Well Ventilated...Not Drafty

[Kyle Boisseau]

Designing my first coop and I keep reading that the coop MUST be well ventilated, yet at the same time, you don't want it to be drafty. My coop will be 12X12. What's the best way to make sure it's well ventilated, but not drafty? Seems it may be tricky to achieve one without the other.

 

[wamtazlady]

I have all my vents up high. They are just under the eaves at about 5 feet from the floor. Roosts are down low at about 20 inches from the floor. Pop door is open year round on the opposite side of the coop from the roost. Pop door opens into a run that is covered on 3 sides with clear plastic in winter so no breeze blows in coop but there is air flow into the coop. So far it seems to be working for me.

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

Ventilation is intentional and placed above the roosts to allow moisture to escape. Drafts are usually directly on the birds. It could be intentional like a window which might allow a cool breeze in the summer, but not the winter. You would want to make sure it can be closed up. Drafts could also come from cracks in the structure that would become drafty.

 

[Folly's place]

Have you looked at the Woods coop? It would be my first choice to build!!! I have a modified shed type coop, with upper ventilation, windows, and an attached roofed run.
Do consider a Woods coop!
Mary

 

[IdyllwildAcres]

Open up one entire wall with hardware cloth the faces away from the prevailing winds with the roost opposite wall from open wall. My coops a bit bigger and I have one open wall, 3 opening windows and two open gable vents. Linked to right. I would open it up as much as you can, if it turns out they are getting a draft then put up a curtain or divider but don't close it up.

Its been in the 20's here the last few nights my birds are happy and healthy


Gary

 

[JackE]

Here's a link to an old book, that goes all into ventilation. You don't have to have all your ventilation up high. You can have it right at chicken level, without any worries of drafts.

https://archive.org/details/openairpoultryho00wood

 

[aart]

Designing my first coop and I keep reading that the coop MUST be well ventilated, yet at the same time, you don't want it to be drafty. My coop will be 12X12. What's the best way to make sure it's well ventilated, but not drafty? Seems it may be tricky to achieve one without the other.

Welcome to BYC @Kyle Boisseau !
It is tricky!
Much depends on your climate, your site, and your coop configuration-especially the roof.
Open eaves under deep roof overhangs go a long way to making good ventilation for year round. Some vents need to be open all year, more in summer, all need to be protected from the weather. Top hinged windows can really help in summer because they can stay open even during a rain.

If you want to share your design, you could get some feedback.
Here's a pretty good discussion on ventilation vs draft:
http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1048597/ventilated-but-free-of-drafts