Winter ventilation for a small coop...

[aart]

and with my arthritis in my back, I just can't twist and bend like I used to.

I hear ya....got it all over, worst in hands and knees.
Another thought... larger louvered and adjustable and maybe 'filtered' vents in gables of cupola....well outer gable of cupola and under run-roof gable of coop itself. They could be kept opened in even badder weather...and could be installed while standing up.

 

[RoosterML]

Thank you for the great advice. I appreciate the time you took to respond to my query. I will definitely begin monitoring the humidity. Where can I find the digital device you showed the pic of?

I believe it was Home Depot.Its a really nice unit been using it for years in my basement.

 

[RoosterML]

We use chopped bedding straw. It works pretty good and my wife and I can usually clean out just the offending material. What do you mean by "flakes"? We did start with pine shavings if that's what you meant, but received discouraging advice about using that. From what I've learned, the straw is a better insulator as well and the bottom of the coop has a sliding metal tray that I"m sure will get pretty cold as the weather turns, so we opted for straw.

By flakes I mean the larger ones. At tractor supply the white bag is pine "flakes" larger one and the yellow bag is fine pine chips. I think the pine flakes are also a good insulator. See my biggest worry about the hay or straw was that they would eat it and get an impacted crop. I guess it could also happen with the pine chips also so in the end it's which ever is easier to clean. Like I said everyone has a favorite if it ain't broke don't fix it.

 

[MarkJP]

By flakes I mean the larger ones. At tractor supply the white bag is pine "flakes" larger one and the yellow bag is fine pine chips. I think the pine flakes are also a good insulator. See my biggest worry about the hay or straw was that they would eat it and get an impacted crop. I guess it could also happen with the pine chips also so in the end it's which ever is easier to clean. Like I said everyone has a favorite if it ain't broke don't fix it.

It was my understanding that the pine chips could cause respiratory issues. That's why we switched to the straw. I'm new to this so I am not very experienced and simply learning as I go. Thanks for the input.

 

[MarkJP]

I believe it was Home Depot.Its a really nice unit been using it for years in my basement.

I'll check them out!

 

[GC-Raptor]

Thank you for the great advice. I appreciate the time you took to respond to my query. I will definitely begin monitoring the humidity. Where can I find the digital device you showed the pic of?

I got the same one at Walmart. GC

 

[MarkJP]

Thanks GC! Walmart is even closer to me than HD!

 

[Mrs. K]

don't think warm, think dry. I use prairie hay deep, once a week I throw scratch on top of it, and they break up any clumps, helps keep things dried out.

I would keep the vents open as much as possible if they are on the side away from the prevailing wind.

Mrs K

 

[MarkJP]

don't think warm, think dry. I use prairie hay deep, once a week I throw scratch on top of it, and they break up any clumps, helps keep things dried out.

I would keep the vents open as much as possible if they are on the side away from the prevailing wind.

Mrs K

Thank you. I am going to purchase a couple of humidity meters to check on the inside/outside. I will open the shutters on top.

 

[lmdengler]

I like it. You should have some happy chickens with that set up.
With those manual opening vents in the top part that will give you some really nice control over what's going on inside. To me the best thing you could do is get something to monitor the humidity level inside the coop.
You can't go wrong with knowing what the humidity is exactly. Humidity should be as close to outside as possible. I would guess that on really cold windy or stormy days you can close those vents up and let the two little holes do the venting. After that use your judgement and crack those vents open accordingly. Maybe open them up a couple inches on each side. If you have one side with a prevailing wind close that one up and open the other side some more. It's nice to see your coop done with both good looks and function. I am not sure I would leave your pop door open on the bottom during cold windy days with the top vents being open, it seems that it would create a draft thru the coop running from bottom to top directly across the birds. I know you'll obviously have to open the door for them but maybe when the door is open you close the tops vents on cold days to minimize the drafting, and once you close the lower door you can open the top vents alittle. Like I said with your set up you will have some really nice control of how thing are inside. So don't get it wrong and everything will be just fine.
Almost forgot you could always permanently hang a ribbon in the coop and monitor the ribbon for movement. Will be a good indicator of what kind of draft the birds will feel.
And hello from CT also !!
This is Dummy proof so it's perfect for me it tells you if humidity is high or low:
View attachment 1593742

Did you put this up in the coop or did you put a sensor up in the coop and keep the other end inside? What should the humidity be?