Ventilation

[TheRealDelia]

not sure where did you get your information from.
Ventilation should be as high as possible - hot humid air that needs to be evacuated rises.
Away from the roosts as much as possible - cold does not kill well feathered chickens, frosty wind does.
All on the same level if possible - having it both high and low would create constant draft.

So the highest (ridge) vent would be ideal if you can put enough opening there which is probably not the case. Unless you have high pitched roof and concern of shingles overheating in the summer and condensation in the winter it is really not necessary.

That leaves us with soffit vents through open rafters. Make sure the roosts are well below them. One neat way to ensure the cold air from rafters will be not falling on the heads of the sleeping chickens is to build a loft directly above the roosts and below the open rafters.

hope this helps

You know, I thought of it after posting. I'm thinking of high and low ventilation being required in attics. I used to be an insulation technician, old habits.

 

[3KillerBs]

we prop the egg roof open a couple inches every day.

Doesn't that compromise your predator-proofing?

 

[jreardon1918]

Doesn't that compromise your predator-proofing?

Sort of. So yes it weakens our defenses. We have a side auxiliary run. That is not secure. So when that side pop door is open the security is already compromised. The propped egg roof is a 3" opening. I don't think a raccoon or fox would get in that opening during the day. It is closed before sundown. It is a risk. Fingers crossed . Thank you for reminding me.

 

[jreardon1918]

Sort of. So yes it weakens our defenses. We have a side auxiliary run. That is not secure. So when that side pop door is open the security is already compromised. The propped egg roof is a 3" opening. I don't think a raccoon or fox would get in that opening during the day. It is closed before sundown. It is a risk. Fingers crossed . Thank you for reminding me.

No sooner did I send this... watched a red tail hawk make a run at the girls. They scooted in to the covered run. The hawk flew away. All 7 survived...

 

[3KillerBs]

Sort of. So yes it weakens our defenses. We have a side auxiliary run. That is not secure. So when that side pop door is open the security is already compromised. The propped egg roof is a 3" opening. I don't think a raccoon or fox would get in that opening during the day. It is closed before sundown. It is a risk. Fingers crossed . Thank you for reminding me.

It does make me think that for my new coop I might add a little ventilation to nestboxes because heat is my issue rather than cold.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Would it be overkill to have the ridge, soffit vents, and gables?

I do plan to have windows protected with ¼in hardwire cloth on the South, North, and East sides of the coop.

Nope - I'd rather put in too much ventilation and then have the option of closing some up if needed. I have ridge vent, a gable vent, undereave vents, sliding windows on 3 sides, and floor vents. Even if something gets closed (a few windows) or blocked (snow over ridge vent), I'm still well over the minimum recommendation in ventilation.

 

[Rldad1]

Sounds like you have plenty. I am in a much warmer area than you, no snow but we do get into the teens for lows( in fact Christmas Day here the high is 36 and the low id 20) however we do get a lot of heat. My ventilation is windows and upper vents.

 

[TheRealDelia]

Nope - I'd rather put in too much ventilation and then have the option of closing some up if needed. I have ridge vent, a gable vent, undereave vents, sliding windows on 3 sides, and floor vents. Even if something gets closed (a few windows) or blocked (snow over ridge vent), I'm still well over the minimum recommendation in ventilation.

What kind of floor vents?

 

[rosemarythyme]

What kind of floor vents?

They're small (like 4"x12") louvered vents, with 1/4" HWC sandwiched behind it for security. My coop was built by a shed builder and they include floor vents (and ridge and undereave vents) in their standard build, so I went with the builder's recommendation.

 

[Ridgerunner]

My floor vent is just a cut-out covered by hardware cloth, 16" wide since that is stud spacing and maybe 8" high. I closed off the end of a shed to make my coop, that shed is really well ventilated but it does block wind. The floor vent opens into that shed so it is always in the shade so the air is cooler in summer and is well blocked from wind in winter. I never have to worry about blocking it from rain or wind but the chickens sometimes scratch bedding up enough to block it.