Rodrad
Songster
Thanks. I will read the attached post. I want to know in advance of the required minimum vent area in winter climates (when weather gets to be in low teens or even single digit) because I don’t plan to have shutters on the vents in the gables.That cannot possibly do an adequate job of removing ammonia and moisture.
You can test this by both your senses and appropriate equipment. If you can smell ammonia you need more ventilation. If you go inside the coop and feel that it is warmer inside than out you need more ventilation. If you use a hygrometer to measure humidity and get a higher reading inside than out you need more ventilation.
I suggest that you contact your local Ag Department and inquire into the minimums for commercial chicken keeping. Most backyarders attempt to do better for our birds than commercial operations do.
This is BackYard Chickens definitive article on chickens in cold climates: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/cold-weather-poultry-housing-and-care.72010/