Ventilation advice

[barn206]

I need some advice on my 10x12+ coop. The door here faces the south side. I’d like to add ( horizontally)a 16x32 welded vent to the peak and put a small awning over the opening(1 1/2’ ). I intend on moving the solar light. This vent would be open all year long. I’d like to raise the vent as high as I can. I’m considering leaving the door BUT steel and hardware clothing the inside. Keeping it a permanent structure, I have the option of closing it in winter if I want. I would then add a door on the west side of the coop which would enable me to go in and out. Currently I have 1 vent under the eave on the east side of the coopand a 24x24 inch window which is at least 6 feet from the ground. It’s secured with welded steel and hardware cloth. I neither openings on the north or the west sides of the coop. The window on the east, i’d like to double horizontally as well( adding to hinged doors that I can close in the winter.
(I have to add a picture of the east side one at a time). I have 2 coops and a lot of young ones that have homes already. I want to keep it under 50 birds between the 2 coops. One coop for the guineas , the other for the chickens.
My question is would the door on the west side be a good idea while leaving only the south side open all year

 

[barn206]

East side( shaded)

 

[barn206]

Currently a fan in the east side window

 

[barn206]

The coop definitely needs more natural light

 

[aart]

Are your eaves open?

 

[barn206]

Thank you for replying Aart.
I haven’t opened the eaves because I’m wary of predators. I did put a nine inch vent in but it’s not enough. I have 2 issues. One is predator proofing and the other is a fear of draft because our winters are horrific. Before I start putting holes in the coop without knowing what I’m doing, I actually wanted to run it by you, jthornton and any other experienced chicken owners.
I would like to open the vents(weasel proofing them). Inside my coop I put hardware cloth on the ceiling Incase a predator got through the eave, the hardware cloth would slow them down. My first question is that if I open up the eave on the west and east sides of the coop, will it cause a draft in the winter. The walls inside the coop are 7 ‘ high. With the peak in the roof iits almost 11 feet high. That’s the question. I very much like the idea of a woods coop. Had I not had to build so quickly and investigated, I would of done a woods coop. The coop is opened at dawn and I shut it at night. The chickens have access to get out spring,summer,winter and fall. The second question is adding top hinged widows on the west side of the coop or to move my door on the west side of the coop? Third question is that I would like to put a vent on the south side peak with either a top hinged window or an extended roof. Would a 16x32” vent be sufficient for the winter? My birds did very well this winter. No fighting and very little frostbite, however, my coop door on the south side is alway open(even in winter) so the humidity doesn’t stay long. Any feedback is much appreciated

 

[aart]

You can replace the soffit material with HC...see pic below.

You can tack some cardboard on the undersides of the rafters inside(from the soffit to about 2-3 feet up) to direct any drafts up higher, especially around the roost area.

More pics here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/aarts-coop-page.65912/

 

[lazy gardener]

I don't know how my weather compares to yours. I'm in zone 4B, with winter time temps often not getting up to 0*F for more than a week at a time.

My coop is 10 x 12. You can see photo of my coop in my interview listed in my signature (which can be pasted into a search bar.)

Prevailing wind from W.

There are gable vents on E and W, and soffit vents on S and N. I have 2 awning style windows on S, 1 on E. People and pop door on E, nest boxes accessed through 2 doors on E. On N, there is a double wide door which can be opened for more ventilation, On W, there is a 2 x 4 clean out door, which also gets opened almost every day during the summer. Since picture of my coop was taken, I added a floor level vent between 2 S facing windows. All told, if I opened EVERYTHING in my coop, I would have 65 s.f. of open area/ventilation. During the winter, the floor level vent gets blocked off, the soffit and gable vents are left open, and 2 of the windows are left open to varying degrees.

 

[barn206]

Great coop! I love the extension on the roof! Your widows open inside the coop! ( I didn’t think of that) but your overhang at the peak should keep the rain out I would think. It’s double proof which is what I’m all about. I never thought to bend the hardware cloth under the soffit. I used 2 piesces of wood and got them as tight as I could. I can makeshift a barrier to flow the air up high toward the ceiling. Do I see hardware cloth under the eave on the north side of your coop? I don’t have an eave/soffit on the north side of the coop... but if I open up the eaves on both sides of the coop(12’ and 12’ x 24 inches) would I actually need anything on the north side? ( the winter up here can be harsh) . That would be a lot of added air if under the eaves were open. That would work for summer and winter. The coop( vault) is too hot right now. I can’t leave the birds unattended during the day. The screencoop has to be done after I complete the big coop.
-Thank you for sharing

 

[barn206]

I don't know how my weather compares to yours. I'm in zone 4B, with winter time temps often not getting up to 0*F for more than a week at a time.

My coop is 10 x 12. You can see photo of my coop in my interview listed in my signature (which can be pasted into a search bar.)

Prevailing wind from W.

There are gable vents on E and W, and soffit vents on S and N. I have 2 awning style windows on S, 1 on E. People and pop door on E, nest boxes accessed through 2 doors on E. On N, there is a double wide door which can be opened for more ventilation, On W, there is a 2 x 4 clean out door, which also gets opened almost every day during the summer. Since picture of my coop was taken, I added a floor level vent between 2 S facing windows. All told, if I opened EVERYTHING in my coop, I would have 65 s.f. of open area/ventilation. During the winter, the floor level vent gets blocked off, the soffit and gable vents are left open, and 2 of the windows are left open to varying degrees.

Thank you for sharing that lazy gardener. I want to see what you did! Your post as well makes a lot of sense. I’m getting a good idea today of how to handle this
Much appreciated!!!