window placement and ramp angle

[captionerlady]

I am trying to build my coop.
For windows, is it better to have two, one on opposite sides for air flow? And is it better to put them on the side where the wind usually comes from or opposite?

I live where it gets 100 in the summer and is cold in the winter. I'm in Idaho. The coop is under a large tree so hopefully will get plenty of shade.

unfortunately, my door into the coop is on the floor and not going to be changed. (now open to change. See post below) So I'm trying to figure out how to angle the ramp so they have enough room when first climbing up the ramp and the bottom of the coop. How much height do they need at a minimum so that I get the angle right and give them enough room to get in?

I'm also going to put a three-sided box over the top of the floor opening so they have more floor space. How tall off the floor should I put the top of the box as well?
Thanks in advance.

 

[ReagyEggy]

Hello.

We didn't build our coop and we bought it, but I can still give you recommendations.

For the windows, maybe not on the wind side. It depends on your climate, but you don't want cold air blowing directly onto your hens at night in the winter. Our coop has screen windows that are adjustable and a wood flap thing too. Air circulation is important, so you can keep your coop warm at night with closed windows and circulate air out during the day. But if you have a warm/hot climate most/all of the year, don't worry about the windows, as long as you have some you can open to circulate hot air out.

I don't know about the ramp.

For the box, we constructed our own to connect our coop to the run. It is a dog kennel box that is easily opened on the side. it is maybe 2-3 feet tall. I would show you a picture but I don't have my phone right now. As long as it is double the height of your chickens, they can move through fine. (At the head a chicken is 11-12 inches tall, so at least two feet would have plenty of space.)

 

[captionerlady]

My step-dad built this before he left for a long trip. But he built it without making sure I was okay with what he did. It's a good start, but I have to make some modifications to it. The coop is 4X4. It's 33 inches off the ground. He put the "door" in the floor. He made it too wide, so i shortened it yesterday. I'm a bit worried about them falling through the opening getting off the roost; hence I was going to put a three-sided box over top of the opening. I guess I could also just cover the hole and put a door in the wall that the outside picture shows. Any thoughts? I have six chicks.

Do doors in the side of the coop need to be closed every night in the winter time in places where it's cold? Being realistic, that probably won't happen. I have no idea how much it costs for automatic door closers and how much skill it takes to install one if anyone can enlighten me. The door would be inside the fenced run that is not yet done.

 

[rosemarythyme]

For windows, is it better to have two, one on opposite sides for air flow? And is it better to put them on the side where the wind usually comes from or opposite?

IMO it's nice to have windows across from each other, not just for air flow but to let light in as the sun moves across the sky. It's best to NOT have them pointing towards your primary wind direction, as that'll just cause drafts, though if it's necessary to have a window pointing that way (just due to how the coop sits on the property) a window that can be closed or covered should work. I have windows on 3 sides of my coop, none facing primary wind direction - on the side that does face winds I have 2 smaller vents with louvered covers.

I don't have ramps so can't really offer suggestions on that.

Do doors in the side of the coop need to be closed every night in the winter time in places where it's cold?

Not for cold, but for safety, it's usually recommended to shut the pop door at night, as that's when many predators are active.

 

[Willowspirit]

I would have a preference for a door in the wall. A door in the floor takes up too much space in the coop and would be harder to use for cleaning and such.

 

[Hokum Coco]

I'm trying to figure out how to angle the ramp

Roof pitch and ramp angle amount to the same thing.
A good rule of thumb in a perfect world:
Make your ramp twice as long as the drop (or longer) which would give you a 6/12 pitch and an angle of 22.5º (or less).
A 4x4" or higher block attached to the end of your ramp to make a step up will do a lot to reduce the slope also."




This diagram shows a 4" drop with 1' ramp which results in a 4/12 pitch.
A 6/12 pitch would be accomplished with an 8" ramp