50% shade tarp

[mgharris30]

My yard has no shade from about noon on. So, I’m trying to make shade. I don’t know if these 50% blockage tarps are gonna work. It didn’t get above 90 today, so it wasn’t a good test. We don’t want to plant shrubs because of snakes and we might need to expand. The coop has a box fan. Some of the larger birds go in there in the heat of the day. They cannot free range because my neighbors don’t always put their dogs in the fence.

 

[springvalley123]

I live in the Arizona high desert. I've used 75 and 95% shade cloths, and they are nowhere near as shady as a solid tarp. The sun burns right through. Of course, a tarp could trap heat and totally block ventilation. I have solid tarp overhead and from the south and north now FWIW but I'm at the 4000 ft elevation and the normal highs are about 100, though we saw 110 in the previous heat wave. hope this helps.

 

[Boise-girls]

Tarps are great. I have shade cloth and tarps, and the tarps provide much denser shade. They need all the shade you can manage in the heat! If you can give them a moist, shaded area (compost pile is great), they will burrow into that to stay cool.
Too bad about the snakes - that definitely cuts down on your options!

 

[aart]

Tough toss-ups.
Tarps make deeper shade but can gather rain and block air flow.
Shade clothes, the higher percentage the more shade and the less airflow.

 

[mgharris30]

Tough toss-ups.
Tarps make deeper shade but can gather rain and block air flow.
Shade clothes, the higher percentage the more shade and the less airflow.

This is my issue. I don’t want to block airflow in the run. The flies are bad enough here as it is! It was nice in there today. I’ll have to see what happens later in the week when it gets over 90

 

[mgharris30]

Tarps are great. I have shade cloth and tarps, and the tarps provide much denser shade. They need all the shade you can manage in the heat! If you can give them a moist, shaded area (compost pile is great), they will burrow into that to stay cool.
Too bad about the snakes - that definitely cuts down on your options!

I’ve started the deep litter in the run and deep bedding in the coop (concrete pavers for a floor). I’m adding grass clippings and leaves as I have them. I put DE and lime all over, but I put on top of the dirt ground so they can dust bathe and rest against the soil.
I just hope the 50% shade is enough.