Chicken run question for Arizona

[gillianmomx5]

Hey all,
I have learned so much from all of you...my chicks are thankful as well. My question is I found an online site for purchasing the pieces to do canopies. My thought, as our garden/new chicken run is a 20ft by 24ft area and you can buy the pieces to do a "canopy" in that size using EMT rods cut to size. We live in Arizona, so it is more hot in the Phoenix metro area than cold, I could use a tarp to cover 1/2 of the canopy area and bird netting for the remainder. I have the chicken hutches made by Ware for the girls ( I got a total of 4 of them for my 12 chicks). I would also put up chain link panels that are 6ft by 12 ft and then a smaller section to make up the shorter side and gate area. Does this sound reasonable for a coop in the Arizona desert? My hope is to also add some misters along the edge for the hottest part of the summer to keep them cool. Well? I could really use some input. I was also looking at making some roosts with additional pieces of EMT rods. If anyone is from Arizona, I could use some input. Oh, sorry, just had to mention the girls are now two weeks old and doing great. I use one of the chicken hutches as the brooder for them. Wow, they grow so fast!

 

[azelgin]

I used 80% shade cloth on one of my runs. The other run is half covered with metal roof and half wire. Even with the 80% shade, they still look for full shade on the hottest days. I think you would be better off with wood for your roosts. They won't get enough traction to hang on to the EMT.

 

[Mahonri]

I should probably shade my run more.

In the winter they are always out in the run.

In the summer they spend time in the shaded coop.

I have pics of my coop and run on this thread.

Phoenix Coop and Run

 

[gillianmomx5]

Thanks for the quick response. I will definately try to do wood for roosts. I was thinking of wrapping the EMT with something. But I wouldn't have any idea what it could be.

 

[azelgin]

For my roost I bought the small diameter (2") wood landscape dowels in the garden center at home depot. Set it up so I would be able to raise them up as the birds got bigger and could fly up higher.