"Florida HEAT and HUMIDITY Ready Coop!"

[ChickenCanoe]

I have big trees, but they're all on the other side of the property. I wanted to utilize the fence and keep the birds close to the house. I will definitely be doing some planting this spring, though!

I have a friend I will see tonight or tomorrow. He's a forester and is brilliant with trees. If you want I'll get suggestions for some fast growing trees to provide shade in Florida.

 

[RUNuts]

Fast growing shade. I'm trying Moringa. The leaves are edible. I going to see if the birds will eat them.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I just found this thing on all things toxic to birds I thought I would share.
http://avianmedicine.net/content/uploads/2013/03/37.pdf

 

[aart]

I think I may try the shade cloth along the south side of the run. (The side that you see in the pic)

Aw, was hoping that fence was on the south side.
This situation makes me think of another hot climate coop, they put frames of shade cloth up in summer...but is was in AZ, so they didn't have to deal with humidity.
I'll see if I can find it.

 

[GotCoop]

Looks like a nice set up, your chickens have a cool place. I live in the FL Panhandle. One of my coops is similar in size to yours. What do you have on the back of the coop? A big window covered with HW cloth and a flip down window that can be propped up in the heat and lowered in the cold will help air flow. My coop is all metal... I have a flip up window, 1.5'x3' on each side.

 

[CitrusMan]

Looks like a nice set up, your chickens have a cool place. I live in the FL Panhandle. One of my coops is similar in size to yours. What do you have on the back of the coop? A big window covered with HW cloth and a flip down window that can be propped up in the heat and lowered in the cold will help air flow. My coop is all metal... I have a flip up window, 1.5'x3' on each side.

The back side is actually solid with a 5'x6" vent up top and a 2' or 3' (can't remember!) vent on the bottom. Of course, with the style roofing panels that are on there, the whole roof is vented, as well. I keep the big door on the coop open during hot days, as well. I'll try to find a pic.

 

[CitrusMan]

Here's the backside. As of now, I also have a 7" round solar fan on that wall.

 

[imnukensc]

I would forget the foam insulation for a couple reasons. #1, it's not going to help with keeping it cooler. Once things get hot, they're hot. Insulation isn't going to help with that. #2, if your chickens can get to it, they will peck it/eat it.

 

[CitrusMan]

I would forget the foam insulation for a couple reasons. #1, it's not going to help with keeping it cooler. Once things get hot, they're hot. Insulation isn't going to help with that. #2, if your chickens can get to it, they will peck it/eat it.

I I think it would be high enough that they cannot reach it or get at it, but my main thing was to keep the condensation off the bottom side of the metal roofing. On the other hand however, that would block up the ventilation at the ends where the metal roof doesn't meet the wood on the ridges.

 

[CitrusMan]

I don't have a picture after I finished the coop of the front side, but this is the big door that will be kept open. This I will be open with a fan blowing from the entrance of the run into the coop while the exhaust fan is going.