Ok, so how do you know if you have enough venting in your coop? Or maybe I"m asking how do you know if you need more venting? I"ve heard that 1sqft/bird is the recommended, in the summer with the window open I"m sure I have that. But with the colder weather I've closed the window and have reduced the venting to less than 1sqft/bird. I have deep litter that is bone dry and poop boards that get cleaned every couple days. There is no smell at all from the coop. So what signs should I look for that may indicate I need more venting? thanks P.S. I do have other vents that stay open just not as much as I had during the warmer months.
If you aren't seeing any problems, you probably don't have any The numbers are just GENERAL rules, and can vary tremendously depending on exact circumstances Most people worry far to much about trying to do it "right".
I've read that if you have frost inside the coop, the humidity is too high and you need more ventilation. I've never been through a winter with chickens so I guess I'll see if that's true sooner rather than later.
If you are worried about the ventilation, open the windows back up. Chickens adapt better to cold, than heat!
I closed the window as it's starting to get below freezing around here and did not want to have the wind coming in through it. As the weather gets colder I'll just be sure to check for frost inside and if i see some I'll try opening the window in small increments till it goes away. Currently there is no smell at all and the pine chips are bone dry, so I think we're doing ok so far. I do leave the pop door open 24/7 and there is a small vent on the down wind side of the coop so it probably gets good air flow through those openings. The soffits are open on both side but I've blocked off the soffit that is over the roost so they don't get drafts at night.
