Venting of the coop

[aart]

Welcome to BYC!

Ventilation is tricky, much depends on coop configuration, climate, weather patterns at site, etc.
There really are no hard numbers.
Posting pics of your coop might help with specific suggestions.

Here's a pretty good discussion:
http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1048597/ventilated-but-free-of-drafts

These tips on heights might help too:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/coop-stack-up-how-high-should-stuff-be.73427/

 

[Willis94]

For winter use, an old school solution using modern era materials would be to place a rectangular shaped gable vent (louvered type) near the floor at ground level, and another just like it straight above near the roof. You can remove any screens and cover both vents with hardware cloth or 1/2" x 1" 16 gauge cage wire to keep predators out.

If this results in too much draft, place a deflector baffle (osb or plywood) about 2 to 4 inches out from the lower vent.

1 SF of vent space per 10 SF floor area, minimum. More is OK.

Way more in summer......when you open all vents and windows to get as much air moving as possible. Goal should be same temp inside and out in summer.

What do you think of using a "panel" heater as the baffle that way when it was heating (around 30 inside the coop ) it would heat the incoming air?
Thanks for the idea.
WS

 

[Howard E]

If this coop will be insulated, no heater is needed. Each bird gives off about same amount of heat as a 10 watt night light, so they already generate a bit of heat, which comes in the form of radiant heat, which is retained inside by the insulation. Enough to bump the inside temp as much as 10 to 15 degrees over outside temp, and as long as drafts (wind chill) is kept down, they can deal with far worse cold than that.

 

[Willis94]

http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1048597/ventilated-but-free-of-drafts
Very good link for a newbie like me. Thanks for that aart.

 

[JackE]

I agree with what the others said, about insulation in a coop. Waste of time and money, and could just cause unwanted problems down the road. I have an open air coop. No insulation, no heat added, and I find that my coop is usually runs 10 degrees, or so, higher over the outside temps. And that is with the whole front wall open. Kinda shoots in the rear, that you insulation to achieve higher temps in the coop. You don't.

 

[katieuppi]

We do very well with our ridge vent and chicken door in the winter. We have 2 windows that also open in summer.