Time to cut in door and Ventilation - Thoughts?

[bedpan]

Hey Folks,
Been slowly working away at building our new coop. We made family project of it and designed it ourselves.. Being new to Backyard chickens (growing up we had free range meat birds but they just roamed our barn with the other animals) I am looking for some input in the quantity, size and placement of our windows and vents. We live in Canada East of Toronto. Our average winter overnight temp is about -10c (15F) with dips to around -20c (0F). Summer we average daytime 25c (75F) with peaks of 35C (95F). There are some days colder/hotter but pretty rare.

I have attached some photos for reference. The coop house itself is about 4'x4' and the pen area underneath is 4'x6'. I will be building a larger run off the side of this. This will be positioned on the south side of our shed and house. This will provide shade from the hot summer sun while giving it winter sun and hopefully block it from the cold winds from the north.

Looking at the photos I have marked the placement of the windows and doors. The large open side will be our clean out doors. The windows I am using Plexiglass that will slide to open. Each window is around 12"x12". I have lots of plexi so I can go larger. This will give me opening windows on all sides but the north.

The doors will be one for the hens to reach the coop playpen and the other is access to reach the egg boxes. Then the entire north side opens for clean out only.

Is this enough light and ventilation? Should I cut larger permanent vents up near the peaks or add more opening windows on the north side?

This is just our starting point and I will have a thermometer in the coop. Knowing me it will be wireless ;-) So I will be monitoring and can always increase/decrease the ventilation.

Much appreciate you input!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Are you planning on more than 4 chickens?
The best thing you can do for your chickens is to provide as much fresh air as possible. It really isn't any colder there in winter than it is here. Most of my buildings have huge windows open of both East and West walls at roost height.
I would put a big window on the East wall. That means it will be away from prevailing winds and exposed to the morning sun.
An opening facing south has no benefit in January at 4AM. It is a detriment at 4PM in midsummer.

 

[bedpan]

4 Chickens likely is the plan. We will see what we can get as they seem to be in short supply.

East and West sides I agree with you. I see how large I can make them based on the internal framing. The South side will catch more daytime light in the winter, I don't see it catching much in the summer. It does provide a patch for cross breeze though. Maybe?

Are you planning on more than 4 chickens?
The best thing you can do for your chickens is to provide as much fresh air as possible. It really isn't any colder there in winter than it is here. Most of my buildings have huge windows open of both East and West walls at roost height.
I would put a big window on the East wall. That means it will be away from prevailing winds and exposed to the morning sun.
An opening facing south has no benefit in January at 4AM. It is a detriment at 4PM in midsummer.

 

[rosemarythyme]

The windows should provide pretty good light inside, but I'd see about squeezing in even more ventilation if possible. Roof overhangs are small so maybe just a couple more vents up high with louvered covers would be nice, and fairly easy to install (just cut out, cover with hardware cloth/welded wire, screw cover on top).

 

[bedpan]

Thats what I was thinking up near the peaks.. I was just not sure if I should just do it or wait and monitor temperatures first...

The windows should provide pretty good light inside, but I'd see about squeezing in even more ventilation if possible. Roof overhangs are small so maybe just a couple more vents up high with louvered covers would be nice, and fairly easy to install (just cut out, cover with hardware cloth/welded wire, screw cover on top).

 

[rosemarythyme]

Thats what I was thinking up near the peaks.. I was just not sure if I should just do it or wait and monitor temperatures first...

Probably wouldn't be hard to do after the fact, though I can't think of a single downside in adding them in advance (other than time/money).

 

[bedpan]

Probably wouldn't be hard to do after the fact, though I can't think of a single downside in adding them in advance (other than time/money).

Hear me out ;-)

It's easier to cut a hole then fill it back in! I was/am concerned about the cold weather and having two many holes. It may well be that I am more concerned the cold then the heat and have things backwards... I guess really that's what I am getting at. I know everything is subjective and depends on many factors but trying to find that balance of cold to hot.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I'm worried more about the hot (peaks of 95F) than the cold. Unless you have something like silkies which may struggle to regulate their body temperature due to feather type, they should do fine in the colder temperature range you've listed.

 

[bedpan]

I'm worried more about the hot (peaks of 95F) than the cold. Unless you have something like silkies which may struggle to regulate their body temperature due to feather type, they should do fine in the colder temperature range you've listed.

Much appreciate the insight. The more I read the more I was starting to think I may have to reverse my thinking. Time to put lots of holes in our beautiful wooden canvas ;-)

Been getting little bits done at night but hopefully over the weekend I can get the windows and vents cut then paint. So next week we can do final assembly

 

[rosemarythyme]

If worse comes to worse during the winter, you could always loosely cover a few vents with burlap or a similar open weave material - it'll let air through but blunt drafts, if that becomes an issue.