When shopping for a new chicken coop or designing your own, it’s important to make sure you have all the necessary features for your chickens, including the appropriate number of windows.
In general, a chicken coop requires at least 2 windows on opposing sides of the coop to allow for proper ventilation. You can also open the human door and chicken door on the coop to add more ventilation to the coop or add ventilation holes near the ceiling of the coop.
Keep reading to find out more about the requirements for windows in a chicken coop.
Minimum Number of Windows in a Chicken Coop
There should be a minimum of 2 windows in a chicken coop. To maximize ventilation and air flow through the coop, these windows should be 180 degrees from each other (across from each other). You can also open the human door and chicken door on the coop for added ventilation.
Windows are necessary in a chicken coop to provide ventilation for the chickens. Chickens have a sensitive respiratory system that can become irritated by dust, ammonia odor (causes by excessive manure), or too much moisture in the air.
In addition to providing air flow, windows allow in natural sunlight which is necessary for egg laying hens. Chickens require at least 14 hours of sunlight a day to lay eggs. Daylight enters a hen’s photosensitive gland in her eye to trigger ovulation. If this trigger does not happen, then a chicken will not ovulate and will not be able to lay an egg.
Windows can also allow light into the coop at night. This can be an issue because chickens will not sleep if there is enough light to see. When there is light to see, chickens will be awake and on watch for potential predators.
In general, chickens require 6 to 8 hours of sleep every day. Sleep is essential to chickens to process new information and helps build their body’s natural immunity.
Make sure your neighbors don’t have a bright porch light that is shining in the coop all night long. Try to position your coop in your yard so that street lights don’t shine into the coop.
In addition to windows, you might consider adding ventilation holes near the ceiling.
If your coop does not already have ventilation holes, they are easy to add. You can use a drill bit used for making door knob holes to drill two holes near the ceiling of your coop, exactly opposite of each other. If you are able to make the holes along the north and south walls, that’s even better. From the inside of the coop, attach half inch hardware cloth using screws and washers. This will allow air flow in the coop, while also preventing a predator from trying to enter the coop through these holes.
Size of Windows in Chicken Coop
The size of the windows in your chicken coop will be important in hot or humid climates where you need extensive ventilation of the coop.
Take into account that most windows will only allow air in to half the window. For example, the windows on my coop are 13″ x 20″. However, when the window is open, air is only able to blow through an opening 13″ x 9″.
The size of windows required for your chicken coop will depend on many factors, including:
- The size of the chicken coop – larger coops will generally need larger windows
- How many chickens are housed in the coop – more chickens in a coop mean there’s more body heat to build up and more respiration, leading to increased moisture and a higher need for ventilation
- Whether you also have fans in the coop – fans can help move air around a coop, in addition to windows
- The temperature inside and outside the coop – coops that are located in hot or humid climates require as much ventilation as you can provide
I would suggest going with the largest windows you can fit on the chicken coop. The amount of air that is moved through the coop will be directly proportional to the size of your air inlets and outlets, so the larger the windows, the more air is moved through the coop. There are even some people who don’t design their coops with windows, but instead have one wall of the chicken coop screened in to provide continual air flow.
If you are designing your own chicken coop, take into account that several windows on the same side of the coop won’t have the same impact as opening windows 180 degrees or even 90 degrees from each other.
My coop has two windows on one side of the coop and the human and chicken doors at 90 degrees. I always have the windows and chicken door open which allows some flow. After I replaced the human door with a screen door, I’m able to have continuous airflow throughout the coop. At night, when the chicken door is closed, I place a fan at one of the windows to continue to provide ventilation throughout the night.
Types of Screens for a Chicken Coop Windows
Windows on a chicken coop should be covered with half inch hardware cloth. This will protect your chickens from predators, like raccoons, that can easily tear through normal window screens.
In addition, you might consider adding a window screen material to keep mosquitos out of the coop at night when the doors are closed. Mosquitoes are carriers of disease, including fowl pox, and are most prevalent in the summer and fall, especially after rainy weather.
Depending on your coop construction, you might consider replacing the regular door with a screen door. Just make sure to not use the lightweight mesh screen that typically comes on screen doors or windows. This material is not secure enough and won’t keep out an animal intent on entering the coop. Half inch hardware cloth makes a great screen for the door (and windows): it’s secure, cheap, and can be bought at Lowe’s, Ace Hardware, Tractor Supply, or Walmart.
