Ventilated but Free of Drafts

[aart]

should I board up the 12x12 leuver vent I put in the bottom of the wall? Should I keep the other window shut too since it is below perch level?

I can be hard to say without seeing your coop, inside and out.
Would be good to start a new thread with your questions and some pics.
Even then the best way to determine if you have too much airflow is to be inside the closed coop on a really windy day and feel where and how strong the air flows are.

(obviously with chicken wire to protect from predators)

Chicken wire is not predator proof.

 

[3KillerBs]

I have a question - our coop has two big windows (obviously with chicken wire to protect from predators) and they are below the top roost where three of my four like to perch. Like a ninny - I installed a vent 12x12 leuver - on the bottom half of the coop this summer to get a cross breez from the windows but since, have read that all the ventilation has to be above them. We DO have about an inch gap (intentional) just below where the roof meets the walls that goes all the way around plus we have 12 holes that are 1 inch in the eve. One of my hens (and I am assuming my adolescents once I introduce them) sits on a lower perch closest to the run so i keep that window closed because it has hit freezing here and that window is right next to her (below the other ladies) Since I am not in a position to knock down my coop and start from scratch - should I board up the 12x12 leuver vent I put in the bottom of the wall? Should I keep the other window shut too since it is below perch level? Your help and guidance would be great

I agree, we'll need to see photos and it will probably be best to start your own thread so no one gets confused about which suggestions are meant for whom.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I installed a vent 12x12 leuver - on the bottom half of the coop this summer to get a cross breez from the windows but since, have read that all the ventilation has to be above them. We DO have about an inch gap (intentional) just below where the roof meets the walls that goes all the way around plus we have 12 holes that are 1 inch in the eve.

Agreed with the 2 above, start your own thread with photos so we can get a better idea of your set up. Your high ventilation sounds inadequate... i.e. 1" holes provide 0.785 sq inches x 12 = 9.42 sq in. Each chicken needs 1 sq ft (144 sq inches) so that's a lot of tiny hole vents.

Lower vents are not necessarily a no-no but they're more of a case by case basis... I have 2 floor vents myself.

 

[NestingMillenial]

I'm sorry for quoting an old post that was already apologizing for quoting an even older one, but I would actually love to know what the consensus is on this:

Sorry, the quote is from the beginning of the thread, a few years ago. But my question is about this very thing.

When I go shut the coop up at night, all four of my birds are squished together on about 2.5 feet of roost space on a 4 foot roost. They are tight to one wall, and usually in the same order. I'm assuming they want to do it this way, and I shouldn't worry?

The ventilation openings are about 8" above their heads. Is that enough, or should I lower the roosts? The openings equal a little over 4 square feet, so theoretically I could cover the bottom inch or so, but I don't want to. I will add some more ventilation next spring if I get more birds, as planned.

Also, living in Texas, where heat is more of a problem than anything else, I wonder if the "no breeze" rule would apply to my coop in summer. For example, knowing that winds tend to come from the East where I am, wouldn't it be ok to orient my coop so that the open (wire-mesh) wall faces that direction, so the hens can get some fresh air? Of course, this would only be for summer, I would close that wall in winter. Along the same line, there are two openings that, depending where I place their roost, could allow for a breeze to directly cross the coop where the hens perch for the night: same as above, would that be ok for summer, as long as it remains close in winter? --> basically I would like to know if I can have straight up "feather-ruffling" strength wind running through the coop to try and cool my hens down through the blazing summers we have here, or if the "ventilation but no direct breeze" rule still applies beyond winter/cold.

 

[aart]

where heat is more of a problem than anything else, I wonder if the "no breeze" rule would apply to my coop in summer.

No.

 

[jthornton]

Also, living in Texas, where heat is more of a problem than anything else, I wonder if the "no breeze" rule would apply to my coop in summer.

I have two large screened openings for flow through ventilation during the warm time of the year. When the average temperature at night is near freezing I have some inserts with thick plastic to block the flow of air that stay in until spring.

JT

 

[3KillerBs]

I would like to know if I can have straight up "feather-ruffling" strength wind running through the coop to try and cool my hens down through the blazing summers we have here, or if the "ventilation but no direct breeze" rule still applies beyond winter/cold.

No, it doesn't apply under those conditions.

But if your coop is big enough you can give them options with part of the roost having a flow-through breeze and part of it being sheltered. They'll find a spot that's comfortable.

My main roosts are in a no-draft area, but some of my birds will sleep on top of the broody-breaker in the open part of the coop in hot weather.

 

[NestingMillenial]

Ok, thanks all for the confirmation: that's good to know! And that's a really good point, about trying to give them a choice. I'll see what I can do to try and have that in mine!

And when it comes to winter situations, would you guys have a ballpark idea of much higher than the chickens should the permanent ventilation be? I might lower a bit the perch in my case, depending on this. The person I quoted asked if 8" overhead would be safe enough for example?

 

[3KillerBs]

Ok, thanks all for the confirmation: that's good to know! And that's a really good point, about trying to give them a choice. I'll see what I can do to try and have that in mine!

And when it comes to winter situations, would you guys have a ballpark idea of much higher than the chickens should the permanent ventilation be? I might lower a bit the perch in my case, depending on this. The person I quoted asked if 8" overhead would be safe enough for example?

That depends on how big your chickens are. Can you measure them when they're on the roost?

I'd think a foot minimum would suit most breeds.

 

[NestingMillenial]

I don't actually have them yet: I am building the coop this week from online plans and picking up my brand new flock this weekend!

http://www.ana-white.com/woodworkin...n-coop-planter-clean-out-tray-and-nesting-box
I'm planning on turning the door (opposite to the nesting boxes) into an open mesh wall for summer, add some holes at the tip of the gable ends for permanent ventilation, and leave the floor opening open at all times (or maybe close it a bit in winter, using a piece of wood with still some holes in it)... Though this might not be enough ventilation for the winter months. In that case, I would need to use the little side windows as permanent vents (instead of closing them in winter), and then I would have to lower the perch as the original plan puts the perch just in front of those windows.