holes near the ceiling along the south and north walls give warm, moist air a place to escape. Screens over the holes will keep out wild birds, which may carry parasites or disease. Drop-down covers, hinged at the bottom and latched at the top, let you open or close ventilation holes as the weather dictates. If you’re afraid you’ll forget, use temperature-sensitive vents with slats that open and close automatically.
During cold weather, not only must you provide good ventilation, but you have to worry about drafts. Close the ventilation holes on the north side, keeping the holes on the south side open unless the weather turns bitter cold.
In warm weather, cross-ventilation keeps chickens cool and removes moisture. The warmer the air, the more moisture it can hold. During the summer, open all the ventilation holes and open windows on the north and south walls.
A cupola improves ventilation by letting hot, humid air escape through the roof where temperatures soar during summer.
Fans are another option for ventilation if your shelter has electricity. Poultry-shelter fans come in two styles: ceiling mounted and wall mounted.
A variable-speed ceiling fan keeps the air moving but benefits chickens only if ventilation holes are open, to avoid trapping hot air against the ceiling. Use a ceiling fan only if your ceiling is high enough to keep you from bumping into it and your chickens from flying into it. If you can’t bump your head on the fan,chances are it’s high enough for them to avoid flying into it, unless it’s directly over a perch or other platform from which a chicken conceivably might launch.
Quick Vent Check
Use your nose and eyes to check for proper ventilation. If you smell ammonia fumes and see thick cobwebs, your shelter is not adequately ventilated.
A wall-mounted fan sucks stale air out, causing fresh air to be drawn in. The fan, rated in cubic feet per minute, or cfm, should move 5 cubic feet (0.2 cu m) of air per minute per bird. If your flock is housed on litter, place the fan outlet near the floor, where it will more readily suck out dust as well as stale air. Since some dust will stick to the fan, a wall-mounted fan needs frequent cleaning with a vacuum or a pressure air hose.
A fan designed for use in your home won’t last long in the dust and humidity generated in the normal chicken shelter. To find fans designed for agricultural use, do a computer keyword search for “barn fan” or “agricultural fan” on the Internet or visit a local farm store or rural-oriented builder’s supply.
Temperature Control
The temperature inside a chicken shelter varies throughout the day and with the seasons. Environmental factors that influence indoor temperature include the following:
The outside temperature and humidity
The amount of ventilation or draft at chicken level
The temperature of walls, roosts, nests, feeders, and waterers
Shade on the shelter thrown by trees or buildings
Insulation in the ceiling and walls or provided by surrounding shrubs
The number of chickens living in the shelter, their ages, and whether or not they are laying
A chicken’s body operates most efficiently at an effective ambient temperature between 70 and 75°F (21 and 24°C). In colder weather, they eat more to obtain the additional energy they need to stay warm. Hot weather is more problematic. For each degree increase, broilers eat 1 percent less, causing a drop in average weight gain. Egg production may rise slightly, but eggs become smaller and have thinner shells. When the temperature exceeds 95°F (35°C), birds may die.
To keep the shelter from getting too hot, treat the roof and walls with insulation, such as 1½-inch (4 cm) Styrofoam sheets, particularly on the southand west sides. Cover the insulation with plywood or other material your chickens can’t pick to pieces. To reflect heat, use aluminum roofing or light-colored composite roofing, and paint the outside of the coop white or some other light
During cold weather, not only must you provide good ventilation, but you have to worry about drafts. Close the ventilation holes on the north side, keeping the holes on the south side open unless the weather turns bitter cold.
In warm weather, cross-ventilation keeps chickens cool and removes moisture. The warmer the air, the more moisture it can hold. During the summer, open all the ventilation holes and open windows on the north and south walls.
A cupola improves ventilation by letting hot, humid air escape through the roof where temperatures soar during summer.
Fans are another option for ventilation if your shelter has electricity. Poultry-shelter fans come in two styles: ceiling mounted and wall mounted.
A variable-speed ceiling fan keeps the air moving but benefits chickens only if ventilation holes are open, to avoid trapping hot air against the ceiling. Use a ceiling fan only if your ceiling is high enough to keep you from bumping into it and your chickens from flying into it. If you can’t bump your head on the fan,chances are it’s high enough for them to avoid flying into it, unless it’s directly over a perch or other platform from which a chicken conceivably might launch.
Quick Vent Check
Use your nose and eyes to check for proper ventilation. If you smell ammonia fumes and see thick cobwebs, your shelter is not adequately ventilated.
A wall-mounted fan sucks stale air out, causing fresh air to be drawn in. The fan, rated in cubic feet per minute, or cfm, should move 5 cubic feet (0.2 cu m) of air per minute per bird. If your flock is housed on litter, place the fan outlet near the floor, where it will more readily suck out dust as well as stale air. Since some dust will stick to the fan, a wall-mounted fan needs frequent cleaning with a vacuum or a pressure air hose.
A fan designed for use in your home won’t last long in the dust and humidity generated in the normal chicken shelter. To find fans designed for agricultural use, do a computer keyword search for “barn fan” or “agricultural fan” on the Internet or visit a local farm store or rural-oriented builder’s supply.
Temperature Control
The temperature inside a chicken shelter varies throughout the day and with the seasons. Environmental factors that influence indoor temperature include the following:
The outside temperature and humidity
The amount of ventilation or draft at chicken level
The temperature of walls, roosts, nests, feeders, and waterers
Shade on the shelter thrown by trees or buildings
Insulation in the ceiling and walls or provided by surrounding shrubs
The number of chickens living in the shelter, their ages, and whether or not they are laying
A chicken’s body operates most efficiently at an effective ambient temperature between 70 and 75°F (21 and 24°C). In colder weather, they eat more to obtain the additional energy they need to stay warm. Hot weather is more problematic. For each degree increase, broilers eat 1 percent less, causing a drop in average weight gain. Egg production may rise slightly, but eggs become smaller and have thinner shells. When the temperature exceeds 95°F (35°C), birds may die.
To keep the shelter from getting too hot, treat the roof and walls with insulation, such as 1½-inch (4 cm) Styrofoam sheets, particularly on the southand west sides. Cover the insulation with plywood or other material your chickens can’t pick to pieces. To reflect heat, use aluminum roofing or light-colored composite roofing, and paint the outside of the coop white or some other light
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