Everything You Need to Know About Ventilation in Your Chicken Coop
If you have a chicken coop it is important to make sure you have proper ventilation especially if you have an insulated chicken coop or are planning on insulating it. Putting vents in your coop is fairly easy to do, keeps your flock cooler in the summer, and healthier in freezing winter weather and during mosquito season when you keep your birds inside. Ventilating your chicken house means your birds will have fresher air and less chances of getting respiratory infections. Vents should be installed where your birds cannot reach them or perch on them. Ventilation helps to reduce the amount of nitrogen buildup in the air which can give your chickens bronchial infections. If you do not have windows in your chicken coop it is a good idea to install a couple but be sure to put hardware cloth and screens to prevent insects and predators from entering the coop. During the winter South facing windows will allow heat into the coop during the day and should be covered at night to maintain the heat gained during the day which will provide a natural heat source for your coop. In the summer you should make sure you have awnings on the West side windows to reduce the amount of sun going into the coop (this will keep your coop cooler). You can use regular louvered vents, (preferably with screens to keep insects and mosquitos out, especially if you keep lights on in your coop at night). For larger coops you can use attic exhaust fans (Make sure you cover the opening with hardware cloth to prevent predators from entering the coop if the attic fan stops or fails). If you use solar power ventilation make sure it has a battery to store power or electric backup so the exhaust fans do not stop running at night.
Proper chicken coop ventilation provides an air exchange allowing bad air out and good air in. Putting vents in your coop helps to reduce the amount of moisture in the coop and a reduces fumes caused from nitrogen in chicken feces (poop) which can cause respiratory problems in the lungs which can cause breathing problems, bacterial infections and other illness in chickens.
Take a look at this chicken coop I built. No bedding is needed. There is a nesting pad in the nest box. Solar powered predator lights and a portable solar powered electric fence provides protection from predators. The coop is triangle shaped. In the winter there will be a door at the top and hay. I drilled small holes on the East and South sides to allow air in. An exhaust fan will be put in before winter. During the summer I just remove the door and the birds stay nice and cool at night and get plenty of ventilation. Chickens should be protected from the elements as well as predators. Tin on the roof of the coop keeps it much cooler during the summer. I live in Texas where temps can reach 120 F. degrees.
Where you place your coop can really help to keep them cooler. Don't put your coop in direct sun. Make sure it is shaded during the hottest part of the day. Make sure the North winds cannot blast your chickens in the winter but that is a topic for another page. Keeping your chickens comfortable and your coop well ventilated makes for healthier birds. See video and best buys on chicken coop ventilation below. Proper ventilation is important to your chickens health just as much as insulating your chicken coop. Insulation keeps your coop cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter. Go to Insulating Chicken Coops
Take a look at this chicken coop I built. No bedding is needed. There is a nesting pad in the nest box. Solar powered predator lights and a portable solar powered electric fence provides protection from predators. The coop is triangle shaped. In the winter there will be a door at the top and hay. I drilled small holes on the East and South sides to allow air in. An exhaust fan will be put in before winter. During the summer I just remove the door and the birds stay nice and cool at night and get plenty of ventilation. Chickens should be protected from the elements as well as predators. Tin on the roof of the coop keeps it much cooler during the summer. I live in Texas where temps can reach 120 F. degrees.
Where you place your coop can really help to keep them cooler. Don't put your coop in direct sun. Make sure it is shaded during the hottest part of the day. Make sure the North winds cannot blast your chickens in the winter but that is a topic for another page. Keeping your chickens comfortable and your coop well ventilated makes for healthier birds. See video and best buys on chicken coop ventilation below. Proper ventilation is important to your chickens health just as much as insulating your chicken coop. Insulation keeps your coop cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter. Go to Insulating Chicken Coops
Featured Video: Ventilating Your Chicken Coop-Ventilation Tips
References:
Video: Ventilating your chicken coop (July 21, 2016) Mother earth news. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LmyndAtVruY
Video: Ventilating your chicken coop (July 21, 2016) Mother earth news. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LmyndAtVruY