Chickens roosting on coop- my specifics included

[Jess718]

Hi! I know this has been asked but even reading through the threads I don’t know what to do. I have four buff Orpingtons about 15 weeks old. They have a small coop I got online inside of a 10x13 pen. Since they have been outside, they have been going into the coop at night. Within the last week, with the warmer weather, they started to roost on the roof.

There are small ventilation windows open at the top. I did a cleaning today to make sure I didn’t see any mites or bugs and nothing. I checked after dark with a flashlight as well. Again all four keep roosting on top and I have to put them inside.

I don’t really feel it is safe for them to roost out of the coop. I have hardware cloth reinforcing the outside areas and windows of the coop, as well as an apron around the pen enclosure that runs up the sides half way. The rest is chicken wire and tarp to keep rain off, but that isn’t predator proof. I plan to get more hardware cloth for the roof but it hasn’t been in the budget yet. Even then I don’t like them sleeping outside - unless I’m being too overprotective?

I’m worried they feel this coop is too small inside or they want more ventilation but I don’t really know how I can logistically fix those things right now. Any ideas?

 

[springvalley123]

Pictures? Your two worries in the last paragraph (too small, not enough ventilation sound accurate, but without any visual aids....

 

[Jess718]

Of course- the first is their actual enclosure and coop. The second two are just photos of the coop from online but I thought show it better. I don’t have the small wire run attached because they have the larger pen space.

 

[Jess718]

Oh also- they have been fine up until the change in weather with going into and out of the coop during the day. When I was in the garden I would see them using it at all different times. I also have an automatic door but again they were inside before it closed for weeks. And now I watched them go up to roost specifically on the roof while the door is still open.

 

[springvalley123]

It's 100 degrees in the run? You need a double layer of shade cloth over the top of the run. That'd help cool the coop off as well as the run. You probably need the shade cloth on the ends also. I live far north of Phoenix where it doesn't get nearly as hot as Phx, cools off much quicker, and I have a double layer of shade cloth (95% thickness I think), except on the east which has only a single layer. It helps with wind and cooling off. BTW, you can enclose that run in hardware cloth and put an apron around the perimeter, and put roosts directly in it and use it as a coop/run. Depending on where you're located, you might need either a double layer of shade cloth on some of the sides or something else for wind protection in the winter though, if you did that.

 

[MidlandChicks]

I had a similar issue recently. It’s been getting into the 90s here and my girls were panting and having a hard time with the sun and heat. Like springvalley mentioned, highly recommend shade cloth. I used a staple gun and put a double layer on the roof and some of the siding of their run and it’s lowered the temp by 5-10 degrees and the girls love the shade. I’ve also been giving them ice water and cut watermelon and it’s helped a ton. Here’s the sunscreen fabric I purchased from Amazon. Good luck!! You have a super cute set up!

Easy Gardener 81020R Sun Screen Fabric, 6ft X 20ft, Chocolate https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004HLVE4E/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_TC3CYK6FJGCPPKRES016?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

 

[Jess718]

No there’s no way that temp is accurate. It is an old one that got water logged and now is higher than normal. I’m sorry I should have said that or taken it down when I saw it didn’t work anymore. That corner of the yard actually gets a lot of shade which is why I picked it. I can get a more accurate temp but it’s not nearly that hot.

 

[MidlandChicks]

Also, if you go with the shade fabric, it’s easy to use zip ties to secure the cloth as well if you need to do that with your set up. We had to use them in a few places.

 

[springvalley123]

No there’s no way that temp is accurate. It is an old one that got water logged and now is higher than normal. I’m sorry I should have said that or taken it down when I saw it didn’t work anymore. That corner of the yard actually gets a lot of shade which is why I picked it. I can get a more accurate temp but it’s not nearly that hot.

Good! where are you at?

 

[springvalley123]

Also, if you go with the shade fabric, it’s easy to use zip ties to secure the cloth as well if you need to do that with your set up. We had to use them in a few places.

If you get grommetted shade cloth, bungees work well too.