Sufficient ventilation?

[ladyhand]

I’m in the process of building a coop in central NC (cold-ish winters compared to most places and HOT summers). I’ve bought the plans for this coop. I plan on using a vented ridge cap on the roof, and making the shown louvered wall vents larger on the back. I also think I’ll install another vent on the back side of the coop, near the roof on the backside where the chicken door will be. Do you think this is enough? I have 4 sapphire gems, but this coop will be large enough for 8-10 in case we get more in the future.

 

[3KillerBs]

from the Sandhills.

What are the actual dimensions of that coop? According to the Usual Guidelines,
for each adult, standard-sized hen you need:

• 4 square feet in the coop,
• 10 square feet in the run,
• 1 linear foot of roost,
• 1/4 of a nest box,
• And 1 square foot of permanent, 24/7/365 ventilation, preferably located over the birds' heads when they're sitting on the roost.

So for a flock of 8 you would need:

• 32 square feet in the coop.
• 8 feet of roost
• 80 square feet in the run.
• 8 square feet of ventilation.
• 2-3 nest boxes.

How tall is it? 4'x8' would be approaching the limits for a non-walk-in coop even with the access door in the middle and that access door is on the end but judging by the size of the pop door in the photos it doesn't look much more than 4-5' tall at the roof peak.

Those Amish-styled coops are very attractive, but they don't have nearly enough ventilation, especially for a warm climate like our 95-95 summers here in NC.

Since you're building you can easily modify the plans to include more vents. The ridge vent is an excellent choice, but I'd suggest skipping the little louvered vents, which give square inches when you need square feet, and, instead, opening the soffits the whole way across both sides -- extending the roof overhang to keep rain out of them. You might extend the overhang on both ends and open the gavel triangles as well. In our climate it's almost impossible to have too much ventilation and it's easier to put it in when you're building than to retrofit it.

I would suggest you change your nest box opening from a top-hinged lid to a drop-down side because those top-hinged lids are notorious for leaking when it rains. This is how we remodeled our nestbox after Florence dropped a branch on it and started a leak (Fortunately, the coop was unoccupied at the time).

Best of luck with this build!

 

[ladyhand]

So it’s a 5x6, so 30 sq ft of space. It’s got 4 nesting boxes and will have multiple roosts inside. I won’t get more chickens for several years (hoping and assuming that if any of my “sexed” chicks are roosters, it’s no more than a 1).

Do you find the ventilation is needed more for the heat during the summers or the cold of the winter? I was thinking about opening the windows in the summer during the day and on really really hot nights (keeping the hardwire cloth on the other side) and making the coop door for our access (yes, I know it’s not super tall, but my 7 year old will be the perfect size for now ) one of those doors that you can open the top and leave the bottom closed (again with the hardwire cloth) so that the coop can air out during the day. The coop is also going to be in a place that only gets sun first thing in the morning and is shaded the rest of the day.

I’m still working on the run design that will be attached to it, but so far I’ve planned modifications for various roost heights, larger opening for the automatic door we got, and extending the roof so part of the run is covered for feed and water.

I can’t believe how fast they are growing! I feel like I’ll never finish this thing in time, but I appreciate the help and input. My only intention is to give them the happiest and healthiest lives I can, and if they provide eggs, it’s one animal product I’ll be able to eat knowing that the animal is well cared for. After researching all of this and seeing what truly humane standards are, all of this “certified humane” crap makes me so angry, and it’s one of the reasons I’ve stopped eating animal products (I’ve no judgment against anyone who eats them, specifically those who take care of their chickens or livestock). I just wish everyone treated their animals like the people on these forums do.

 

[3KillerBs]

Does that 5x6 count the nestboxes? If the actual floor space is only 4x6 then only 24 square feet counts and the maximum number of chickens should be 6 -- making it generously-sized for the current 4.

You won't need more than 2 nestboxes even for 6 hens. A friend of mine with one of those coops with too many nestboxes blocked the extras off and uses the space to store her feed.

You will need the upper ventilation 24/7/365. Unless you're in the mountains like up around Boone, it never gets cold enough to even inconvenience a chicken in North Carolina because, given their built-in down jackets, chickens tolerate dry cold down to 0F without issues. Heat, however, can be deadly.

Our NC chickens will acclimate to be OK in weather that will endanger chickens in places that are normally cooler, but it's still important to maximize airflow for them -- even allowing gentle breeze across the roost in the summer. That's why my new coop that we're building is the Open Air style -- essentially a roofed run with a 3-sided shelter toward the winter winds.

Here's a very useful article about extreme weather. I personally haven't had to do anything other than provide shade, copious amounts of water, access to dirt to dig into, and electrolytes once a week, but I made a point of, for the most part, choosing breeds I could expect to cope well with heat. https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/aarts-extreme-weather-spiel.75893/

so far I’ve planned modifications for various roost heights, larger opening for the automatic door we got, and extending the roof so part of the run is covered for feed and water.

I love being able to keep my feed and water out in the run. Since the current setup is temporary (a year's worth of temporary as of the end of the month ), the roof is a now-hail-battered picnic pavilion but shade and shelter is valuable. I think that part open (or roofed with wire), and part roofed is ideal so that the chickens can choose where they want to be when they want to be there.

I can’t believe how fast they are growing!

Pictures?

I love blue chickens. I have Blue Australorps among my flock and they're fabulous chickens.

 

[Aapomp831]

Hi from Lincolnton, NC

 

[ladyhand]

Does that 5x6 count the nestboxes? If the actual floor space is only 4x6 then only 24 square feet counts and the maximum number of chickens should be 6 -- making it generously-sized for the current 4.

You won't need more than 2 nestboxes even for 6 hens. A friend of mine with one of those coops with too many nestboxes blocked the extras off and uses the space to store her feed.

You will need the upper ventilation 24/7/365. Unless you're in the mountains like up around Boone, it never gets cold enough to even inconvenience a chicken in North Carolina because, given their built-in down jackets, chickens tolerate dry cold down to 0F without issues. Heat, however, can be deadly.

Our NC chickens will acclimate to be OK in weather that will endanger chickens in places that are normally cooler, but it's still important to maximize airflow for them -- even allowing gentle breeze across the roost in the summer. That's why my new coop that we're building is the Open Air style -- essentially a roofed run with a 3-sided shelter toward the winter winds.

Here's a very useful article about extreme weather. I personally haven't had to do anything other than provide shade, copious amounts of water, access to dirt to dig into, and electrolytes once a week, but I made a point of, for the most part, choosing breeds I could expect to cope well with heat. https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/aarts-extreme-weather-spiel.75893/



I love being able to keep my feed and water out in the run. Since the current setup is temporary (a year's worth of temporary as of the end of the month ), the roof is a now-hail-battered picnic pavilion but shade and shelter is valuable. I think that part open (or roofed with wire), and part roofed is ideal so that the chickens can choose where they want to be when they want to be there.



Pictures?

I love blue chickens. I have Blue Australorps among my flock and they're fabulous chickens.

This was Wednesday of last week, so already bigger!

 

[3KillerBs]

This was Wednesday of last week, so already bigger!

Adorable!

They must be close in age to my Ideal Dozen, who will be 4 weeks on Wednesday.

 

[Aapomp831]

They are gorgeous!
Mine are now 8 weeks, and I have a mama with 10 EE and OE babies

 

[ladyhand]

They must be close in age to my Ideal Dozen, who will be 4 weeks on Wednesday.

I’m assuming they were only a few days old when I got them from tractor supply. I will have had them 3 weeks this coming Wednesday.

 

[3KillerBs]

I’m assuming they were only a few days old when I got them from tractor supply. I will have had them 3 weeks this coming Wednesday.

So probably the same week's hatch.