Ventilation/Vents Placement

[3KillerBs]

I'm so sorry. How did the snakes get them?

I haven't figured it out.

My brooder is currently dirt-floored and was sitting on a packed gravel pad left in an inconvenient place by the previous owner. Gravel so hard-packed that we can barely get through it with a pickaxe so we considered it safe vs digging predators.

I'd *thought* I'd found the hole under the bottom that the first snake used and blocked it up, but two more chicks vanished a couple weeks later.

I'm going to put a floor in it and add a door jamb -- just in case the door had warped just enough for that to be the problem.

 

[Tami2]

Here is the best I have on my phone. I can go out later and try and get some better shots.

First picture is of the soffits. I have about a 2’ overhang which I appreciate in all weathers, and as you can see it is closed off with hardware cloth so that fresh air can be sucked in as shown in @3KillerBs lovely diagram.

View attachment 3163721

Second picture is of the gable end. As you can see it is open and is covered in hardware cloth. Same for the other end. This shows the big overhang too.
The windows are at roost height so in the winter I close them but in the summer they are open and protected by the blue shutter (we cut out the center field of the shutter and replaced with hardware cloth).
View attachment 3163722

The final picture is the inside view of the soffit vents. It is hard to take a good picture of that - but you can see the daylight!
View attachment 3163723


Hope that helps.

Thank you so much for sharing your pictures. I appreciate your efforts. Looks like a little house, love it! Have a great day!

 

[Tami2]

I haven't figured it out.

My brooder is currently dirt-floored and was sitting on a packed gravel pad left in an inconvenient place by the previous owner. Gravel so hard-packed that we can barely get through it with a pickaxe so we considered it safe vs digging predators.

I'd *thought* I'd found the hole under the bottom that the first snake used and blocked it up, but two more chicks vanished a couple weeks later.

I'm going to put a floor in it and add a door jamb -- just in case the door had warped just enough for that to be the problem.

Good LUCK!
I hope you can find the breach & fix it.

 

[3KillerBs]

Good LUCK!
I hope you can find the breach & fix it.

Thanks. After I make the alterations I'll update my brooder article to show them.

 

[NorthwoodsChick]

Hi,

My husband is building an addition on our prefab TSC coop. I keep telling him that Vents are crucial. He was going to insulate, but I read in many places, that's not a good idea & vents are more important.
He is working on the roof. He just asked if he could put the vents in the ceiling/roof. I dont know the answer. I know high & I know over where they will be roosting, is a great placement. But, I'm not sure if vents in the roof like a skylight is a good idea.
Your input is greatly appreciated.

Thank you so much in advance,
Tami

I cut ventilation in the ceiling then added a floating roof. plenty of airflow as long as the coop itself can handle the weight. If not, consider a low pavilion over the coop.

 

[Tami2]

I cut ventilation in the ceiling then added a floating roof. plenty of airflow as long as the coop itself can handle the weight. If not, consider a low pavilion over the coop.

A floating roof, very interesting. Thank you.

 

[Quadzilla32]

In the same boat as OP building my coop ant trying to determine if gable vents would be enough for ventilation, large one. My coop is 4x8 with a slanted roof and currently do not plan to have an overhang. I'm in Colorado so we do get snow and rain and want to keep the elements out. I plan to add some vents on each side of the coop with the focus being more ventilation on the higher side of the coop. The side that leads out to the run will be covered and plan to have most of the ventilation on that side since it will be covered and help keep the rain off. I also plan to add windows that can open and will stay open unless there is rain/snow.

The picture below is the rough idea of what my coop will look like. I'm just now adding the frame and roof so I can add an overhang if the gable vents will not be enough. I also thought about cutting a long rectangle opening on the run side and adding HC I just don't want any water to get into the coop.

 

[Tami2]

In the same boat as OP building my coop ant trying to determine if gable vents would be enough for ventilation, large one. My coop is 4x8 with a slanted roof and currently do not plan to have an overhang. I'm in Colorado so we do get snow and rain and want to keep the elements out. I plan to add some vents on each side of the coop with the focus being more ventilation on the higher side of the coop. The side that leads out to the run will be covered and plan to have most of the ventilation on that side since it will be covered and help keep the rain off. I also plan to add windows that can open and will stay open unless there is rain/snow.

The picture below is the rough idea of what my coop will look like. I'm just now adding the frame and roof so I can add an overhang if the gable vents will not be enough. I also thought about cutting a long rectangle opening on the run side and adding HC I just don't want any water to get into the coop.

Good luck & please keep us posted, with pictures.

 

[RoyalChick]

In the same boat as OP building my coop ant trying to determine if gable vents would be enough for ventilation, large one. My coop is 4x8 with a slanted roof and currently do not plan to have an overhang. I'm in Colorado so we do get snow and rain and want to keep the elements out. I plan to add some vents on each side of the coop with the focus being more ventilation on the higher side of the coop. The side that leads out to the run will be covered and plan to have most of the ventilation on that side since it will be covered and help keep the rain off. I also plan to add windows that can open and will stay open unless there is rain/snow.

The picture below is the rough idea of what my coop will look like. I'm just now adding the frame and roof so I can add an overhang if the gable vents will not be enough. I also thought about cutting a long rectangle opening on the run side and adding HC I just don't want any water to get into the coop.

I am far from being an expert but I would say I am thankful for my decision to have big roof over-hangs pretty much every day.
The over-hang makes it easier to have soffit venting and it keeps the elements away all year round (sun, snow, rain don't go right in the coop or run).
I also like that the over-hang drips water away from the structure reducing flooding and risk of rot, and it allowed me to hang a gutter to collect rain water, which is what I give the chickens in their waterer.
I guess you can tell I am a fan of an overhang so would definitely extend the roof on yours to get those benefits!

 

[Tami2]

Okay, so I'm only finding 4' hardware cloth & that's not nearing high enough. So, we'll get the HC 1/2" for the vents & windows etc... And an electric fence for outside the chicken wire fence. Is there a place you'd all recommend getting the electric fence? We'd rather buy an electric fence than make one.

Thanks so much!