Coop and Run? What about a two in one!(Update: PICS Added)

[Judy]

GaGrain, yeah, Patandchickens is right as usual. I live where you do, and they need plenty of breezes down here in this heat! I have a lockable coop but nearly one whole side is hardware cloth, plus the people door opposite that side. If they can get in out of the rain they are fine -- although mine are out in the rain unless it is really pouring. In winter you might decide to put up a bit of a barrier to reduce drafts on them while on the roost -- after you roost train them, of course. I'm already running a fan in my coop.

Here is a thread about some other people's hot weather coops:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=163417

 

[Peregrine]

I live in North GA and I'm new at this, too (my coop's not even done yet), but my design is based off of the coop of my friend who handed me an egg to hatch and got me started with all this! Her coop is a dog run, long and narrow, with a 3 sided wooden structure at one end. It is narrow; only twice as deep as the nesting boxes, but it keeps the chicks out of the weather. Here's a picture I took for reference (I hope she doesn't mind me sharing!)

 

[mmtillman]

from SOUTH MO !

You are gonna love BYC!!

 

[redhawkou812]

Prayers to our warriors & their families. From what I'm learning you have the right idea for your area. One warning, watch out......................chickens are addictive!!!!!!

 

[Ga Grain]

That warning is a little late. I got my first few cause I thought it would be cheap eggs with the way the economy is going an all... Boy was I wrong about that but I have stumbled on a new hobby. Its like they are a stress reliever and a challenge all at once.
I will try to get some pics of the coop tomorrow.

 

[Ga Grain]

I finally got pictures of the coop/run:

Here is the roost that they refuse to use (thats the homemade feeder too):

Here is where she lays (in that scratched out hole in the corner):

Here are the nest boxes I built for her to lay in (complete with pine shavings and golf balls):

And finally my homemade brooder/grow out box:

 

[redhawkou812]

Looks like a good workable setup to me. The only suggestion I'd have is maybe putting the nest boxes in a shadier spot with some dark cloth over the openings. I've seen on BYC & read elsewehre that they tend to like it dark. We just used a scrape piece of tarp to cover the boxes til the girls start laying, then when they start laying we'll open them up by cutting them sorta like curtains. Not sure about the roosting unless the horizontal boards are too narrow for them to get a good grip on to snooze out. Have you tried a wider board?

 

[Suburban chick farmer 09]

Looks good. I agree with moveing the nest boxes to a darker spot, your hen would probably use them.

 

[Renee]

Happy chickens. Looks like a good set-up.