Chicken coop for hot climate residents - think desert

[Rte.66_chicks]

Great idea! I'm in Kingman, and we get quite a bit colder than Phx., so my coop is enclosed, but in summer the door is blocked open, and the windows, which face south, are open. With the sun so high in the sky in the summer, the south windows are completely shaded by the overhang, but in the winter they get full sun.

The asparagus patch is in their run, and provides plenty of shade for them in summer. I've also planted two pomegranate bushes to provide shade, but they are still small.

That is really a nice looking coop and run!

 

[CountryMom]

Absolutely beautiful. I love the three sided shelter. I have half wall shelters for mine since we are in the south and our cold weather isn't nearly as drastic.

Just one word of advice. Please either wire enclose or board up any holes where the rafters of the shelter and your run meet the sides. That is prime area for a coon to enter your coop. Been there done that already!

 

[Namaste Mama]

There no coons in Phoenix.

 

[sandypaws]

PERFECT.. i too live in the desert (of calif) our chickens need more SHADE or wind block than they do an inclosed coop..
i have 3..3sided coops and 2 enclosed coops... my enclosed coops have vents on the sides and turbines on the roof to get air moving through them.. but at least once a year i still have a hen die from the heat, going into the coop to lay.. even tho i do provide outside nesting boxes..
in the winter i put a couple straw bales up for them ..
i never had a chicken die from the cold... just the heat...

 

[ArizonaDesertChicks]

Thanks everyone for all your encouragement and advice. I enjoy hearing about others' chicken adventures & the coops they've built.

Quote:
When we built the coop & run, we were trying to protect them from hawks or coyotes, but never considered racoons. We purposely left the area mentioned above open for more ventilation.

I've never seen any racoons around here, but we do have a wash behind our house and have coyotes back there (never seen one myself, but our neighbor had one in her backyard). The wash is usually dry. We have a 6 foot block wall surrounding our property - if there are any racoons living in the wash, are they able to scale a 6 ft block wall?

 

[Tonopah Pati]

Wow! Those are some wonderful coops. Lucky Chickens. All you builders, Great Job.

 

[newtochickens1983]

Hello all, this is an old post, but I wanted to mention something. I live in Phoenix, and there are coons here. Why would you think there wasn't? I have chased them out of my yard, seen them in my moms neighborhood, and even ran some over (accident of course). So, yes there are coons here in the desert. Be careful, they aren't the nicest creatures, and will bite and claw. They love to eat chickens.

A buddy had some hens, and the coon couldn't get his body in, but was able to get his arm in. He just grabbed a piece of the hen, and pulled it close to the fence. Once there, he ripped off feathers to get to the meat. Sad. Keep an eye out tho.

Matt

 

[ArizonaDesertChicks]

Quote:
Hi Matt - In response to "I live in Phoenix, and there are coons here. Why would you think there wasn't?":

I'm in my 40's and have lived here my entire life (an AZ native) and even after owning chickens for 3 years, have yet to see a racoon or even any any signs of one. I do believe you have seen them here in Phoenix and that they are a danger to some flocks, but I don't think they are living in all areas of Phoenix/Glendale. I've seen many types of wildlife in Northern Az, but so far, other than birds, toads, lizards, gophers, and ground squirrels, the only wild animals I have seen here in the metropolitan area are 2 javelina (from the wash behind my current house), a few coyotes (rarely), bats, and lots of rabbits. The racoons do not seem to be living near my family.

I have heard that racoons will try pulling the chickens out through the bars and appreciate your warning - it's good for others to see your warning too, especially for those who do have racoons living near them.

 

[JustPeachy]

Love it! Exactly what I have been trying to explain to hubby and he just couldn't get my vision, or just pretended he couldn't cause he doesn't want to build another coop...lol.

 

[Rhapsody1]

This is really nice. Great do work!