Lighting for roost area

[Bstruss]

So I have an old covered chicken house of 25' x 10' with is caged in sufficiently. It had metal roof panels on the on north end which was used for the roost area but I have taken them down and put up chicken wire. The house (old property owner) basically served as a run, nest boxes, and roost without a separate coop area.

I am getting the house ready again for laying hens and was wondering if it is okay to leave the north wall panels down in the summer so there is more light and also to increase circulation for cooling in the hot months. I am new to raising chickens, and all the coop-roost areas I see are mostly closed in, but I am wondering if it is okay (so far as light goes) to have the roost area open? The house sits under a large oak tree and the property is very quiet and dark at night, so I figured it would naturally get dark enough at days end without the roost area being fully enclosed (of course it is caged and roofed). Will this work okay? I would put the panels back up in the cooler months for wind protection.

 

[PD-Riverman]

So I have an old covered chicken house of 25' x 10' with is caged in sufficiently. It had metal roof panels on the on north end which was used for the roost area but I have taken them down and put up chicken wire. The house (old property owner) basically served as a run, nest boxes, and roost without a separate coop area.

I am getting the house ready again for laying hens and was wondering if it is okay to leave the north wall panels down in the summer so there is more light and also to increase circulation for cooling in the hot months. I am new to raising chickens, and all the coop-roost areas I see are mostly closed in, but I am wondering if it is okay (so far as light goes) to have the roost area open? The house sits under a large oak tree and the property is very quiet and dark at night, so I figured it would naturally get dark enough at days end without the roost area being fully enclosed (of course it is caged and roofed). Will this work okay? I would put the panels back up in the cooler months for wind protection.

Why you want the roost area to have more light? I would want it dark. You said you put up chicken wire----"Chicken wire" is good to keep the chickens in but very few predators out. If you got stray dogs, bob cats, fox, coyote's, even raccoons, possums----you are going to have problems with chicken wire. Usually the coop will cool off at night anyway but adding windows with at the min. hardware cloth over the hole will cool it off better. BUT, these are yours and your barn so when you read all the post----do it the way you feel will work the best for you/them.

 

[Bstruss]

Actually I misspoke and meant to say hardware cloth instead of chicken wire. But does the roost area need to be darkened with more structure being that birds in the wild sleep in trees and only need the darkness of nightfall? I guess that is my basic question. This structure will be plenty safe against predators.

 

[PD-Riverman]

Actually I misspoke and meant to say hardware cloth instead of chicken wire. But does the roost area need to be darkened with more structure being that birds in the wild sleep in trees and only need the darkness of nightfall? I guess that is my basic question. This structure will be plenty safe against predators.

Need to be----Naw. Roosters crow more when its some what light----LOL.

 

[aart]

Welcome to BYC!

I would be more worried about infiltration of rain/snow/wind than light.

What is your climate?
Putting your location in your profile can help folks give better answers/suggestions.

Can you post some pics of the structure?
Sounds interesting.

 

[Bstruss]

I live in Madison Fl which is the north central part of the state. I will post some pics of the existing structure. thanks..

 

[Bstruss]

The far end is where I took down the sheet metal on the sides to open it up. That is where I have since built roosting structure. I am thinking of going with a deep llitter floor since I have so much available materials out here.

 

[aart]

What are those hanging cages?

As long as the roosts have cover from rain and wind.....they don't need to be dark/dim during the day.

 

[Bstruss]

I was hoping someone might have a guess as to what the hanging boxes are. I was thinking maybe they were chick rearing boxes since a couple had heat lights in them.

 

[PD-Riverman]

I was hoping someone might have a guess as to what the hanging boxes are. I was thinking maybe they were chick rearing boxes since a couple had heat lights in them.

Rabbit cages? But the wood is not chewed up enough for a used rabbit pen. Quail pen? Could be a chick pen, but I never wanted a raised open chick pen.