Ventialtion question

[harveyhorses]

So, I finally realized how big my girls are going to get, 5 BO, (OMG HOW DID I LIVE WITHOUT CHICKENS??)
They are in a 12 x 24 run, free range while I am supervising, due to hawks, owls foxres etc. It is very secure, (just ask
the neighbors beagle, hey that thin wire HURT) There is always a good size area of shade, I have three water staions so that there is aways one in shade.

Their coop is 2 1/2 X 5, has flip front with hardware cloth, and a hardware cloth floor, covered with pine bedding, it's 2 ft off the ground, I am more than doubling the size, new 'wing'' is 3 x 6. The original coop has a plywood sheet that I am going to use as floor in the winter, the new part will have a side wall that is HC, and I think the floor would work with the plywood and the bedding for winter. Will this work? If not then I'll do whatever.
It is 100 here in central Va and even with the bedding, it has some venting. I tried taking pictures, but they did not turn out well.
Help?

 

[Tigerjane]

Not quite sure what the questions is. Are you asking if your flooring idea would work? Your subject mentioned ventilation, but without pictures it's hard to tell just by your description.

 

[teach1rusl]

So let me get this right...your winter plan is to lay plywood down over the hardware cloth floor in the winter time, and you'd put bedding on top of that??? SURE...sounds very reasonable to me (if that's what you were asking....lol).
Glad to hear you're expanding! Yeah, when the girls are little, a smallish coop looks plenty roomy, but not so much when they're full grown...especially BOs!

ETA: So in winter time, they would still have the ventilation of the flip-front, right? I just wanted to make sure that the floor was not their only source of ventilation...

 

[harveyhorses]

Sorry for the delay replying. Work etc..


Yes, they will still have front and side vents,. Flip front also provides shade/protection.
Is there something better than plywood, they floor is in three sections, it fits snugly, but I still want the bedding
The front and side vents sections are 2 x 2 1/2 and 3 x 2 1/2 ft, and the covers can be shut in increments, so I can leave it 'cracked' of snugged down. It ain't pretty, but it works.

they seem to approve of the addition, if only they had oppoable thumbs I'm sure they would be hammering away.