Ventilation vs draft

[KellyReed]

I converted a 7’x7’ resin shed into a coop for my 3 young Silkies. They will be only a couple months old when winter gets here and I want to know if in an area that big, for that few chickens, do I need to try to add more ventilation or will the one built in vent at the gable probably be enough? (I’m in Southern Louisiana and winter is short and mild)

 

[Ridgerunner]

Yeah, winters down here aren't much, are they? I'm not sure how much ventilation that actually provides or if it is in both gables or just the front one. Silkies are typically bantams. With only three in that area I'd think yo'd be OK in the winter down here but summers is what would bother me.

If those louvers are on both front and back gables you might be OK in the summer. Since Silkies can't fly your nests and roosts will probably be really close to the floor. I'd be real tempted to put a window on one or both sides up fairly high. Instead of glass or Plexiglas maybe use louvers to help keep the rain out. If you don't feel they are predator-proof enough, like for snakes, put hardware cloth behind them.

Welcome to the forum from Belle Chasse, glad you joined. Your location was pretty important to this. You might modify your profile to show general location so that info is always available.

 

[KellyReed]

Yeah, winters down here aren't much, are they? I'm not sure how much ventilation that actually provides or if it is in both gables or just the front one. Silkies are typically bantams. With only three in that area I'd think yo'd be OK in the winter down here but summers is what would bother me.

If those louvers are on both front and back gables you might be OK in the summer. Since Silkies can't fly your nests and roosts will probably be really close to the floor. I'd be real tempted to put a window on one or both sides up fairly high. Instead of glass or Plexiglas maybe use louvers to help keep the rain out. If you don't feel they are predator-proof enough, like for snakes, put hardware cloth behind them.

Welcome to the forum from Belle Chasse, glad you joined. Your location was pretty important to this. You might modify your profile to show general location so that info is always available.

Thank you! There’s only one louvered vent but for the summer the whole front will be wired with a screen door and we are adding a window. This way if they aren’t free ranging in the fenced yard during the day I can open the big front doors for plenty of circulation!

 

[jthornton]

Yea in South Louisiana (we used to live in LaPlace, Kenner, Metairie) summer time heat is a real problem as well as alligators ( we had them come in the back yard in LaPlace). I have even seen ice a couple of times down there and man did that mess with the drivers that didn't know how to drive on ice but that is very rare. You might even consider a quiet fan for the really hot muggy days of summer.

JT

 

[KellyReed]

I'll probably get a window fan or a/c lol

 

[jthornton]

When I was a ute one of the Schwegmans brothers lived on Airline Hwy in Metairie La. and they had an AC unit in the dog house out in the yard for some reason I remember that to this day. Yea I also remember crossing the Lake Pontchartrain causeway for the first time in late summer on our way down from Alaska in a car with no AC and moving into a house with no AC... yea the fond memories of breaking out in a sweat just walking from the front door to my truck 10 months of the year...

JT