Summertime ventilation question

[Trenttrent]

I have a total of 8 weeks experience so please go easy on me- coop is 5’ tall, 7’ long x 6’ wide and I have 6 chickens. The only air movement I have for now is 1/4” gaps in the floor and sheeting corrugations at the roof line. I know I need more ventilation. My first question is about using a floor vent combined with an upper wall vent for summertime air flow. My next question is about minimum vent requirement per bird, I have read as much as 1 sq ft per bird, is this true? We live in KY. Thank You!

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Can you post a couple of photos of the coop? From your description, are there no windows in the structure?

 

[DobieLover]

Can you post a couple of photos of the coop?

2x

My first question is about using a floor vent combined with an upper wall vent for summertime air flow.

This is the best way to introduce fresh, dry air in the winter.

I have read as much as 1 sq ft per bird, is this true?

Yes, that is true. Rarely can you have too much ventilation. Only in the most extreme cold climates but the birds will still require ventilation.

Some of the easiest places to introduce effective ventilation is in the space between rafters, installing gable end vents and by utilizing a ridge vent if your roof has one. A functional copula is an excellent choice as well.

I would suggest you install large top hinged windows backed with 1/2" hardware cloth at roost height the are oriented in the direction of the wind, one on the windward side and one opposite. By top hinging them, they can be hung open but slanting down at the front to shield the interior from rain but still getting the benefit of cross breezes.

I installed windows on all sides of my coop and the ones around the roost area are only closed from around mid-November to mid-March. I purchased salvaged window and framed out the openings in the walls to receive them with 1/4" gaps all the way around.

 

[Trenttrent]

Attaching picture. The door has glass that could be replaced with hardware cloth. The sidewall has a large opening that is closed up now.

 

[rosemarythyme]

1 sq ft per bird is minimum and that applies year round. Having cross ventilation helps move air around though of course it's best to concentrate ventilation up high so you don't get cold breezes ruffling feathers in winter.

If it gets hot in the summer where you're at you'll need additional ventilation, up around 3 sq ft or more per bird. Heat is far more deadly to chickens than cold.