Ventilation for small coop

[Painted Calls]

@3KillerBs is great with coop modification ideas and recommendations. I'll let her take it from here.

I will just add that this the biggest reason pre-fab coops are a bad idea. They are expensive and extremely small and under-ventilated. Most of us learned by buying one.

 

[3KillerBs]

@3KillerBs is great with coop modification ideas and recommendations. I'll let her take it from here.

Thank you for the vote of confidence.

I think I've about hit my limit of modification ideas for this one.

It's a shower curtain. The coop is generally shaded in the heat of the day, except for a brief time. They LOVE their little spa/playhouse. Their dirt bath is in there.

Sadly, it's looking like I may be down to 3 or 4..... based on potential sexing

Can you put some kind of roof on the run to increase the amount of sheltered space so that they can get outside during snowstorms?

 

[Sammster]

Thank you for the vote of confidence.

I think I've about hit my limit of modification ideas for this one.




Can you put some kind of roof on the run to increase the amount of sheltered space so that they can get outside during snowstorms?

It has one, and we will be adding additional weather protection before winter. The current cover is canvas. It will be overtarped with vinyl. I also bought a reinforced, clear tarp for the west side of the pen. These tarps should keep the snow to a minimum. Is there anything more I might do for their winter pen?

 

[3KillerBs]

It has one, and we will be adding additional weather protection before winter. The current cover is canvas. It will be overtarped with vinyl. I also bought a reinforced, clear tarp for the west side of the pen. These tarps should keep the snow to a minimum. Is there anything more I might do for their winter pen?

I'm not an expert on winter prep because central NC doesn't have winter like I grew up with in PA, but that sounds good.

Within the next month or 6 weeks there will be lots of threads on prepping coop and run for winter.

 

[Sammster]

So, 16 square feet.

At 4 square feet for the recommended minimum you've got 6 chickens in space for 4 (or were yours bantams? I'm sorry, I've forgotten), which means that you'll need really excellent ventilation to keep moisture and ammonia from building up.

The minimum suggested ventilation for 6 chickens is 6 square feet.

Allowing for the framing, opening an 8" tall space across the top of the high side would give you a little less than 3 square feet of venting.

Making your triangles 8" tall and 2 feet long would add almost 1.5 square feet -- so that would be between 4 and 4.5 square feet. Adding that to what you already have would probably be enough, though the real test comes when you measure temperature and humidity.



That would take a little pressure off the system.



I love the shade corner and the way the playhouse offers structure and spaces to perch and hide. Are those sheets? Shower curtains? ???

 

[Sammster]

Thank you all so much for your advice. You know... when I bought my chicks, I wanted 4. The gal talked me into 6, because she said it's common to lose some or end up with roosters. I figured she knew her business. I'm new, but 4 did sound right to me. And she wasn't wrong. At least 1 is male.
In the photo, you can see a mini-coop. Right now, I'm just using the nesting boxes to store supplies in. I will use it for those times when I have a hen that needs to be separated, due to injury or other issues.

 

[Painted Calls]

Thank you all so much for your advice. You know... when I bought my chicks, I wanted 4. The gal talked me into 6, because she said it's common to lose some or end up with roosters. I figured she knew her business. I'm new, but 4 did sound right to me. And she wasn't wrong. At least 1 is male.
In the photo, you can see a mini-coop. Right now, I'm just using the nesting boxes to store supplies in. I will use it for those times when I have a hen that needs to be separated, due to injury or other issues.

Welcome to chickens!!!

 

[3KillerBs]

Thank you all so much for your advice. You know... when I bought my chicks, I wanted 4. The gal talked me into 6, because she said it's common to lose some or end up with roosters. I figured she knew her business. I'm new, but 4 did sound right to me. And she wasn't wrong. At least 1 is male.
In the photo, you can see a mini-coop. Right now, I'm just using the nesting boxes to store supplies in. I will use it for those times when I have a hen that needs to be separated, due to injury or other issues.

Yes, 4 is a good number for a starter flock, and yes, it's common to lose one or have an "oops rooster" -- because sexing is about 90% accurate.

My Ideal order of 12 pullets this spring had 2 males.

If you don't get too attached it's fairly easy to sell started pullets (not cockerels though).

 

[Sammster]

Yes, true. Before I bit the bullet, I asked everyone I knew who had chickens, if they would take a cockeral, if my pullets weren't pullets. No bites. Only advice to agree to allow them to be processed. I'm not vegetarian, so, I am not against it.

But, gosh.... I bought 6, and might have 3 boys! That's a super drag

 

[kmart60]

In the photo, you can see a mini-coop.

Wait, what? You already bought one junk coop, and went back for a second one?
Some people are slow learners.