Hoop Coop in TX, I think it might have been a bad idea

[Missys Chicken Ranch]

My husband and I built a hoop coop that is mostly tarped with 1/4 of the hoop not tarped and the ends not tarped. I have 10 young pullets in it. I went out there a few minutes ago and it was 102 in there! The tarp is just trapping heat! Does anyone else have this problem? I dunked my girls in a bucket of water ( up to the neck)to cool them off. Texas gets HOT. Summer hasn't even started yet. I am not sure what to do keep it from trapping heat. Is there a certain tarp I should get? We have no trees either. Any ideas are appreciated.

 

[Dinoroar]

My husband and I built a hoop coop that is mostly tarped with 1/4 of the hoop not tarped and the ends not tarped. I have 10 young pullets in it. I went out there a few minutes ago and it was 102 in there! The tarp is just trapping heat! Does anyone else have this problem? I dunked my girls in a bucket of water ( up to the neck)to cool them off. Texas gets HOT. Summer hasn't even started yet. I am not sure what to do keep it from trapping heat. Is there a certain tarp I should get? We have no trees either. Any ideas are appreciated.

Yikes! What color is your tarp? Silver or white will be more reflective of heat but it sounds like your going to want to add a layer of insulation material. Flattened cardboard sandwiched under the tarp could help some if your budget it tight. Otherwise I’d say look for some form of flexible insulation and sandwich it so the birds don’t have access to pick at it.

Also if the tarp is going all the the way down to the bottom of the coop you could raise it so there’s ventilation from the bottom.

 

[KRack]

My husband and I built a hoop coop that is mostly tarped with 1/4 of the hoop not tarped and the ends not tarped. I have 10 young pullets in it. I went out there a few minutes ago and it was 102 in there! The tarp is just trapping heat! Does anyone else have this problem? I dunked my girls in a bucket of water ( up to the neck)to cool them off. Texas gets HOT. Summer hasn't even started yet. I am not sure what to do keep it from trapping heat. Is there a certain tarp I should get? We have no trees either. Any ideas are appreciated.

Pictures will help people give you better advice.

I hope you get helpful insight!!

 

[Missys Chicken Ranch]

Yikes! What color is your tarp? Silver or white will be more reflective of heat but it sounds like your going to want to add a layer of insulation material. Flattened cardboard sandwiched under the tarp could help some if your budget it tight. Otherwise I’d say look for some form of flexible insulation and sandwich it so the birds don’t have access to pick at it.

Also if the tarp is going all the the way down to the bottom of the coop you could raise it so there’s ventilation from the bottom.

Thanks! I just posted a picture. It is sliver on the outside and blue on the inside. it does go all the way down to keep the rain out. The only thing on the inside is 2 nesting boxes and a roost, as well as their feed and water. Eventually they will be free ranging, when they are old enough. we did put a fan in there to help but I am really worried. It is at least 10 degrees hotter in there than outside. Its supposed to be 92 today.

 

[Dinoroar]

Thanks! I just posted a picture. It is sliver on the outside and blue on the inside. it does go all the way down to keep the rain out. The only thing on the inside is 2 nesting boxes and a roost, as well as their feed and water. Eventually they will be free ranging, when they are old enough. we did put a fan in there to help but I am really worried. It is at least 10 degrees hotter in there than outside. Its supposed to be 92 today.

I’d say try adding insulation and raising the tarp up a couple inches on the bottom so air can get in. That’s rough that you don’t have any shade. Makes it much harder to cope with the heat! I got one of these misting kits last year, my kids and chickens loved it to cool off.

https://www.amazon.com/HOMENOTE-Mis...9Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=

 

[janiedoe]

My husband and I built a hoop coop that is mostly tarped with 1/4 of the hoop not tarped and the ends not tarped. I have 10 young pullets in it. I went out there a few minutes ago and it was 102 in there! The tarp is just trapping heat! Does anyone else have this problem? I dunked my girls in a bucket of water ( up to the neck)to cool them off. Texas gets HOT. Summer hasn't even started yet. I am not sure what to do keep it from trapping heat. Is there a certain tarp I should get? We have no trees either. Any ideas are appreciated.View attachment 3494052

Dunking them isn't a good idea. The humidity is too high here and their feathers won't dry.
Make them some mud with ice and water. Sprinkle seeds or meal worms in. They will scratch in it and cool off. You could use a small child's swimming pool too. They will stand in water when overheated.

I'd roll the tarp up, so that at least 2' of space on all sides is open.
Can you put a shade cloth above the coop suspended over it to offer more shade?

 

[Missys Chicken Ranch]

Dunking them isn't a good idea. The humidity is too high here and their feathers won't dry.
Make them some mud with ice and water. Sprinkle seeds or meal worms in. They will scratch in it and cool off. You could use a small child's swimming pool too. They will stand in water when overheated.

I'd roll the tarp up, so that at least 2' of space on all sides is open.
Can you put a shade cloth above the coop suspended over it to offer more shade?

 

[Missys Chicken Ranch]

I got the dunking from an article on the Chicken Chick website. I think the humidity is low enough today. I definitely understand what you are saying though, and I will keep an eye on that as well. The shade sail isn't a bad idea if I can get my husband to cement some poles we can hang it. So far, I have not found anything online that is helpful for keeping a hoop coop cool. It gets really windy where we are too.

 

[RojoMarz]

Would using a shade cloth, instead of tarp offer enough sun protection? There are various degrees of shade offered by different shade cloth and the cloth isn't solid, so the breeze would move through.

 

[Missys Chicken Ranch]

Would using a shade cloth, instead of tarp offer enough sun protection? There are various degrees of shade offered by different shade cloth and the cloth isn't solid, so the breeze would move through.

I was thinking about leaving the tarp on and cementing 4 posts on the outside of the coop and getting a shade sail that blocks 95% uv rays and hanging it above the coop, so it would look like having a canopy over the coop. Maybe that will help?