ventilation

[marlene]

I have spent the weekend expanding my coop to make room for more chickens, my question is how much ventilation is needed. I left quite a lot of vents at the top of the coop, basically gaps between the sides and roof whick i have covered in wire mesh for safety against predators. I am also adding 2 windows for extra ventilation and light, is this enough? i am worried about how drafty it might be.
The coop is roughly 12ft x 5ft, is what iv'e done ok or do i need more or less?. Any help or suggestions will be appreciated as it's coming to winter now here in uk and i want my birds to be comfertable and safe.

 

[bfrancis]

Quote:
Good method

Thats basically all I have done. That allows all the heat and moister from the birds rise to the top and be ventilated out above their heads. A draft would be from a small opening or vent near the bottom of the coop that would blow up on the birds while they're roosting or if they are ground nesters, blow cold air around them, thats bad.

hope this helps.

 

[wyododge]

Well, I would look at it this way. Was your coop ventilation prior to your remodel appropriate, that is, did it function properly?

If so, I would estimate the pre remodel square footage of the vents, and divide it by the square footage of your pre remodel coop. Now measure the square footage of post remodel vents and square footage. The ratio of post remodel should be greater than or equal to pre pre remodel.

If your ventilation was lacking, the ratio should be greater than pre remodel by a factor which you feel would have made the pre remodel coop function properly. If you thought you could have used 2 square feet of more ventilation, add that to the pre remodel measured square footage, and divid by the square footage of the coop. Use this ratio to determine if your new ventilation is similar, or better.

Good thing is you have windows so your ventilation is now variable. Very good move!