East or West?

[fpscabs]

I am very new to all the world of chickens. Here in Southern California, our temperatures can climb to the triple digits early in the spring and can stay that way during most of the summer/fall. A week or longer of hitting 100+ is not too uncommon. Usually we cool down in the evenings. My coop location will have shade in the early morning until noon and then will get back to shade late afternoon. We will start with 4 ladies.

The coop I am building (need new card reader to upload photos from camera) is set with the hen house on the East end. My footprint is 12'x5' with a 3'x5' hen house. The outside run will have corrugated cover and 1/2" hardware cloth sides.

East side: Shade until noon; easier to view ladies from house. Dogs next door (east side) would be better blocked from view and coop gate is away from them.

West side: Shade later in afternoon. Sun earlier in morning.

Would it be better to stay as planned or do a 180 and put the house on the West end? Any thought?
Thanks

 

[fargosmom]

I'm no expert, but I'd go for the afternoon shade . . . we live in socal too and it always seems like the heat is more miserable later in the day, on really bad days. Could you plant some sort of shade plants to give it more shade earlier?

 

[seminolewind]

I would think that the afternoon shade is better for the same reason as above

 

[patandchickens]

95+ degree temperatures can be a serious problem for chickens. So I would almost unhestitatingly vote for the side that gets afternoon shade.

Except, is there any chance of *creating* afternoon shade on the other site? Or slightly relocating where the run goes, so the coop itself provides a good sized block of p.m. shade, or something? It *is* real nice to be able to see the chickens well from the house.

You may need to be thinking about misting fans, that sort of thing, so it would be good to pick a spot you can run electricity to.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat