Arizona Chickens

[Banaynaychicken]

Ugh this rain is AWFUL!!!

I was going to let all of my birds free range most of the dy today but guess i cant while it's all rainy outside like this....

Tempted to bring my two new hens inside just for S's and G's.

 

[DesertChic]

Ugh this rain is AWFUL!!!

I was going to let all of my birds free range most of the dy today but guess i cant while it's all rainy outside like this....

Tempted to bring my two new hens inside just for S's and G's.

My birds LOVE foraging in the rain and on the wet ground. And they grow through much less feed on rainy days since they dig up more bugs. It's a win-win.

 

[MagicChicken]

homeless depot, lol!

your coop/s look great! while the chicks are still in the brooder, Hubby n i will b building a "hoop coop". we took a look at the HD ones, then the price tags... yep. def building our own!!!!

doesn't need to be the space shuttle,, doesn't need to cost as much, either!!!!!

Just a heads-up on the hoop coop - I have to replace the tarp on my hoop coop every couple of months. Even UV resistant ones do not last in the Tucson sun. If I have to build another coop it will be a regular, wood frame coop with a roof. They are cheaper in the long run.

 

[Christoffking]

Just a heads-up on the hoop coop - I have to replace the tarp on my hoop coop every couple of months. Even UV resistant ones do not last in the Tucson sun.  If I have to build another coop it will be a regular, wood frame coop with a roof.  They are cheaper in the long run.

I heard shingles or rolled roof are the way to go, but they can make the coop heavier with all the shingles up there. I'm would like to seeing if you could just do like a flat roof design with that thick rubber coating.

 

[theback40]

we will only do a tarp for a short time, then replace with corrugated metal (Home Depot has corrugated 'plastic'(?) whatever it is-- maybe resin or fiberglass, idk) that we will use. i think it will do well

 

[BlueBaby]

we will only do a tarp for a short time, then replace with corrugated metal (Home Depot has corrugated 'plastic'(?) whatever it is-- maybe resin or fiberglass, idk) that we will use. i think it will do well

With the hot sun here in Az. I would go with the corrugated galvanized metal. It would last longer, and if you were worried about rust, you could paint it. The Arizona sun will rot out the plastic.

 

[MagicChicken]

we will only do a tarp for a short time, then replace with corrugated metal (Home Depot has corrugated 'plastic'(?) whatever it is-- maybe resin or fiberglass, idk) that we will use. i think it will do well

The advantage of the tarp is you can stake it out on the sides, like awnings. That provides lots of shade and ventilation at ground level. In the summer my hoop coop feels wicked hot when I stand in it. But the temperature at chicken level isn't bad as long as the sides are open and the ends are also ventilated.

If you enclose the sides with solid material be careful about ventilation. I enclosed the hoops with hardware cloth so the open sides are still protected from predators. The first winter I was paranoid about the cold, so I tied the tarp down tight on the sides and kept the end panel vents open. It wasn't enough ventilation and I got condensation in the coop. Now I just leave the sides tied out all winter long. The birds are fine.

 

[theback40]

My plan is to keep it open on the ends, n we r building an elevated platform for the coop w very low walls of plywood. Underneath is open for dustbathing in the shade. There will b gaps due to the arc, which I will b using hardware cloth to cover. Hubby wants to put a thin layer of insulation under the corrugated metal roof, the silver stuff(we've used it for insulation on a variety of things outdoors n it seems to do beautifully in the desert sun!! I don't want foam, n certainly not fiberglass!!!). If that's not enough, I will stick a solar fan out there... I saw where someone was putting bricks in shallow pans of water in summer to keep their chickens cool. Hopefully w all this, they will b quite happy!!
When it's cold I can just temporarily block off some of the open areas.

 

[DesertChic]

we will only do a tarp for a short time, then replace with corrugated metal (Home Depot has corrugated 'plastic'(?) whatever it is-- maybe resin or fiberglass, idk) that we will use. i think it will do well

We used that corrugated plastic from Home Depot on a structure at our business. It was a sizable investment and only lasted 2-3 years, and that was with it shaded for half of the day. Our tough AZ sun simply destroys it. We used the translucent stuff as well as the opaque colored stuff with the same results. It's worth spending the money on the metal roof instead. And shop around for it. We saved a lot of money buying it from a metal shop instead of a home improvement store, and it was already coated in color rather than bare metal. It was literally half the cost.

 

[ejcrist]

My plan is to keep it open on the ends, n we r building an elevated platform for the coop w very low walls of plywood. Underneath is open for dustbathing in the shade. There will b gaps due to the arc, which I will b using hardware cloth to cover. Hubby wants to put a thin layer of insulation under the corrugated metal roof, the silver stuff(we've used it for insulation on a variety of things outdoors n it seems to do beautifully in the desert sun!! I don't want foam, n certainly not fiberglass!!!). If that's not enough, I will stick a solar fan out there... I saw where someone was putting bricks in shallow pans of water in summer to keep their chickens cool. Hopefully w all this, they will b quite happy!!
When it's cold I can just temporarily block off some of the open areas.

We used that corrugated plastic from Home Depot on a structure at our business. It was a sizable investment and only lasted 2-3 years, and that was with it shaded for half of the day. Our tough AZ sun simply destroys it. We used the translucent stuff as well as the opaque colored stuff with the same results. It's worth spending the money on the metal roof instead. And shop around for it. We saved a lot of money buying it from a metal shop instead of a home improvement store, and it was already coated in color rather than bare metal. It was literally half the cost.

X2 on using the metal. It's the only material that will hold up. Personally I like the painted flat panels. They can be a little pricey if you need a lot of them but they hold up really well and reflect the heat. Better to only have to build it once. Actually they're a lot less expensive and easier to install than asphalt shingles, so I guess it's all relative.