Too hot help

[Pecky03]

You're in Vegas? I'm in Phoenix. Misters! Don't let them soak everything, you need to keep the coop itself dry. I have a stand mister and a box fan and it works great! My flock enjoys it a lot, especially in the afternoon. They lay on the wet ground and let the mist settle on their bodies. That and the cool water for wading are their preferred cooling off options.

Your coop needs a LOT of ventilation in our climate. You can help this by leaving windows/doors open and having a fan draw/push air through. I would get rid of the rats and mice first though. You can use poison in those little box things, Tom Cat or some such brand, away from your coop and run once you make it secure and that will keep those buggars gone.

Video has to be uploaded to Youtube or similar format then you paste a link in your message.

I would just install a roost in the 1/2" HC portion of the run and leave them in there. Can you get a fan blowing on them? Have you had rats/mice get into the open bottom portion of your coop that is enclosed with HC?

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Looks like there is a tarp over the coop. I would think that would hold the heat in and there is no ventilation. Maybe you could remove it??

 

[igorsMistress]

Ok ...maybe I didn’t make myself clear....these..chickens...are very important to me..I hand raised them..one is a rooster...I’m technically not aloud to have him..but until someone complaines..he is a member of my family! I want them to be as happy and comfortable as possible! Who out there feels the same way I do!! And yea...if I have to put a diaper...I will!!

A lot of us feel our birds are important to us and have done the very same thing you have done so...

 

[Cryss]

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I love that coop. The design is usually well ventilated and is just cute as can be! I see 3 very pretty and mature chickens. The one on the roost already has a dark red comb and wattle. They are way too mature for a brooder. I think with plenty of fresh drinking water and some frozen water bottles (remember to not fill completely to allow for ice expansion) they will be fine. A run with some sort of shade over at least a portion if it is just as important to have in place as a coop. You mentioned getting a run in 5 days so if it isn't already planned start thinking about how to cover some if not all of the top of your run. It will shade them in summer, give them a place to run around without snow in winter, and protect feed from precipitation.

 

[aart]

The forums usually help me a lot! This one...not so much!

Well, you have butted into a discussion about another members dilemma and are not paying attention to that or the advise already offered. Terrible forum etiquette. SMH. Water under the bridge now, but still.

 

[Pecky03]

The tarp is only over the coop to protect from rain cus it’s monsoon
Season. lol and it shades what the trees don’t. The circulation in there is pretty good because of the lattice and now that I have the fan it’s blowing all over the place. They seemed really good today at 105!
I did see a small swamp cooler at Ace that connects right to a hose so I don’t have to worry about filling it up all day. It’s $280 so that’s not too bad. I’m thinking that will solve all my heat problems!!

 

[rhondita55]

I'm in Phoenix and have an Open Air coop with misters. I purchased 2 dog kennels from Lowes and attached them together as 1 large coop and run. 1 end I attached panels on 3 sides, only about 1/3 of the end, and 1/2 of the top. This was to protect from weather and our dust storms. The rest I covered the top with sun shade and the East facing side is covered. I put the feed & water under the covered area and a mister system on the opposite end. When it reaches 103 I turn the misters on. The mister is the main thing that cools them down.

 

[Pecky03]

Taking the birds in and out of the that will only make them hotter, the best thing to do is provide shade and water and cool dirt to dust bathe and relax in and a fan.They should do just fine in the heat.

Also your birds are New Hampshire reds not Rhode Island reds.

I'm in Phoenix and have an Open Air coop with misters. I purchased 2 dog kennels from Lowes and attached them together as 1 large coop and run. 1 end I attached panels on 3 sides, only about 1/3 of the end, and 1/2 of the top. This was to protect from weather and our dust storms. The rest I covered the top with sun shade and the East facing side is covered. I put the feed & water under the covered area and a mister system on the opposite end. When it reaches 103 I turn the misters on. The mister is the main thing that cools them down.

Can you post a picture cause it sounds great. I never thought about doing 2 dog kennels. that’s perfect and more reasonably priced. I really do like the swamp cooler though. For $279 it doesn’t make everything damp which now I’m worried about bacteria. Thanks for the idea. And they hate their coop. I have to shop around and get a new one. Not sure why they can’t stand it but they cry all night when I put them in there. And I think they’re afraid of the dark so I might have to research a night or something for them.

And Roo5... I looked up both breeds of birds and I can’t tell the difference. What’s the secret of telling whether they’re New Hampshire or Rhode Island Reds? please tell me I have a few more weeks of stress and then the rest of the year is going to be easy for these girls. We never go below 0. we barely get down to the single digits and just once we had a light dusting of snow.

 

[Longdogs4me]

I’ve had minks, weasels and snakes get in with openings as big as you have. At the time, I had a friend who was a chicken expert and he could tell by the way the chickens had been killed, eg heads torn off. I think he said those particulate deaths were from mink— can’t remember now as he passed away a number of years ago.

 

[morsekathan]

I think I would take the wood off one or two sides of the coop and replace it with hardware cloth. You don't need all those walls in your climate. It will provide much better ventilation. You should have cross ventilation in the coop and it doesn't look like you do.

 

[Pecky03]

I’ve had minks, weasels and snakes get in with openings as big as you have. At the time, I had a friend who was a chicken expert and he could tell by the way the chickens had been killed, eg heads torn off. I think he said those particulate deaths were from mink— can’t remember now as he passed away a number of years ago.

That’s just there run if we leave for the day.. at night they go in their coop and stay on the bottom. My one girl only goes up to lay her egg and then comes down. I installed a Roost for them in the coop but they like the pen roosts and get mad at me when I lock them up at night. I sat with them last night with my phone flashlight and they got quiet and we’re fine and we’re walking around eating and drinking inside their coop but I needed to go to bed and the minute I walked away they started screaming at me again. Unfortunately I can’t afford anything that I want and I’m not talented enough to build anything so I just have to make some adjustments to what I have until I can save up for what I want.