Vent vs. Draft - I'm so confused!

[Cosmopolis Chick]

Quote:
What a lovely coop!
I'm going to suggest you fasten hardware cloth over the outside of the window.
Cut a piece to size, staple up, then nail 1x3 around as trim and further security.
You may wish to not change the look of the original as it's so handsome but predators
such as dogs, raccoons, and even bats can get through window screening.

 

[SteveBaz]

Thanks Steve. I like your run. We haven't built ours yet. What's that hanging in the bag over the feeder?

This summer I was having fly issues bc I was being lazy and letting a lot of the poop fall thru the hay and I tried a fly catcher. It turns out they are fly attractants and I had more flys than I started with not a good idea. Fly paper does work.

On your roof I have a great idea. They make a new product call a ridge vent. It will be an easy fix for you with NO CUTTING. The very top of the roof is called the ridge, and all you have to do is remove your ridge and nail a vent over the two sides comming to the ridge and re-staple the old roofing ride back over this ridge vent. Here is what it looks like and you can buy it at a roofing supply;

http://www.google.com/search?q=ridg...dNeXiiAKs9KGlDA&ved=0CFEQsAQ&biw=1366&bih=518

Check it out​

 

[debid]

Quote:
This summer I was having fly issues bc I was being lazy and letting a lot of the poop fall thru the hay and I tried a fly catcher. It turns out they are fly attractants and I had more flys than I started with not a good idea. Fly paper does work.

On your roof I have a great idea. They make a new product call a ridge vent. It will be an easy fix for you with NO CUTTING. The very top of the roof is called the ridge, and all you have to do is remove your ridge and nail a vent over the two sides comming to the ridge and re-staple the old roofing ride back over this ridge vent. Here is what it looks like and you can buy it at a roofing supply;

http://www.google.com/search?q=ridg...dNeXiiAKs9KGlDA&ved=0CFEQsAQ&biw=1366&bih=518

Check it out

If there's no hole in the roof, just how does the air get out? Ridge vents DO require cutting if there wasn't a gap left at the peak for a ridge vent when the building was constructed. They also require an intake in order to work. My house has ridge venting AND soffits under the eaves. Both are needed for it to work.

 

[SteveBaz]

I would first find out if they brought the plywood all the way to the ridge. It does require a 1 1/2" cut at the top on each side. Do you know if it goes to the top and joins? If not no cutting if it does you need to cut back. The roof vent work incredibly well. Cutting vents in the middle require you to remove most of the 3 tab and cut and re-apply the 3 tab any way and only removing the top ridge is much easier to do and way better result.

 

[ECBW]

The size of vent opening are affected by many factors, temperature, wind speed, wind direction, even humidity. I would suggest that be sure that your design is flexible so you can open and close as needed.

Aside from moisture from chicken breath, the ammonia from their dropping should also be released from the coop.

 

[3scorpios]

The ridge vent idea seems to be the easiest/cheapest for us because we already have a ridge vent lying around. I believe the boards on the top come together at the peak, so we'd have to open it up. I like the cupola idea because I think it would be the best aesthetically. Do you put some sort of a fan inside those that takes are out, or does it just escape naturally?

 

[SteveBaz]

You see as a window/siding/roofing sales rep I am sharing with you a very easy way to vent your new beautiful coop without changing a thing but the ridge peak. It will not leak if put down right and it creates a siphon effect and pulls air thru the coop upward without creating wind draft issues. Other options are available but non more efficient or easier in my opinion.

Good luck,

 

[3scorpios]

Quote:
Thanks Steve. I really appreciate it. This looks like the way we will go. I need to get something going fast and right now cost is a factor. If I want a cute cupola I can always put something like that on later for looks.......Actually, a weather vane would be really cool!

 

[3scorpios]

Quote:
What a lovely coop!
I'm going to suggest you fasten hardware cloth over the outside of the window.
Cut a piece to size, staple up, then nail 1x3 around as trim and further security.
You may wish to not change the look of the original as it's so handsome but predators
such as dogs, raccoons, and even bats can get through window screening.

Thank you, I'll do that. Are bats a danger to chickens? We usually have lots of bats in the summer, but this year we haven't seen many. I like them because they eat bugs and I noticed bugs were worse this year w/o them around.

 

[Chook-A-Holic]

If it were mine, I would cut the little triangles out above the window and on the opposite end above the door(cross-ventilation). Cover the opening with hardware cloth, then fix a rain-fly on each end to keep out the rain and snow. On the inside you could attach a small piece of plywood below the opening extending beyond the roost to keep drafts from above from blowing down onto the chickens. IMO this is still lacking somewhat, but is better than nothing at all. Adding a cupola later will certainly help.

A ridge vent may sound good in theory, but is about useless in a coop for proper ventilation. It will not allow enough air to circulate and you will still need an opening to let air in. You also have to keep in mind, after an inch or so of snowfall the ridge vent is completely defeated as it is covered. This is when you really need ventilation the most to remove humidity thus preventing frostbite.


Good Luck!!! Nice coop!