Roof over Coop and Run and/or Ventilation

[jts035]

NOTE: Edited for Typos and Clarity - 10-2-23 3:45PM CST. Changes are denoted in red.

Hi all,

Preemptive thanks for all the collective wisdom as I have hit a bit of a head scratcher and find myself walking to the ledge. I am new to chickens (currently 0) and am in the process of putting everything together. I have a question about how to deal with the heat.

Background Info:
Location: In/around Houston Tx
Average temps by month (all in *F): Jan - 60/45, Feb - 64/48, March - 70/55, April - 76/61, May - 83/68, June - 88/74, July - 91/76, Aug. - 91/76, Sept - 86/71, Oct. 79/63, Nov. - 70/54, Dec. 63/48.
Temp Note: This season has been extremely hot with all of July and Aug having temps of 95+ with a preference for 100-110 and some days above 115 with heat index. While I cannot say for certain, I think for most of July and all of Aug. we did not have a day with the heat index below 100* (Why did I leave Montana again?)

Coop Info:
Selected Coop - https://www.lowes.com/pd/CRAFTSMAN-...in-Storage-Shed-Gable-Storage-Shed/1001052346
Dimensions as constructed: 8'x8'x9' high
The shed has been placed on an 8'x8' wood base and the inside is nearly complete. I am down to ventilation and the coop door. (More to come on ventilation later)
The shed will be secured to the ground using ground anchors used to secure mobile homes to the ground (have some laying around) and attached directly to the 4x4s used to make the base.
NOTE: The coop will be placed within and entirely contained by the run described below

Run Info:

20'x20' chain link fence with (1) 2' of hardware cloth on the bottom of the run, (2) 2' of hardware cloth laid on the ground and staked in place with either homemade stakes, bent rebar, or store bought stakes, and (3) the top will be (a) 1/2 covered in avian netting and (b) 1/2 covered with either a tarp or R panel metal roofing material.
NOTE: Chain link fence was selected because of a business connection leading to a significantly lower price than is typical for something of this size and the ability to repurpose it later should the need/desire arise.
NOTE: I am electing to not burry the portions of the hardware cloth as it is my intent to move the run very 1-2 years to allow the planting of a garden in the old run location (i.e. Move the run in September of 2024, allow the ground to "cool" and add compost, plant as appropriate in 2025 and 2026, then repeat by moving to the previous location. I have access to tractors and other equipment to achieve this despite the weight of the coop. It is my belief this will provide the chickens with more natural insect life by allowing the ground to recover and will provide me with more fertile ground for a no/minimal till garden).
NOTE: My questions below relate to roofing over the coop itself. The roof I am describing here would be a near flat roof that abuts the coop but does not go over the peak of the roof or, at most, drapes over the top of the roof if a tarp is selected. The following is added for clarity: The base on which the coop sits has 4" of space before the start of the coop on both the left and right side. The roof I discuss here would be built by installing flanges in this space and placing in pipe approx. 1-2" higher than the walls of the run to allow drainage, with the roof of the coop shedding its own water.
NOTE: If possible and feasible, it is my intent to later construct a rain water collection system.
NOTE: The witnessed predators in my area (meaning I have seen them and not to say others don't exist) include (1) skunks, (2) hawks, (3) non-stray dogs, (4) snakes (copperheads). Again, this is not to say racoons, cats, or similar are not in my area, merely that I have not seen them.

Location Info:

The hen house will be placed in an area that currently receives near full shade from sunrise until ~10:00-11:00 AM, partial shade from 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM and full sun from 1:00 PM through sunset.
The predominant wind in summer will be from the rear left corner as you face the door.
The rear of the coop will nearly abut my neighbors 8' fence and minimal to no wind will come from this direction.

Ventilation Plan:
(1) At the highest points on the left and right wall (as you face the doors) cut slots measuring 1' High by 3' wide. I expect to be able to cut 2 per side given the internal structure of the coop but need to look at it more closely to be certain. I plan on framing the window to allow me install some form of rain/drip guard and to allow any/all vents to be closed should a hurricane come.
(2) Remove the "windows" from the door.
Note: All will be covered with 1/2" hardware cloth for safety.
(3) Depending on the answers to the below questions, the location of the automatic door will be either on the front (pedestrian door) left or right of the coop.

Number of Chickens:
I intend to start with not less than five (5) Rhode Island Reds or Leghorns (selected for their heat tolerance with strong consideration for their laying ability). However, as my house burns through 30+ eggs a week and typically closer to 45+, this will likely grow even without considering the natural tendency to want more birds (A general review of the Forum has told me to expect to add even if you have met your egg production goals.)
Note: I am open to other more heat tolerant breeds if there are suggestions given the volume of eggs I am seeking

Other Relevant Information:
(1) I do not have the ability to get "shore power" to the coop so anything electrical will need to be run via solar which the coop location is not conducive to.
(2) I am a classic over thinker if that could not already be gathered.
(3) In terms of "trade" skills, I am slightly lower than reasonable in terms of my carpentry skills, reasonable at welding mild steel (though no one would pay me to work with wood or metal) and, through friends, family and business connections, have access to a majority of tools needed to complete common construction tasks.

Concern:
My chief concern is not wanting to kill any of the chickens because of the heat we receive. I realize ventilation will be key but I am concerned anything beyond removing two walls would not provide enough ventilation given out past summer (100+ most days) given the coop is resin and dark in color.

Questions:
(1) Given the above information, is the ventilation I am considering adequate?
(2) Given the above information, should I consider entirely removing the manufacturer installed vents front and rear to allow air flow from all directions, keeping in mind the rear of the coop will likely receive little to no wind?
(3) Should I give consideration to trying to design a roof to cover the portion of the run the coop will be under? Note: This would require the peak of the roof covering the coop to be a minimum of 9' which can be accomplished buy using either (A) 120* "High Peak" chain link fence connectors. However, this would lead to needing a tarp and/or R Panel that is 11.5' long per side of the roof. (10' of run, 5.77' of rise, 60* angle to peak) or (B) a 90* coupler and needing a trap and/or R Panel that is 14' long per side of the roof. (10' of run, 10' of rise, 45* angle to peak)
(4) Am I overreacting to the heat issue and walking to the proverbial ledge when, in fact, there is not a ledge?

My Proposed Solutions:
Excluding the solutions which may exist depending upon the answers to the above questions, I have come up with the following solutions
(1) Remove the roof of the shed, deck with treated plywood, and cover with R Panel in the style of a flat roof, thereby lowering the overall height of the coop and making the need for a higher peaked roof on the run less. NOTE: this came to me while I was driving and I have not been able to measure to determine how much lower this would make the coop
(2) placing the coop outside of the run and using the extra material around the base to frame up for a flat roof over the top of the coop. NOTE: This would be ugly as all get out but I have most of the scrap steel I would need to accomplish this excepting the R Panel.

Other Notes:
(1) I will post pictures of the build so far when my phone decides it wants to turn on again
(2) Forgive the overly lengthy post, I am an Attorney by trade and have come to learn, it is much easier if the person/people trying to help you have as much information as possible from the beginning in an effort to save time.
(3) I do not like working with metal roofs and would prefer to use a tarp, however the life expectancy of a tarp likely make it cost prohibitive given the weather we commonly receive.

 

[jts035]

As noted above, there is no ventilation as of yet and I am awaiting parts to finish the interior (feeder and waterer arrive tomorrow. Door arrived today). The roosting bars will be sufficient for the time being and can be easily expanded as needed to run completely across the shed.

Not pictured: additional bracing on the walls and "ceiling joists" at the roof line.

 

[Sally PB]

Am I overreacting to the heat issue and walking to the proverbial ledge when, in fact, there is not a ledge?

You are not overreacting. That shed will be HOT in the summer. Dark plastic will soak up the heat, and may not cool down enough overnight.

Since I live in Michigan, where this summer we had about 18 days of highs in the 90s -- laughable, I know -- I'll leave this to people who know your climate to give suggestions.

 

[jts035]

You are not overreacting. That shed will be HOT in the summer. Dark plastic will soak up the heat, and may not cool down enough overnight.

Since I live in Michigan, where this summer we had about 18 days of highs in the 90s -- laughable, I know -- I'll leave this to people who know your climate to give suggestions.

Thanks for the reply. At least my fears are reasonable.

After a call with my uncle (and a fresh perspective) I am considering aluminum radiant barrier and possibly foam board insulation on the roof to deflect some of the heat. Would anyone have thoughts especially in terms of these being in the coop where the hens may be exposed to it?

 

[coach723]

You are going to need to put as much ventilation in as you possibly can without causing too much structural weakness. In addition to the heat issue, which is likely to be great, the ventilation is also needed for air exchange due to the moisture they expel from respirations overnight while roosting. Some people do not realize how much moisture this can cause. The more birds you put in there, the more moisture. That will lead to condensation on surfaces, mold, possible ammonia issues if droppings are not kept very cleaned up, and if you do have a cold snap, frostbite. If ventilation is not adequate you will literally have water dripping from the ceiling and walls, especially in cooler temps when the warm exhalations condense on the cooler surface. And high humidity just makes it worse. I'm in Florida and deal with similar weather conditions. Cold is much less an issue than heat, but on the rare occasions that it happens, you want to be prepared. I have a 12 volt solar system on my coop to run a fan in the rafters in my coop, to help move the air in the summer, and I run an extension cord to run a box fan in one of the big windows. It turns into a hot box otherwise, and I have shade for a lot of the day. If you can cut windows in the side of that without ruining it, I would do that and cover with hardware cloth. You can make removable covers or shutters for the times you want to close them. I also have a ridge vent, hot air rises, so ventilation near the roof is needed. You cannot have too much ventilation, it's very easy to not have enough. If you are thinking you are going to have 30-40 birds at some point, you need to do what you think is way over done. I'm building a new coop right now, larger and with a ton more ventilation than my old one. There is a very old book called Fresh-Air Poultry Houses, it's over 100 years old and still in print, by Prince T. Woods, MD. It talks about ventilation and the importance of it.
https://www.amazon.com/Fresh-Air-Po...x=open+air+chicken+coops,+book,aps,156&sr=8-3

 

[jts035]

Out of curiosity are you running the fan of a battery in order to run it at night or are you only running it during daylight hours? I think I could teach myself how to build a basic solar set up with a positive pressure fan to keep air moving. My main concern is needing a large battery to run a large(ish) fan overnight.

 

[coach723]

I run the fan overnight, or sometimes all day when it's really hot. One of the reasons I'm putting a lot more ventilation in my new coop, for much more air exchange. I have a car battery mounted in the rafters of my covered run, with a trickle charger, it runs my automatic light, my automatic door, and the fan in the rafters of the coop. The box fan I run off house power. The rafter fan is an RV fan made for 12 volts. I use solar for the door and light because I have power outages a lot and want to know the door will close and open even with power out. If you want to run a large fan you will probably need more batteries and more solar panels than I have (three panels). It's also hard to find a 12 volt fan that moves enough air, they tend to be small and whimpy. My new coop will have power, and I will probably still use solar for the automatic door, because of the power outages. The fans draw a lot more off the battery than the door and light do. I used to have 3 fans going off the battery, so the trickle charger was necessary for when it's overcast and the panels don't provide enough, which does happen. It's not a perfect system, but neither is my local power co op. And I didn't want to break the bank and make the system larger, so I make due. But it could be made better, with more panels and more batteries. But that's why I'm rebuilding and adding a LOT more ventilation, so it should not be such an issue with the new coop. I have enough in the one I have now that moisture is not an issue, but temperature in the summer heat and humidity is sometimes. When it's really bad I hang frozen jugs of water in front of the fan in the coop for primitive air conditioning, to cool it off so it's not a hot box when they go in at night, and so they don't keel over in the nest boxes. I have lost birds to heat stroke in the summer, it's really a thing. I had one that had an internal temperature of almost 120 degrees, she was almost too hot to necropsy. And the heat combined with the high humidity makes it very hard for them to cool off, a hot coop is not a good thing.
Heavier breeds have more trouble in the heat, birds with large combs and wattles tend to do a little better, but there are always exceptions. Fat birds are at higher risk of heat stroke. I do a lot in the summer to help them cool, fans, frozen water bottles in the waterers, sprinklers, shallow dishes of cool water to stand in in the shade, hoses running to pool cool water on the ground, sun shade sails, etc. And shade.

 

[jts035]

It's looking like in for a big rethink on my overall design. The lack of shore power is the killer.

Thanks for all the advice.

 

[coach723]

Often, converting a shed is the most economical way to build a coop, but you do have to modify. I've attached a couple of articles, first one is very simplified, but helpful, in understanding the ventilation needs, second has pictures of an actual coop/run constructed with ventilation in mind. The second one is somewhat similar to what I'm currently building. I am fortunate that we just tore down a large old barn and saved all the usable materials, so my expense in building is greatly reduced by reusing everything that is usable. I will have large windows in mine on three sides which can be open or closed as needed, and the back wall will be solid where the roosts will be. And every single opening will be covered in hardware cloth, as will the attached covered run. And the run will have a pop door so during daylight they can range in the large fenced area around the coop and run, or they can be confined to the closed run if needed. My issues are the usual chicken math, and my flock has grown out of my second coop. So this will be my third, and final, coop, no more out of control chicken math!! We have reached critical mass! Chickens are like potato chips, or M&M's, can't stop when you start.

There are also articles here, and online, about shed conversions to coops. Do some searching and you will likely find ideas you like and find do-able.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/repecka-illustrates-coop-ventilation.77659/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/hot-climate-chicken-housing-and-care.77263/

Just wanted to add, that chain link is strong, but many predators will fit through the openings, it won't keep snakes out at all and they do climb, mice, rats, weasels can fit through. I have found hens in the nest box sitting on eggs, and on a snake. Both were pretty content. Mice will fit through 1/2 inch hardware cloth, I've found them stuck in it after getting fat on my chicken feed, though the chickens will eat them if they find them. And larger predators can climb it easily. There is no fence that will keep out a fox or raccoon unless it's closed over the top also. And some (raccoons in particular) will reach through fence and grab birds and try to pull them through, resulting in some horrible injuries or death. And digging is always a risk. I have concrete blocks buried around the base of my current coop and run to deter digging, we had a large pile of them available, so used them for that. So if the run is chain link and open on top, then make sure your coop is secure at night with no way for night time predators to get in. Daytime free ranging comes with risks, so that is a personal decision we all make based on what we think is acceptable risk or not, and the predator load in our particular area.

 

[jts035]

Thanks for sending those. I had previously read the first but must have overlooked the second.

In terms of venting, I can get a max of about 14sqft without just about removing a wall or door. Though removing a door in the heat might be on the list of options.