Ventilation? Hardware Cloth or vented aluminum soffet *pics*

[patman75]

My winter coop is coming along and I'm getting near the ventilation stage.

I have extra vented aluminum soffet from when we built the garage. I'm not sure if that will provided enough ventilation. I was thinking maybe just justing hardward cloth for more air flow.

Here are the details

8X8 coop with 100+ sq foot run.
6 birds for this winter (built it big for meaties in the spring when the hens use the tractor and if I get more hens next year. (trying to think ahead)
coop is on north west side of garage to block wind.
Upper left overhand is 10 inches
lower right overhang is 24 inches.
I live in zone 5b, It will get to 0 a few times in the winter.
Lot of wind but garage will block most.
leaning toward insulating.

Here are the pics

This side has the 10 inch X 8 foot overhang

This side has the 24 inch X 8 foot overhang

This is the vented aluminum soffet that I was thinking of using.

Thanks for the help.

 

[patandchickens]

I suspect that unless you have very few chickens in there, the soffit material would (as you say) be too little ventilation much of the time. BUT, that is not to say it wouldn't be of use:

You'd get the best of both worlds if you install hardwarecloth, then put a thin wooden frame around the soffit section so it can be bolted/unbolted on the outside of the hardwarecloth. (Or hinge it so it drops down when not in use).

This gives you three "settings": full ventilation (just hardwarecloth), slight ventilation with no strong air movement (soffit in place), and totally-stopped-up-in-horrible-blizzard (soffit in place, with some old rag or feedbag placed between it and the hardwarecloth before you closed it up).

Just a thought,

Pat

 

[scooter147]

I have that soffit set up on my house, I did have a coon climb up my brick (somehow) and rip that stuff out to get into the eaves to have young.
I like Pat's idea.

 

[LynneP]

Fastened securely with extra fasteners it certainly could provide predator protection. Six birds for winter? When you get more meat birds the air flow will be an issue. If a lot you'd need a little more air flow, especially if you're in a moist region of Michigan, but as pat says, modifications are possible.

 

[mdbokc]

I left mine open rather than close it in with soffet material. Used hardware cloth cut to the required opening width...then shaped quickly and accurately with a 2 x 4.

Then I have the cut to size 2x4 to seal the opening up the few times a year I might want to do so.

My gable ends are open at the top. The draft that flows in the wall openings and out the gable ends is the difference between too hot in summer and excellent winter moisture control. I tried the other way on another small barn structure not for poultry. There was not enough air flow.

You can always do it the fancy way after a season if you want. That is my approach. I'd rather add when necessary than have too much and have to take it apart and modify.

 

[bigoakhunter]

Depends on your needs. Soffit vent will look really nice, but not provide as much ventilation as the welded wire. Both will provide good varmit protection.

 

[CityChook]

I'd do what Pat recommends. Seems to make the most sense to me.

I might even be persuaded to close up the soffets all together and put in a longish vent under that nice deep soffet overhang with several different "doors" that would be easily open-able/closeable in sections. Particularly if you plan on putting a larger number of chickens inside. I don't think you can ever have TOO MUCH ventilation as long as you can close it up when necessary.

 

[LynneP]

A cheap product that is good for chicken coops is a hot-air furnace grate for the baseboard. Each small onecan be closed with an attached lever. Install high above roosts but low enough so you can reach them. Most hardware stores carry them.

http://www.airrite-supply.com/furnace-vent-covers.htm?gclid=COqnvrTD050CFQpinAodImlTsA