Venting Coop Advice

[Lou Lou Texas]

Our coop, still in progress has venting all the way around. We thought it was going to be three sides. Thought the front was going to be closed. (Not following a pre made plan) So for Texas Summer this is great, right? but I’m concerned about winter. And I know drafts can be an issue, too. Are drafts only an issue when it comes to cold or wet?

 

[3KillerBs]

Welcome to BYC.

In Texas it's essentially impossible to have too much ventilation. The coop that inspired my own Open Air coop is in Texas.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/jens-hens-a-southern-texas-coop.75707/

I don't have a coop page for mine yet, but it's featured extensively in this article: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/hot-climate-chicken-housing-and-care.77263/

Drafts are when the wind blows on the birds strongly enough to ruffle their feathers so that they can't trap heat with their built-in down parkas.

This is 2 versions of draftiness:

And here is what good ventilation in a closed coop looks like:

And how the airflow works in a 3-sided Open Air coop without causing drafts:

 

[SandyRiverChick]

Great coop! The biggest difference between draft and ventilation is where is the chicken? Circulating air well over their heads is ventilation. Air blowing right on them is draft. The 2nd coop I built had all kinds of ventilation because it wasnt air tight where rafters met roof. So I took advantage of perfect gaps - much like yours but not quite as big and installed hardware cloth, boom ventilation. My 3rd coop however, thanks to my mad construction skills is solid and I had to intentionally router out 3 ventilation holes on 2sides, cover with hardware cloth (and sunrays painted around the holes). I'm adding little doors on hinges in case during cold of winter I want a little less ventilation. I have many windows that open for summertime air but they are chicken face level and I will close them at night when they are roosting no matter what as that would be a strong draft.

 

[3KillerBs]

P.S. I find in this climate that I need at least double or triple the recommended 1 square foot of permanent, 24/7/365 ventilation per hen or DEEP SHADE to keep a coop under 100F on a 90F day.

 

[Lou Lou Texas]

Welcome to BYC.

In Texas it's essentially impossible to have too much ventilation. The coop that inspired my own Open Air coop is in Texas.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/jens-hens-a-southern-texas-coop.75707/

I don't have a coop page for mine yet, but it's featured extensively in this article: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/hot-climate-chicken-housing-and-care.77263/

Drafts are when the wind blows on the birds strongly enough to ruffle their feathers so that they can't trap heat with their built-in down parkas.

This is 2 versions of draftiness:

View attachment 3125864View attachment 3125865

And here is what good ventilation in a closed coop looks like:

View attachment 3125868

And how the airflow works in a 3-sided Open Air coop without causing drafts:

View attachment 3125867

So very helpful! Thank you!!

 

[Lou Lou Texas]

Great coop! The biggest difference between draft and ventilation is where is the chicken? Circulating air well over their heads is ventilation. Air blowing right on them is draft. The 2nd coop I built had all kinds of ventilation because it wasnt air tight where rafters met roof. So I took advantage of perfect gaps - much like yours but not quite as big and installed hardware cloth, boom ventilation. My 3rd coop however, thanks to my mad construction skills is solid and I had to intentionally router out 3 ventilation holes on 2sides, cover with hardware cloth (and sunrays painted around the holes). I'm adding little doors on hinges in case during cold of winter I want a little less ventilation. I have many windows that open for summertime air but they are chicken face level and I will close them at night when they are roosting no matter what as that would be a strong draft.

Thank you! Great information!

 

[Lou Lou Texas]

P.S. I find in this climate that I need at least double or triple the recommended 1 square foot of permanent, 24/7/365 ventilation per hen or DEEP SHADE to keep a coop under 100F on a 90F day.

Oh, Ty! The coop is also within a horse paddock, so is under the rooftop of the stall to help with shade.

 

[3KillerBs]

Oh, Ty! The coop is also within a horse paddock, so is under the rooftop of the stall to help with shade.

Could you show us photos?

Shade is excellent.

 

[Lou Lou Texas]

This is the front of the coop. the chicken door will go on the front of this and the run will be out in front.

 

[Lou Lou Texas]

This is the front of the coop. the chicken door will go on the front of this and the run will be out in front.

This was taken further out and was too dark to see well, but shows the positioning of the coop.