ideas about shade

[buddymc]

I'm in the process of building my coop. I live in Georgia, so cold / snow isn't an issue. What is an issue is the sweltering heat and humidity we get here. July and August are miserable! Since I don't need to worry as much about cold I'm going to make my coop have as much ventilation and shade as possible. I want have access to electricity, so fans and misters are not an option. I've got a plan in my head to create a very "open coop", meaning one wall will be able to be folded down so that side will be open (with hardware cloth), I plan on making the entire top of the coop open (with hardware cloth) and then my corrugated roof will actually cover the coop and part of the run (to help keep part of the run dry).

If it every get to chilly in the coop, I will have a roof panel that I can latch over the top.

My concern / question ... in planning for all this shade for the girls, will that decrease their laying since I keep reading they need ALOT of sunlight? Should I use a clear corrugated panel in the roof over the coop itself to let in more light or will that defeat the purpose of the shade and heat up the coop?

I'm trying to build something to keep the girls as happy as possible. I might plant a couple of small trees or shrubs in their run that I could "limb up" so the girls would have something to get under in the shade. Their run is going to be plenty big for them.

 

[elmo]

Welcome to the forum!

No, you don't need to worry about shade inhibiting laying. Chickens don't need to be in direct sunlight to lay, although they often like to sunbathe in weather cooler than we get in Southern summers (I'm in Texas). You are right to be focussing on mitigating the heat, since chickens don't handle the high temps very easily.

If you've got shade trees in your yard, put your coop under them. I'm taking a landscaping class right now, and just learned that shade under trees is 20-30 percent cooler than shade under an artificial structure because the trees are actually giving off moisture into the air. Cool (in both senses of the word)!

I have an open coop (all 4 sides are wire) roofed with corrugated panels, the smoked kind. It's sited where it gets afternoon summer sun, and even with the open sides it gets too hot. I put reed fencing on the roof to provide shade, and a shade tarp on the west side, and it's still too hot.

I also have a small closed sided coop that I was planning to use in winter, and tried a clear corrugated roof. Boy, did it get hot in there: 20 - 30 degrees hotter than outside.

I finally got it right with the third coop: it's sited under shade trees in the part of our yard that gets no afternoon sun. Bingo! Even though it's a conventional closed coop (but with plenty of ventilation), it is no hotter inside than outside, and it heats up inside more slowly during the day than the outside air. It's fully insulated, and I used radiant roof sheathing, too.

 

[pharmchickrnmom]

I would not use a clear roof panel as it will heat up the coop/run. Use a light color panel, as it will reflect the sunlight rather than intensify it. Chickens need light and your setup should provide enough light and ventilation. We used a cream color plastic roofing we got from Lowes for our tractor. It has worked out well, keeping it cool in the summer. For our winter, (we live in ny), we put fiberglass panels under it for insulation and it stayed toasty for the girls. As far as plants, I cannot say as we move our girls around. Perhaps someone else can lend their expertise.

 

[Judy]

Mine is all metal (we had a bunch of extra metal roofing) and not in shade. There are open spaces on all 4 sides between the wall and roof, probably 5" to 12", plus two opposite sides have large areas that are hardware cloth instead of metal, positioned so they catch prevailing winds. The breeziness in there is just what they need almost the whole year; they are already seeking shade parts of some days. For a couple of months in winter I do cover one spot with plastic to cut down wind. Works fine. I often recommend a three sided coop for folks down here. (Some planted trees will eventually add shade to mine.)

They will get plenty of light through the open spaces. They don't need bright light to lay, only enough to know it is daylight outside.

I would NOT make any of the roof clear. They need the shade. If anything, you may find yourself getting some of that white roof coating that you paint on a metal roof that reflects sunlight, to keep the temp down a bit in there. I run a box fan much of the year. Without power, breeze and shade will be critical for you.

 

[WildChicken]

Buddy,
I live in Georgia as well and I know how hot it gets. I am in the process of finishing up my coop and one thing I wanted to be sure of was to give them plenty of shade. I built a lean roof off of the back of my coop and covered down the south side with metal roofing material for maximum shade. I am also putting roosting poles for them under that part so they can roost there if they want. They will also have the ability to roost in the coop too. Most of our wind and rain blow in from the southwest out of the Gulf and that's the part that I have blocked. I have shutters on the south side of my coop that can be opened during good weather for sunlight in the coop and also for ventilation. My coop isn't super tight so I don't think ventilation will be a problem. I posted some pictures that you could look at for ideas. You didn't say how big your coop is going to be but mine is an 8x10.

Here is a view of the shed with roost being built.

Here is a view of the south side.

And a view of the run. Lots of shade. Good luck with your coop build.

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

I also live in a wickedly hot climate. I didn't have a lot of existing shade in the yard so I had to add it where I could. The roof is insulated, which helps a lot. In order to limit light entering/hitting the walls of the coop I put up layers of shade cloth--separated by space between the layers. I also have grape vines that grow up over the run to provide shade and forage for a good portion of the year. As Elmo pointed out, the air under living plants can be much cooler due to respiration. Of course, the more you can ventilate, the less your coop will act like an oven. BTW,

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
You might even want to have several walls all-mesh like that -- with only one that way, some excess heat can still build up in the coop.

My concern / question ... in planning for all this shade for the girls, will that decrease their laying since I keep reading they need ALOT of sunlight?

What they need is 14+ hours of daylight. That' just daylength though ("day" being defined roughly as "bright enough to read a newspaper"). It does not by any means have to be direct sunlight.

So, go for as much full-shade as you can

Good luck, ahve fun,

Pat​

 

[Lollipop]

Yup, I`m about an hour west of Macon. I moved my small flock here about 4 years ago and the trees on my place help a lot. I use an open pen, like I did in South FL, with a tin roof. Works well most of the year, but I have to put up a blue tarp on 3 sides for winter. It`s not so much the temps, but the wind and blowing rain. I am planning some new breeding pens and they will all be three sided, with the opening to the south and a covered run for shade. Even in very hot weather, shade and water will be the key. Good luck.........Pop

 

[buddymc]

Thanks for the great ideas.

@WildChicken - my coop is 4 x 8 and I've raised the base 32 inches off the ground, so that will provide them with some shade. I am also going to have part of the run covered with corrugate metal I have laying around.

Forgot to mention I will also have windows (old storm windows laying around I can open) on 3 sides of the coop, and then the one side that will be a whole "wall" which can be dropped down on hinges. So hopefully with 3 windows and one open wall they will get great ventilation.

As for natural shade they will only get that until about 11 in morning, so I will probably plant some stuff to create shade.

Thanks for all the input... LOVING this site BTW... very helpful for a "chicken virgin"!

 

[flowergirl60]

Quote:
I love your run. The vines are beautifu.