are in.



Full coop pics...
https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=35063

 

[Kudzu]

Ask him how he would like sleeping in a closed box? Great looking coop, just needs to be tweaked a tad bit. Keep after him, you will win.

 

[dewey]

Yep, that's a coffin. A total death trap. 100% guaranteed. Probably even with windows. Our hot climates need open air coops.

 

[debid]

A thermometer reading taken during a sunny afternoon really ought to do the trick. He cannot argue with a thermometer.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

Hey, I see the new pics here on this post. Cool, now we can aid in what you need...

This is what I'd do with that set up. You've got a great coop there and one of the best features is it will physically vent better than a box.

Hoping it's all screwed together so easy to adjust. On your eve ends make 1 to 2 inches of space. That means to raise the roof over the 2x6 (or 2x8) that is side wall. Yup, just raise the roof and provide a full 1 inch space on each eve wall. Then cut out a triangle of each gable end. With that slope your very efficient air circulation. It takes much less (physics proven) to naturally move air in and out with that slope.

Basically with a full inch on each eave the entire length (as in raise the roof or replace the eve end top board from 2x8 to a 2x6) then give 1.25 square inches per gable per chicken and the flow will almost put out a lit match. The air flow and circulation of air in your coop is optimized for that closed coop.

Say ya got 6 chickens then with that inch of raised roof the triangle of gable end needs to be cut...oh let's go 4 inches to be conservative. And I'm saying from peak down 4 inches measure. It isn't much and will change your chickens world.

 

[cmom]

Here are my coops. Good luck and have fun!!!