*HOT* weather coop idea- would this work?

[stuckinthecity]

here in AL temps are veryyy hot, and I have fell in love with an off-the-ground coop. But most are solid wood on the sides which will not work in hot weather. So what if you have the 3 or so walls with cage wire/chicken wire? Or have the front of the coop with wooden-frame wire doors with windows on the back and sides? See now Im worried that too much rain would get in... so anyone have a coop off the ground in hot weather and it work out??? off the ground for me means like 2-3 feet from the ground to the floor of coop.

 

[stuckinthecity]

Anybody?

 

[scubaforlife]

I build my coops with dutch doors on as many walls as I can and open soffets, gives as much airflow as possible.

You could build your coop with 3 walls of hardware cloth, I would put a hip roof all around so rain doesn't blow in.

 

[crazyhen]

I agree about the hardware cloth instead of chicken wire. Also the overhang would have to be fairly wide. Maybe a hinged door for the sides that you could hook up somehow. that would take care of bad weather or the cold in the winter by being put down and hooked. Just a thought. Gloria jean

 

[jenjscott]

Mine is off the ground with a hardware cloth bottom, one window, one pop door, and ventilation around the top. It is almost always in the shade, though. it is drafty in the winter, but you can stop that with underpinning in the winter if it gets too cold. Here in southeast Arkansas, we have to worry more about the heat.. During the summer it keeps it much nicer and they sure don't mind the draft. Another way to go is to make the top half closed in, with roosts where they can get up out of the blowing rain, but the bottom would be more open but yet shaded for non rainy days. The bottom half could have panels you could put up in the winter.

 

[stuckinthecity]

Thanks everyone, I like yalls ideas. I was just wondering how yall designed it to where your birds could cope with the heat. The reason I was gonna do chicken wire, is because their was going to be an attached run where they could get up on their own and exit the coop asap in the morning. So their chicken door would be open at all times, and the "run" would be very well secured with heavy duty wire + a sturdy wire top over it. I hate keeping birds cooped up longer then they want, and with a coop off the ground, the birds usaully dont have a ton of room anyway, so allowing them to exit whenever they want would help the bullied chickens, and so they would have fresh air asap. If anyone understands that? lol

 

[Judy]

Does not sound like you need a wall between the coop and the run at all.

Maybe this thread will give you some ideas:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=163417

 

[stuckinthecity]

Hmm... after thinking about it, I guess your right. I wanted it to "hold" everything in. I like having 4 walls, but your right... I don't need one