Working on a Winter Coop/Will I have enough ventilation?

[Hamiam]

I know the winters in North Texas are normally mild. However, I didn't think I could close off all of the drafts in my chicken tractor. I plan on placing the roosting bars on the wall directly across from the large front door & the nesting boxes just to the left of the door. Roof Gable vents on both ends to be installed.

a window on both sides, framed in but not cut out in siding yet. Repurposed mobile home windows screened with Hardware cloth.

Vented area along both sides by rafters that will be covered with hardware cloth.

There will be roof shingle ridge vent.

The girls supervised most of the work. However, they do not allow them to use power tools. @aart , what do you think?

 

[ChickNanny13]

Looks GREAT! What size will the windows be? Think should be fine for your mild Winters but Summers get warm, lived in San Antonio for couple years.

 

[Hamiam]

Looks GREAT! What size will the windows be? Think should be fine for your mild Winters but Summers get warm, lived in San Antonio for couple years.

Windows are small like 14" x 34". This is our winter coop, our summer coop is the converted goat trailer seen in the picture behind the hen. It's a metal cage with metal roof & wings that raise & lower. The wings stay up in the summer & gets nothing but ventilation. I know we shouldn't spoil our chickens, but I just can't sleep well when it's freezing outside & they are in that drafty metal cage.

 

[peterlund]

How many birds are you planning? Nice build btw. I use that smartside sheathing all the time. Excellent product!

 

[aart]

Good to block cold winds, but how cold does it really get there?

Eave venting is great, ridge venting will work if you don't get snow to cover it up.
Depending on your winds, you might want to damper/re-direct the eave venting airflow near the roost by tacking some cardboard on the undersides of the rafters from the top of wall to a foot shy of the ridge. Hope that makes sense.

I'd put a large gable vent under that beautiful roof overhang.

Will the windows be operable and in what way(slider, double hung, awning)?

Nice build!
I look forward to watching it progress.

 

[Hamiam]

How many birds are you planning? Nice build btw. I use that smartside sheathing all the time. Excellent product!

Thanks! We have 12 Hens. They are only locked up sunset to sunrise. We put up OSB Plywood behind the smartside panels. We originally planned to make it light enough to be moved with the tractor if needed. However, I think it's too heavy. The frame/legs are painted cedar beams we removed during our ranch house renovation.

 

[Hamiam]

Good to block cold winds, but how cold does it really get there?

Eave venting is great, ridge venting will work if you don't get snow to cover it up.
Depending on your winds, you might want to damper/re-direct the eave venting airflow near the roost by tacking some cardboard on the undersides of the rafters from the top of wall to a foot shy of the ridge. Hope that makes sense.

I'd put a large gable vent under that beautiful roof overhang.

Will the windows be operable and in what way(slider, double hung, awning)?

Nice build!
I look forward to watching it progress.

Thanks @aart, I value your opinion on ventilation. It really doesn't get very cold here. Around Jan-march we may get a few days of ice or light snow. My main objective was to not have drafts as the chickens sleep. It will only be used during cold weather/wind. The windows are small mobile home bathroom type 14" wide & slide up & down. In all the years I've had chickens, I've never worried about drafts. However, the new chicken tractor we built this year is almost all metal & I've never had a coop like it before. It just seems so cold & drafty. The weather has been so nice here & we decided it's a good time to build. Better to be safe than sorry. It also makes for another space in the spring if we get those Green Egg Layers that I've been dreaming of.

 

[Hamiam]

We got the shingles on & both windows in. Built the nesting boxes & roosting bars. We will install those after they are painted. Still need to install the gable vents & hardware cloth along the rafter vents & as screens for windows. I'm almost done priming inside. I took the advice of something I read on BYC. I can see where painting will possibly decrease odors absorbed by the wood & make for easier clean up. I didn't paint some 2x4 roost in my chicken tractor & have regretted it! I'll post more pics soon!

 

[Hamiam]

Just need to make the hardware wire window screens, add nesting box hay & we will be done. Hope we have enough ventilation. My husband doesn't think a second roof gable vent is needed. We have the roof cap vent at the top & both sides along the rafters are vented & covered with hardware cloth. 2 small windows that can opened, as needed. I do have concerns about the roofing nails that are poking thru the ceiling. Because the roosting bars are so low, I doubt the girls will get up that high. However, chickens are like kids.

 

[Hamiam]

Trying a couple of buckets in the nesting boxes for the first time.

Got the screens on.

@aart what do you think?