Ventilation

[brok3n]

How much ventilation is to much? I built a 4' x 8' coop and on both 4' ends I have used chicken wire. One side half wire and a cleaning door, the other side all wire.

My chicks approx 3 months old are nesting in the darn egg box instead of the roosts. Is it to cool at night (60)? Should I enclose ends and have a small strip of wire near the top? Use roof vents or what?

Was thinking that for the summer both ends open/ wire would be a good thing.

Thoughts?

You can see one side open/chicken wire near top. Other 4' side is all chicken wire.

 

[Judy]

They may just be a little young to want to roost, or feel more secure in the nest boxes of their new home. I definitely think that is not too cool, or too much summer ventilation. They are way better off a little cool than too warm. Those feather and down coats they grow are warm.

Is your roost wide enough? Maybe it's not enough width for them to be comfortable. They like something like a fat branch or the wide side of a 2x4, as opposed to something like a broomstick.

 

[brok3n]

I have two 1 x 3's about 16" off the floor. They sit up there in the day but not at night. So maybe you are right they may be scared.

 

[SobbaChickens]

Anyway you can remove or block off the nesting boxes? They don't need them yet anyways

 

[brok3n]

Yeah was thinking about that because they are making a mess of the boxes. Thinking maybe if I enclose half the other 4' end they might feel more secure and as you said block the boxes for now.

Now in the winter is ventilation still a good thing? It gets pretty cold here but am sure they still need some type of ventilation...right?

I'm new to all of this....but truly enjoying it. My kids love them too.

 

[SobbaChickens]

Yes they still need ventilation in winter. They are tougher birds then people give them credit for. How cold is it getting?

 

[4 the Birds]

The coop siding looks nice but I would upgrade the roof. Waterproof panels with a big overhang would be ideal. That pop door looks pretty small as well. The open ends are great during hot dry weather but ideally you want openings up high with hinged flaps that you can open or close. A sheet of plywood hinged at the top would work for your two end openings. This way you can prop them open a little, swing full open or close during a big storm. With the roost bar higher than the nest boxes and out of drafty air they will use them at night.

 

[brok3n]

Yeah the roof has a TPO membrane adhered to it and now has 24ga gravel guard around it and it does slope to the back. Overhangs would have been nice and I might add one over the egg box.

I like your idea on the doors at the top as well and will add those this fall before it gets cold here.

Here is a newer picture

 

[brok3n]

Not an easy task working with pallets (for me anyway). Got a little off on some of the cedar shingles. But overall I think it turned out well. I only have like $50 in it now. Most of the materials I got from work plus got the 10' pallets from there.