Ventilation advice

[barn206]

Thank you biophiliac!
Hi and I hope all is well
Thank you for posting. I’m seeing that it’s ok to hc the west side of the coop. I wasn’t worried about the east so much( winterwise) but I was unsure about the west and I didn’t want to compromise an unnecessary hole in the coop.
Thanks so much for your advice!
( I’ll say it again .. your the best)
Thanks friend!

 

[biophiliac]

Thank you biophiliac!
Hi and I hope all is well
Thank you for posting. I’m seeing that it’s ok to hc the west side of the coop. I wasn’t worried about the east so much( winterwise) but I was unsure about the west and I didn’t want to compromise an unnecessary hole in the coop.
Thanks so much for your advice!
( I’ll say it again .. your the best)
Thanks friend!

I just realized that the west is somewhat protected by being at the base of a hill to the west, so maybe that helps me some. I thought I would have to cover those gable openings in snow and rain with strong winds...not so far
Have a great summer!

 

[barn206]

That’s good to hear. This is the first year here in the mountains and after this winter.... it’s like a lions roar! But things are good and it forces me to adapt.
Have a great summer as well!!!

 

[aart]

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

'Eyebrow' overhang does keep rain out of the upper windows, unless it's really blowing from the south, then I close windows....have had to that a few times.
Snow can blow off lower roof into eave up there in winter tho.
I have big pieces of cardboard on top of coop 'ceiling' in winter to protect roosts from wind and blown snow coming in north and upper south eaves(just realized I never took them down this summer-better do that today as the heat is ramping up again).

 

[barn206]

Aart, the first thing I saw was that eyebrow overhang! It’s genius!!! With the secondary back up window that opens and closes during bad weather(blizzards etc).. you have nothing to worry about. Your coop gave me some good ideas. You have a great coop. It’s large,open, and airy.
I kept this coop under 12x12 for tax purposes. But if I had my way ... hmmm.
Still I’m fortunate to have what I have. My main forcus here is the care for my chickens.
Great chicken coop

 

[barn206]

My happy family

 

[barn206]

This week I installed a 16x32” vent at the peak of the roof. It’s amazing the difference that it makes. The heat is finally escaping. I’ve been checking the temperature inside the coop ( mornings before the chickens are let out) ... it’s the same as the outside temperature. This is exactly what I want. This week I’ll work on the overhang. Thinking of installing a couple of windows on the west side . I’m wondering how much wind/draft comes in from a window on the east? The window is a foot over the roost . Right now with my 24x24 window being open all is fine.. but in the winter I may have to plexiglass the opening. So I need to get the vents under the overhang opened up to achieve the same results I’m getting now.
Thanks for the input. I’ll post as things progress

 

[barn206]

View attachment 1467934This week I installed a 16x32” vent at the peak of the roof. It’s amazing the difference that it makes. The heat is finally escaping. I’ve been checking the temperature inside the coop ( mornings before the chickens are let out) ... it’s the same as the outside temperature. This is exactly what I want. This week I’ll work on the overhang. Thinking of installing a couple of windows on the west side . I’m wondering how much wind/draft comes in from a window on the east? The window is a foot over the roost . Right now with my 24x24 window being open all is fine.. but in the winter I may have to plexiglass the opening. So I need to get the vents under the overhang opened up to achieve the same results I’m getting now.
Thanks for the input. I’ll post as things progress

 

[barn206]

I guess I hit the post twice.. apparently I’m not computer savvy!
Sorry about that.

Forgot to mention that I’m waiting for a good rain storm to see how much/ if any rain gets in the coop. If I need to add an overhang, I’ll do it. I definitely don’t want to close up this vent. It’s working perfectly

 

[barn206]

Throwing this out there,
I’m wondering if I can keep that widow open during the winter but direct the air upwards from inside the coop?