Coop set up

[ninafe]

I know you probably don't want to hear it but that coop is pretty problematic, especially given that you live in a hotter environment. I don't see any ventilation in it, plus I don't see any way to raise the roosts much higher than the nest boxes, to encourage them to roost instead of sleeping in nests.

1) They don't know that the nest is for laying in. Due to the fact that the roosts are so low, they will very likely want to sleep in the nests. You'll probably need to cover/block the nests for the time being.

3) I don't use either of the materials you're considering so can't advise on those. Just don't do fake grass, you're risking that they'll ingest some of it. Chickens really want some sort of substrate they can dig down into.

I will block off the nests. And got it on no fake grass. There is a window on the back of coop you could open and a patio fan on top of the coop... Enough?

 

[rosemarythyme]

I will block off the nests. And got it on no fake grass. There is a window on the back of coop you could open and a patio fan on top of the coop... Enough?

In general it's recommended to have about 1 sq ft of ventilation per bird 24/7, but in hotter weather more is often necessary. In hotter climates it's often recommended to have most, if not all, of one wall as open wire mesh to allow heat to dissipate.

Is the patio cover solid (instead of open slats)? If so, I'd consider removing most of the wood paneling on the wall facing into the run section, and replacing that with wire. Or possibly leave it entirely open so the chickens can freely go back and forth between both sides, though that is a little less predator secure.