Coop for very hot climate....

[run_ac_run]

We are very new to this and are about to start building a coop.

We live in South GA where the summers are very hot and humid.

I'm thinking that a small coop (for 8 birds max) that is enclosed may get too hot in the summer, even with vents built in and no insulation. Has anyone else had this problem?

Is a closed-in coop a good idea, or would a more open design be better for ventilation purposes?

Any advice/ideas/pics would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

[Rusty's Ranch]

We're new to chickens too and just finished our 1st coop. We have a vent on each end, plus a large window on the front that slides open during the day to let air circulate.

We're in California and today we hit at least 100 in the shade! Poor babies are outside and very hot. We put a shade cloth on the top and both sides of the enclosed run and have been hosing down the cloths every few hours. It seems to make a big difference in the inside temp. I also mist the birds a little (you'd think I was killing them), but I can tell it makes them feel better.

I think our coop gets good ventilation, but when it's this hot - the air is just hot. Make sure your run has plenty of shade.

 

[azelgin]

Where I am, the weather varies from 10* in the winter to 100* in the summer. Two days ago, it was 24*, todat it's 80*. I have two coops. This one is the better of the two. It's fully insulated, on a concrete slab. Very comfortable year round. There is an opening window on one end, two opening windows on the side and the walk in door/pop door on the far end. The nest boxes are cut through the wall into the carport. The roost is on the opposite side, under the windows. Normally, that's not the best place for your roost, because of a draft on the chickens, but it only gets opened when we get to around 85*. Nobody has complained yet. This is bigger than you need for 8 chickens, but it should give you some ideas. Shade is really important around here. The only shade our chickens have is buildings, or cars. Not much in the way of shade trees yet.

Here is the other coop. Shad cloth on the run should have been roofing instead. Not dark enough.

 

[Rusty's Ranch]

Just a side note on coping with heat - don't forget to have electrolytes on hand. Durvet has been suggested by some on this board. We're trying it out for the first time today. I read you'll use approx. 3/4 of 1/4 tsp per gallon of water.

Something else we're trying is a shallow pan filled with water (no more than 2" deep) with a milk jug of frozen water stuck in one end. My girls like to scratch around in the water pan - so hopefully this will also help with the heat.

Best wishes -- can't wait to see your coop when it's finished!

 

[Mahonri]

Sometimes on the way home from work, I would stop at Mickee Dees and buy a bag of ice to put into their waterer. They love that ice cold water when its 115 outside.

Also, when the sun would go down I would water down the coop to cool it via evaporation... but I have shingles on it and waterproof paint.

Also make certain that the coop is in the shade.

 

[Bantam Bodon]

If you have power close by maybe you can put a fan in to circulate the air a bit?

 

[KellyHM]

We use a large chain link dog kennel with a tarp over the top for shade. In the winter I tarp off the sides too to give them some protection from the cold. I give them a dog house to get in during the rain. Here's an example...I had just put this one up, so I didn't have the tarp on it yet, but you get the idea.

 

[gritsar]

Our coop has two very large "windows" covered in hardware cloth and with shutters that can be opened/closed as much as they need to be depending on the weather. The window on the north side of the coop is 4' tall by 8' long; the one on the south side is 4' tall by approx. 5' long. It gets very good cross ventilation.
We also use box fans to increase the air circulation and electrolytes in their water during the dog days of July/August.
My chickens free range, so during the day they are free to find the coolest place they can in the summertime.

 

[kycklingmamma]

I just had some things I do for my hot girls in the Houston heat and humidity. I have a couple of large soda bottles filled with water that freeze and then I rotate them in and out for them so they can sit on it if they want or even lay next to. Last year my girls loved it. I also freeze a huge bucket of water and then I put that big clump of ice in their waterer and it helps keep their water nice and cold for almost all day. And their favorite treat...frozen watermelon, a couple of times last summer we bought watermelon that turned out to be real mealy and not juicy and yummy ( according to our standards) well I froze it in huge wedges and they got a wedge or two in the heat of the day, boy did they ever love that.
We have a very airy coop to help with the heat, and it works out good. You can see pics of it on my page.

Good Luck,
Kycklingmamma

 

[run_ac_run]

Thanks for all the responses! I think what we've gathered from all of your ideas is that we should build it a little more open and airy than we originally planned.

Kycklingmamma- I really like the way yours has the "dormers" that flip up around the egg boxes for ventilation on the second floor. Fortunately the spot we're going to build it is in the shade most of the day, but summer is just so hot and sticky that I am still a little concerned. Our doghouse last summer was like an oven.