Dryer Vent Passive Ventilation

[mroxner]

Hey Everyone,
Seems like I've been designing this little coop for months (actually, I have). It will be 4x4 (to house 2 Buffs and 1 Speckled Sussex - hatch date 4-5-10).
I live in MI and am trying to come up with winter ventilation needs. I want to avoid drafts, obviously, so here is my question. Would a single hole (screened over) with a dryer vent covering it on the outside--placed about roost level--would this be adequate passive ventilation for the cold days of winter. Heck, maybe I could even place two side-by-side on the same wall (no cross breeze, but more ventilation??)

I would open up other ventilation whenever I could.

Ventilation on small coops is proving to be tricky.

I hope my idea came across clearly and that a few of y'all might be in a position to steer me.

Thanks.

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
"Maybe". That is a fair amount of chickens in not too much air space, and I could see it as easily not being quite enough as *being* enough. If it were me I would plan for more of it, just in case. If you are in a windy location, it is pretty easy to build a hood for a larger ventilation opening, and that plus it being on the downwind side should be as good as you're going to get. If it isn't an exceptionally windy location, you may not really need the hood, even.

(By 'dryer vent', you mean just the hood, right, not louvers?)

Ventilation on small coops is proving to be tricky.

Yes, it is, especially on a cubical coop. If you could make the coop bigger I think you'd find it a lot easier to manage...

Good luck, have fun,

Pat​

 

[mroxner]

Thanks Pat.

Yup just the dryer vent hoods. I'll plan for more passive and have removable hoods for backup. I am not particularly windy, so I will take your advice about more passive and downwind sides, etc.

Thanks again,
Bryan

 

[kota1369]

Pats right, you will need more ventalation. The main thing is making sure it doesnt get humid inside the coop as that will cause respitory problems. Humidity and cold can kill a chicken.
good luck to you

the lady with 4 dogs and 4 city chickens

 

[Backyard_Chicken_rancher]

Quote:
you might to play with the idea of a turbine ventit runs with the wind and keeps draft out It would be a good vent for your roof.

This is just an idea...Good luck to you

 

[AtholCoop]

Quote:
I've got two dryer vents in my cupola, between them, the pop door, and my window that I can open to varying degrees it works pretty good. I hold the flap open with a clothes pin. This winter I had the upwind one closed most of the time and had no problems with moisture build up at all.