Ensure proper ventilation without drafts

Install vents near the roofline of the shelter to allow moisture and ammonia to escape without creating direct airflow on roosting or sleeping animals. Ventilation openings should be above animal level so warm, damp air rises and exits naturally while cold drafts stay above the animals.

Why It Works

Moisture and ammonia from droppings accumulate in enclosed shelters and cause serious respiratory disease in all species. Chickens are especially vulnerable because their highly efficient respiratory systems absorb airborne irritants rapidly. Proper ventilation removes these hazards while deep bedding and draft-free walls at animal level maintain warmth.

Tips

• If you can smell ammonia inside the shelter, ventilation is inadequate
• Cover all ventilation openings with hardware cloth to maintain predator security
• Even in winter, ventilation is more important than insulation — frostbite is caused by moisture, not cold alone