Direct sunlight?

[RenoUrbanFarmer]

I'm designing my coop/run and I've come across a question. I've read varying opinions in this topic regarding the amount of shade/sunlight chickens need to produce healthy eggs. Planning on having 4 hens. Here's the design I'm working on:





The shaded area will be completely fenced in an "L" shape. The roof and brown fence to the rear (which is south-facing) would effectively give 100% shade for the entire coop and run 24/7. Is there any reason the chickens need access to direct sunlight?

I live in Reno, Nevada and we have summers of 100°F and winters of 10°F.

 

[wesandsam]

our winters get kinda cold in NS (-20c) and summers are rather hot (+35c) I have mine under a large tree so the get direct sun in the morning and shad in the afternoon. When the leaves fall off the tree it helps warm the coop up in the summer. My egg production didn't drop last winter. My coop also has 3 windows for natural light. I have read that the reason they slow down on the laying is due to the amount of light... but that's only what I read online. Hope it offers some help.

 

[Mtn Laurel]

Certainly they get vitamin D from the sun and vitamin D is important for calcium absorption. Calcium is important for solid egg shells. So, I'm guessing that sunlight would be to their benefit. Battery hens survive without ever seeing sunlight but I'm not sure that's much of a recommendation.

You have weather extremes as I do so we have the coop in the shade in the summer but it's in the sun in the winter as the trees have lost their leaves. Our run has both full sun and shade so the girls can choose which they'd prefer to be in. Maybe a similar arrangement would work for you.