Advice on Ventilation, pics included

[sunnie7]

We are building 2 breeding pens that will eventually have attached runs. There are 2 windows that stay open and the top part of the door also stays open. Is this enough ventilation or what do I need to add? The back wall and left wall are the sides the rain comes in and I don’t have an over hang so don’t really want to cut into those walls….thoughts?! It does stay cooler in there than outside! Has pretty good shading from trees. I could add a box fan into one of the windows if that’s necessary or would be helpful.

 

[perkolator]

I see one pen, where is the 2nd pen going to be located? I'd guess the number of birds you plan to keep in the building, as well as how you plan to manage their bedding and poop would influence your ventilation needs; one dozen birds are going to need different ventilation than multiple dozen birds just in terms of drying out and venting their daily poop smells.

I would say your current ventilation lacks cross-flow being all on one side of the structure. The box fan would probably help a lot, but then you're blowing around chicken dust everywhere. Personally I'd consider adding one or multiple vents somewhere on the other side(s), or even a roof turbine maybe so you have constant passive ventilation. Most exterior metal vents have louvers on them if you're concerned with the rain, you could also add something over it if it's insufficient at shedding water.

 

[sunnie7]

I see one pen, where is the 2nd pen going to be located? I'd guess the number of birds you plan to keep in the building, as well as how you plan to manage their bedding and poop would influence your ventilation needs; one dozen birds are going to need different ventilation than multiple dozen birds just in terms of drying out and venting their daily poop smells.

I would say your current ventilation lacks cross-flow being all on one side of the structure. The box fan would probably help a lot, but then you're blowing around chicken dust everywhere. Personally I'd consider adding a vent somewhere on the other side, or even a roof turbine maybe so you have constant passive ventilation. Most exterior metal vents have louvers on them if you're concerned with the rain, you could also add something over it if it's insufficient at shedding water.

2nd on will be to the left of the other, exactly the same. Will have no more than 8 full size chickens in each pen. Each pen is roughly 8x6’. We will be adding automatic doors to each one this weekend and poop boards that will get scooped at least every other day.

Do I need lower ventilation too? I think my husband would be more on board with adding a roof turbine than cutting into the wall on the left. could you show me an example of what size and type of vent with louvers? I’m thinking if we do that I’d need one in each pen on the left wall across from each current window.

 

[perkolator]

The vents with louvers I'm thinking of are your standard metal gable vent like you'd see on the side of someone's house under the roofline - they're louvered so rain water doesn't go into your attic. They even have versions with attic fans on them if you want that style.

Are the runs going to be separate too? How are you going to do that?

 

[sunnie7]

The vents with louvers I'm thinking of are your standard metal gable vent like you'd see on the side of someone's house under the roofline - they're louvered so rain water doesn't go into your attic. They even have versions with attic fans on them if you want that style.

Are the runs going to be separate too? How are you going to do that?

We are turning the current coop (you can kinda see it in the background) to the left, our run is huge, not covered but I have a Great Pyrenees that helps tremendously keep predators away!! I’m planning on setting something up probably with t posts and maybe construction fencing to separate then just during spring and beginning of summer for breeding then rest of the year they will be with rest of the general flock.

 

[sunnie7]

The vents with louvers I'm thinking of are your standard metal gable vent like you'd see on the side of someone's house under the roofline - they're louvered so rain water doesn't go into your attic. They even have versions with attic fans on them if you want that style.

Are the runs going to be separate too? How are you going to do that?

Like these?

 

[perkolator]

I don't know about that one specifically as I've never used that type, but I've used this type with these longer, bent louvers:https://www.lowes.com/pd/CMI-12-in-x-18-in-White-Rectangle-Steel-Gable-Vent/3284528 Once you get them in your hands at hardware store you'll see which ones are better.

 

[3KillerBs]

You need upper-level ventilation.

Those louvered vents for attics and sheds generally amount to square inches when you need square feet.

Here is my article on ventilating your coop: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/repecka-illustrates-coop-ventilation.77659/

 

[sunnie7]

You need upper-level ventilation.

Those louvered vents for attics and sheds generally amount to square inches when you need square feet.

Here is my article on ventilating your coop: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/repecka-illustrates-coop-ventilation.77659/

Would the roof turbine be helpful?

 

[3KillerBs]

Would the roof turbine be helpful?

Possibly. I want to get one for my brooder, which has a flat roof so that even 16 square feet of permanent, 24/7/365 ventilation isn't always enough given the lack of airFLOW.

But I am a firm believer in the merits of passive ventilation and paying careful attention to the movement of the air inside the coop. Come winter, that turbine will be frozen solid but well-designed top-level vents under awnings would still be functioning and you need just as much ventilation in the winter as in the summer because you need to remove the moisture that causes frostbite.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/cold-weather-poultry-housing-and-care.72010/