Ventilation without a draft!? Driving me nuts!

[JDS98922]

I am located in Central Washington. Ag zone 6 (0 to -10F). We get snow and sometimes a lot of wind (30-40 mph gust or higher). I am converting a lean-to type shed. Approximately 5 foot high with a slope to about 4 feet. 7 feet wide and about 8 feet long.

I has a roof and the sides are somewhat covered. I am trying to decide how much to tighten up/plug the holes? Looking to house 10-12 standard chickens. As of now ventilation is not a problem. I am afraid of drafts.

Has anyone considered/done/thought of putting up walls or baffles around the roosts to block the direct drafts?

Am I absolutely crazy?

The concept of lots of ventilation without drafts is challenging my brain.

Lean-to is still in the design/pre-remodel phase so I don't have pictures. I am trying to get the design fleshed out.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Has anyone considered/done/thought of putting up walls or baffles around the roosts to block the direct drafts?

Am I absolutely crazy?

The concept of lots of ventilation without drafts is challenging my brain.

Lean-to is still in the design/pre-remodel phase so I don't have pictures. I am trying to get the design fleshed out.

You can do baffles, louvered covers... Aim to put ventilation in the roof area/just under it as it's very effective and more protected from weather especially if roof has good overhang. Figure out where your prevailing winds come from and aim to put more ventilation on other walls.

For vents up high I have a gable vent, ridge vent (which does get covered by snow) and under eave vents. Soffit vents work too. On the walls have 5 sliding windows which I leave open almost all the time... none of them face prevailing winds so no issue even with a windstorm like the one today.

 

[Howard E]

One way to test for drafts is to hang long skinny ribbons or something like long strips (2 foot or so) of plastic survey tape from the roof above the roosts, through the middle of them where the birds will be perched.

If the ribbons are dancing around while the wind is blowing.....you have drafts. If they hang limp, you are golden.

 

[JDS98922]

Thank you

 

[JDS98922]

One way to test for drafts is to hang long skinny ribbons or something like long strips (2 foot or so) of plastic survey tape from the roof above the roosts, through the middle of them where the birds will be perched.

If the ribbons are dancing around while the wind is blowing.....you have drafts. If they hang limp, you are golden.

Thank you. I will try this

 

[JDS98922]

You can do baffles, louvered covers... Aim to put ventilation in the roof area/just under it as it's very effective and more protected from weather especially if roof has good overhang. Figure out where your prevailing winds come from and aim to put more ventilation on other walls.

For vents up high I have a gable vent, ridge vent (which does get covered by snow) and under eave vents. Soffit vents work too. On the walls have 5 sliding windows which I leave open almost all the time... none of them face prevailing winds so no issue even with a windstorm like the one today.

Thanks. My wind is usually West or East. So looks like North and South ventilation

 

[aart]

It is a bit confusing.
Air movement is good, feather ruffling(literally) 'drafts' are not.

Posting pics of your coop, inside and out, will help garner specific suggestions.
Pretty good discussion here:
http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1048597/ventilated-but-free-of-drafts

 

[JDS98922]

It is a bit confusing.
Air movement is good, feather ruffling(literally) 'drafts' are not.

Posting pics of your coop, inside and out, will help garner specific suggestions.
Pretty good discussion here:
http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1048597/ventilated-but-free-of-drafts

Thank you aart. I've seen several of your posts and do value your opinion. Yes I need pictures of my intended coop to get specific suggestions. I will post pictures when I get progress made cleaning and starting the remodel. Right now it's in my head and I am trying to get it out. We've hit our spring rain now, and I have another 3 weeks before my chicks arrive. So I have a little time (not much).

I will post pictures soon.

 

[aart]

Right now it's in my head and I am trying to get it out.

Sketching on graph paper might help with that.

 

[JDS98922]

Sketching on graph paper might help with that.

I spent my afternoon doing that yesterday. I resolved a few issues and came up with some new plans. I just keep coming back to having to stand in my space and work through it.