Ideal ventilation

[chickenfan]

A friend has made me a lovely poultry house with some ventilation holes near the roof and a meshed window that can be open and shut, but the ventilation needs to be increased as I'm finding some of my healthy birds sneezing for the first time. Does anyone know if there are any particular principles to this? Should there be some ventilation at the bottom, below the perches, or should it just be above where they perch (above head height)?

Are there also ways to keep it reasonably dark (re cockerels)

 

[dinosaw]

It needs to be above to protect them from draughts. The only thing I can think of with regards to light is having the ventilation holes under the eaves if it has a sioped roof which will block direct light at least.

 

[rick]

The one in the top right has been my solution and blocks a lot of light, especially if the inside of the 'shade' is painted black. Could be extended into a longer 'labyrinth' as dotted. If the passage through is twice the size of the vent holes in the coop then there should be no restriction to air flow.

The one in the bottom left corner was a 'cartridge' style ventilator I was considering made of egg trays. Would limit both light and sound very well I think but probably more elaborate than necessary. Again, the cross section through the ventilator would need to be twice what you would want in the side of a roost.

 

[dinosaw]

Looks like an illustration of how to blow the death stars reactor via the thermal exhaust port.

 

[rick]

I always have to reach for a pencil!
Linden is crowing about an hour an a half later than he would normally at this time of year but even if it was completely dark in there I think his body clock would kick in and the hens are moving around and making their usual morning noises so he crows anyway.
It just delays him till a more reasonable time (otherwise 4:30ish at the moment.)
I was wondering Chickenfan, as its a new house maybe the timber or finishing needs to settle down a bit (fresh wood resins, glues, a bit of stray sanding dust?)

 

[chrismahon]

Ventilation should be across the top of the coop Chickenfan, so you need vents both sides, well above the perch. Ventilation below the perch would create a draught and that's no good. The formula we used in England was 6% of the floor area, so 3% each side. However here we've had to increase to 10% here and the vents need sliding covers because of the violent winds and rain. Usually the covers are half open but we close one side fully in wind and open both in Summer.

 

[RedBarnHens]

Love the diagram

I'm a tad confused by this ventilation business. What about keeping the pop hole open on the coop? Will that cause an unacceptable draught?

I have air coming in through a window to the left of the main door, plus just inside the main door there is a half wall to the right which is open (but predator proofed with welded mesh) to the rest of the stable block. Inside the coop itself, which was a former sauna, there is a meshed opening high up. Do you think this is ok????

 

[Marigold]

I know it's the received wisdom that chickens must not be in a draught, but I've never believed this. Chickens have evolved to roost in trees or under bushes, where draughts come in from all around, and above and below, and rain as well. It seems to me that it's big improvement for them to have a dry coop with some comfortable perches to sit on, and in many coops they're much more likely to suffer from lack of air, and consequent condensation and germ- laden fug, than from plenty of ventilation, wherever it's coming from. Chicken coops must be a relatively new invention to chickens, and they would probably prefer a simple airy shelter that just keeps them dry, and possibly shelters them from the worst of the wind in winter. If your run is secure, as it should be, leave the pophole open all the time, and the vents at the top as well. Provide some shelter from howling wind and driving rain, maybe roof the coop area and face the pophole towards a screened corner of the run, and they will be fine.

 

[rick]

Just noticed and I love the way you’ve integrated the existing wall into the run RBH.

Size is the other factor of course - a room like you’ve got there isn’t going to get stuffy with a few hens in it whereas a more typically sized wooden roost/nestbox will steam up really quickly without enough ventilation.

I do agree though, you wouldn’t put a vent right next to them at perch level where it concentrates a gale - especially from behind!

 

[RedBarnHens]

Ahhh..I think it's all a bit clearer now, thank you Marigold.

Thank you Rick. We had to work with what was there. We had a notch cut out of a part of the wall so that ladders could go up and down the other side. I think it gives a bit of shelter from the weather inside the run too. I have no idea if the chickens will be able to use the top of the wall to roost on in the day. Hoping to get it all finished and collect my chickens next week. We're off to the chicken breeder tomorrow to look at his set up and his stock

 

[rick]

Just saying this because it's in mind - they may use the ladder but are also likely to just fly up then hop down on the other side. If there are any stones on the floor they run the risk of an abrasion and bumblefoot. A bench or table a couple of feet away from the wall on each side would half the drop and could also be used as a feeding table to get food off the ground.
Just a thought.
Apart from that I think it's good to have different areas and levels for exercise and interest.

 

[chickenfan]

Thank you all so much for the inspiring feedback. Sorry I've been away a couple of days. Great to see Chris back, and I'm very impressed by Rick's drawings and the sauna house.