Ventalation /window question

[gertiie]

Yes I did search but not finding what I am looking for I guess.
Ok Coop , 4 walls are framed, he (DH ) has windows framed the plan is to hardware cloth over the then, plexiglass in a track to be pulled up and down as needed. 2 windows in front , 2 in back, about torso high . I think we still need HIGHER vents, up and away from the chickens, where he thinks we can just crack a window for ventilation.
The coop will be sheltered completely in a lean to cow shed and then the chicken run will run along the shed that is in front of the row of cow lean to's . On the back of our 1/2 acre lot, we have 3 lean to cow sheds, lined up North to South with the backs to the West, and facing the house to the East. They currently hold my "79 CJ7 Jeep, 2 Simplicities graden tractors, 3 Full size antique John Deere tractors ( DH pulls in an Antique tractor club) and a golf cart. We are moving the Jeep out and putting the coop in that space, DH wants them out of the Indiana winter weather and drifts of snow.

So my question is - high vents up by the ceiling ( 6 foot tall inside height) ? or what ? I told him if they have to be cooped up for a month during the extreme cold, they need ( and me too , for cleaning !!) need more than windows cracked open . We have not decided on a roost height yet.

 

[elmo]

Yes, you're right! High vents. Here's the best discussion of the subject that I know of:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=1642-VENTILATION

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
See my ventilation page (link in .sig below) for a lot more on the subject, but, summary: for wintertime in the North I'd suggest you have a pretty ample amount of vents atop the usually-downwind walls (or atop all walls, and just close whichever ones are upwind at the moment), more or less as you are suggesting. Cracking windows doesn't work as well at getting rid of humidity without causing drafts.

You will need a lot more ventilation for summertime though -- high vents plus window may still not be enough.

They will not "have" to be locked indoors for the winter though, you can (and generally should) let THEM make the choice, and if your run is reasonably sheltered and you can keep it from drifting in too high with snow, they will often choose to go out much more than you might suppose. It really, really depends on the individual chickens though, there's a lot of variation.

It is not clear to me whether there will be any vehicles in the shed that will contain the coop. If there will be, two thoughts: on the one hand, one good way of gaining additional draft-free ventilation in winter is to ventilate into the rest of the indoor part of the shed. That allows the humidity and ammonia to dissipate over a larger area i.e. dilute. OTOH, be aware that chickens produce prodigious amounts of dust, and you may not be happy about that on your beloved cars and tractors

, so if they're sharing a shed with the coop you will likely want a basically solid wall there, perhaps with some vent space at the top that you can open only when the weather 'demands' it.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[gertiie]

Thank you so much !!! Printed it all out and gave it to the DH for his homework !

 

[mmaddie's mom]

discussing this with my DH just this morning... windows high up in the walls BUT would it be additionally helpful to drill a row of holes along both sides of the roof peak? to let warm air escape up and out?

 

[patandchickens]

mmaddie's mom :

discussing this with my DH just this morning... windows high up in the walls BUT would it be additionally helpful to drill a row of holes along both sides of the roof peak? to let warm air escape up and out?

Drilled holes will do next to nothing for ventilation (compared to what you need). Seriously. Even with a 4" hole-saw bit it gives you only about 12 square inches of opening per hole, takes ten or eleven of those holes to equal just *one* square foot of ventilation. And you get less airflow thru a large number of small openings than you do thru a single larger opening of same total area.

If you want gable-end vents (which I assume is what you're talking about, rather than holes actually drilled thru the ROOF on either side of the ridge, which would be a Bad idea) just make actual good-sized openings for them, don't futz around with drilling

You don't NEED both eave (or high-on-wall) AND gable-end vents though... with appropriate opening size, you will perfectly well get good air exchange just thru the one opening. More never hurts, of course

Good luck, have fun,

Pat​

 

[mmaddie's mom]

Quote:
Drilled holes will do next to nothing for ventilation (compared to what you need). Seriously. Even with a 4" hole-saw bit it gives you only about 12 square inches of opening per hole, takes ten or eleven of those holes to equal just *one* square foot of ventilation. And you get less airflow thru a large number of small openings than you do thru a single larger opening of same total area.

If you want gable-end vents (which I assume is what you're talking about, rather than holes actually drilled thru the ROOF on either side of the ridge, which would be a Bad idea) just make actual good-sized openings for them, don't futz around with drilling

You don't NEED both eave (or high-on-wall) AND gable-end vents though... with appropriate opening size, you will perfectly well get good air exchange just thru the one opening. More never hurts, of course

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

Thanks Pat