Too much ventilation?

[myCatalina]

Just finishing our coop build under the kids tree house and I am worried I put too much ventilation in. The windows on each side have sliding plexiglass and hardware cloth. The front doors have windows that pull up for more ventilation. I can move the roost forward so it won't be in a cross breeze or close the window and just leave the door windows slightly open for ventilation. I can't put anything in the ceiling or the top of the walls (would mess with the tree house integrity). Can I put a dehumidifier in the coop? My chick's are busting out of the brooder. 9-10 weeks old. Our Temps this week are high 50's, lows mid 30's. Not freezing but cold. We are usually a little warmer until January. We don't get really harsh winters. Occasionally snow/ice. Any advice appreciated. I started building when it was in the 90's. LOL

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

Not too much ventilation in my opinion. My coop has more than that for our humid environment. I think moving the roost is a good idea but I’ve noticed my chickens prefer to sleep right next to the windows so if you can add another roost and give them a choice that would be good.

Is the plexiglass permanent or is there hwc underneath? It might retain moisture in the coop especially if you don’t have ventilation underneath. My coop doesn’t have a pop door on the bottom—it’s open to the run permanently and that helps move air up and out the vents under the eaves of the coop. If it’s not too late you could switch one of the plexiglass windows out for hwc or add 2” wide vents under the eaves.

 

[rosemarythyme]

With moderate climates it's nearly impossible to have too much ventilation. Main concern is making sure that their roosting area doesn't have drafts directly blowing on it, and you'd need to test that. Best way is to take a light ribbon and hold/attach it to the roost bar on a typically windy day, and look for movement. A little movement is fine, but if it's fluttering about noticeably it's a problem.