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

[fuzzi]

I would raise the tarp so there's airflow across the bottom. I'm in hot and super humid NC.

Here's my 16'x8' hoop coop close to the end of the build. Even when we get torrential rains only the bedding close to the sides gets wet.

See the stick I placed parallel to the side in the picture below? The tarp is 18" above the ground but heavy rain only made 12" of the ground wet inside the coop.

@3KillerBs

 

[Molpet]

I have shade cloth over the tarp held by ball bungee on ends

Fall picture

 

[Missys Chicken Ranch]

I have shade cloth over the tarp held by ball bungee on ends
View attachment 3494143
Fall picture

Thank you so much! I really appreciate this. We will probably raise ours too and and a shade sail or something. Ours is just a little shorter than yours.

 

[janiedoe]

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?

That sounds like a good idea. And later, maybe you could use the posts to make a support wall for another coop. (I better hush..I'll get you in trouble with the hubby.)

 

[Kiki]

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?

I was just about to say the same thing. Dunking them can actually make things worse. I am in Houston. My flock is 6 years old. I've never had to get my birds wet.

I'd take that tarp off and build a roof over the whole thing.

 

[aart]

Hoop coops, like Aframes, are notoriously hard to provide both weather proofing and decent ventilation.
Raising the sides of the tarp and adding a shade cloth might help, but being in the direct sun with no deep shade is going to be hard to 'fix'.

 

[Missys Chicken Ranch]

That sounds like a good idea. And later, maybe you could use the posts to make a support wall for another coop. (I better hush..I'll get you in trouble with the hubby.)

Oh man, chicken math is real! I started out having no clue what I was doing 2 years ago with 5 chickens. Now I have 26 and 3 coops, and I sort of know what I am doing lol. I love this group. I have learned so much from the people on here. My daughter picked up her love of chickens not even a year ago(after my grand babies fell in love with mine)

That sounds like a good idea. And later, maybe you could use the posts to make a support wall for another coop. (I better hush..I'll get you in trouble with the hubby.)

and she went from a handful to over 40 lol. I never thought I would like chickens. My best friend said, I know you, you will love them just try it. She was right! I think the worst part is not having Vets that care for chickens and now since they are taking some drugs off the shelves it doesn't help us chicken tenders at all.

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

Hoop coops, like Aframes, are notoriously hard to provide both weather proofing and decent ventilation.
Raising the sides of the tarp and adding a shade cloth might help, but being in the direct sun with no deep shade is going to be hard to 'fix'.

Yeah, I agree. They get afternoon shade from the trees in my neighbors yard. Once they are big enough to free range they will be able to find other places of shade. I do not know why the people that lived her before us did not plant any trees. We are going to but of course it won't do any good any time soon.

 

[Missys Chicken Ranch]

Update: My husband and I are going to roll up the tarp on the sides of the coop and put a 10x13 sun shade above it. Hopefully that will help cool it down. I appreciate all the advice. Ya'll are great!

 

[Dinoroar]

H

Update: My husband and I are going to roll up the tarp on the sides of the coop and put a 10x13 sun shade above it. Hopefully that will help cool it down. I appreciate all the advice. Ya'll are great!

Hopefully those changes will take care of the excessive heat build up. Here’s a possible insulation option if you need more. https://www.homedepot.com/p/Everbil...V7QGtBh0N2guYEAQYBiABEgJFh_D_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Also you could use the things meant to go in car windows.

 

[janiedoe]

Update: My husband and I are going to roll up the tarp on the sides of the coop and put a 10x13 sun shade above it. Hopefully that will help cool it down. I appreciate all the advice. Ya'll are great!

I hope you'll keep us updated. You could post the difference in temperature after you work out your solution. This will be helpful to others facing the same problem.
Good luck!