Sufficient ventilation?

[Chickenman7333]

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.

In an old post, I read that a coop should have 1 sq ft of ventilation per bird.
These can be a combination of intake and exhaust vents. They should also be adjustable for seasonal changes. The air intakes should be preferably facing east so as to catch the slightest breeze in the hot summer months.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Do you find the ventilation is needed more for the heat during the summers or the cold of the winter?

Both. In the summer it's to try and keep the coop as cool as possible, as chickens struggle to deal with heat more than cold (my flock starts panting as low as 85F.)

In the winter, ventilation is necessary to let moisture escape the coop to avoid frostbite and frost forming on feathers.

 

[ladyhand]

In the winter, ventilation is necessary to let moisture escape the coop to avoid frostbite and frost forming on feathers.

How do you balance ventilation and creating drafts for the winter?

 

[rosemarythyme]

How do you balance ventilation and creating drafts for the winter?

Ideally you want to have ways to buffer against winds - vents under big roof overhangs or in soffits protected by a roost, louvered covers, top hinged windows that are partially propped open, baffles/wind blocks, etc. What works best for each set up can vary, but those are just some ideas.

Some examples:
- Top hinged vent covers: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/the-coop-is-done-now-for-the-run.1381538/
- Baffles: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/ventilation-baffling.75434/
- Top hinged windows & big roof overhangs: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/keep-rain-out-of-ventilation-holes.1428840/#post-23533838
- Plexiglass baffles to let in light: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/ventilation-got-you-baffled.75407/

 

[3KillerBs]

How do you balance ventilation and creating drafts for the winter?

Drafts aren't a problem if the vents are up high above the chickens' heads when they're sitting on their roosts.

That's one of the reasons that functional monitors and functional cupolas are traditional on barns.

 

[Sally PB]

I added on to my coop this year, and some of the ventilation, while under eaves, might allow some of the west (predominate wind direction) wind to blow on the chickens. I'll be using some baffle material there come winter.

 

[aart]

Do you think this is enough?

I would extend the roof overhangs all the way around, and keep the eave soffits open.

How do you balance ventilation and creating drafts for the winter?

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/ventilated-but-free-of-drafts.1048597/

 

[tiffanyw]

How ironic, I just bought those same exact plans and I was trying to figure out a way to modify it for ventilation. Did you figure out how to? This is my first "big build" and I am learning as I go. I just got my chicks a week and a half ago and I am feeling like they have grown a ton and I'm afraid they will run out of room before I finish the coop! I was in Tractor Supply and there were these cute baby chicks., I hadn't planned on raising chickens until next spring, but they were so cute, and here I am! LOL I got six of them. I hope this coop is room enough for them!

 

[ladyhand]

How ironic, I just bought those same exact plans and I was trying to figure out a way to modify it for ventilation. Did you figure out how to? This is my first "big build" and I am learning as I go. I just got my chicks a week and a half ago and I am feeling like they have grown a ton and I'm afraid they will run out of room before I finish the coop! I was in Tractor Supply and there were these cute baby chicks., I hadn't planned on raising chickens until next spring, but they were so cute, and here I am! LOL I got six of them. I hope this coop is room enough for them!

I think 6 would be the absolute max based on a few other questions I’ve asked, and yes, my chicks were an absolute impulse buy as well. At 5 weeks theyre huge and I feel the stress of the build on me. My husband told me I couldn’t do it by myself so I was determined to prove him wrong. Then I got so frustrated trying to get the roof framed right that he pulled into the driveway as I kicked off a piece and slammed it as hard as I could on the ground (I hurt myself more than the board ). I’m still working on my mods. So far I’ve extended the roof out two feet on one side to give them a little bit of sheltered run for food since it’s in a very shaded area and have extended the height of the roof by 4”. I further extended the roof support pieces by I believe 12 inches to give much more of an overhang. I’ll let you know when I figure out how to attach everything. I will leave a bit of the back wall open (with hardwire cloth) for summer ventilation and put louvered vents there in the winter maybe... I’m still trying to figure this out as I go.
I’ve also found that some of the instructions don’t make sense to me and I have used a lot of brackets for added ease. My husband did help me finish the majority of the framing for the roof. I plan on taking out the screws at the bottom to move the coop to its future location in 3 pieces... the base, the house frame, and roof. It’s been a lot more of a pain than those reviews made it out to be and I’ve been working on it (not as much as I should) for a month now . I have to finish this weekend and tackle the run the next because these chicks are getting so big!

 

[tiffanyw]

My husband told me I should just give the chickens away because we're not ready for them....he also said that we should buy one already made, but from what I am reading it's better to build your own. So, I'm in the same boat as you. I am getting ready to start framing it today. So far this is all I have. I will update you on what I do...thankyou for the tips! I am going to have to make modifications as I go as well. Kind of stinks that 6 is the max number of chicks. I am sure I will want more later and it will be a pain in the butt to do it again! Maybe we can add on to the exiting one later.