Need Help ASP.

[Jferlisi]

So i live in southern cali where summers can get to 100+ in temp and im about to build my second chicken coop. The first Coop is open on one side and half on the other so heat doesn't have a problem. But i have made some plans for the second one cause i want to try something dif and we are getting some more girls but i have no open sides on this one. I will be making it to where it will have two window type things that have bird netting on the inside but a door on the outside to close it when its cold. I was wondering if it would get to hot in to summer since it has no true open sides, i don't want to roast my new girls. If so should i leave the top slanted sides open just covered with netting so predators cant get in so the heat can still escape? i would really appreciate any suggestions and helpful tips.

 

[tammyd57]

We get the 100+ heat all summer too. My current coop has one side completely open, and that is the kind of coop I've always used.
However, I am now converting a building for use as a coop. It's 8' x 32' x 8' high. 1/3 of the front is open hardware cloth. I'm hoping the higher ceilings and the open area will be enough to keep the heat from getting too bad. If not, I'll cut out some more ventilation.
(This building started life as a fireworks stand, see my thread about it here)
Oh and use hardware cloth or welded wire instead of bird netting, your chickens will be much safer.

 

[Jferlisi]

Ok thanks alot, i will keep that in mind and ill pick up some more chicken wire fencing stuff. That really is a amazing project you are working on and puffy is a lovely looking hen.

 

[tammyd57]

Quote:
Yeah, Puffy's a cutie. Which works in her favor since she hasn't laid any eggs since she went broody in April and hatched 5 babies for me. But, eggs or no eggs, she is an excellent broody so she still has a job here.

 

[Jferlisi]

Quote:
Yeah, Puffy's a cutie. Which works in her favor since she hasn't laid any eggs since she went broody in April and hatched 5 babies for me. But, eggs or no eggs, she is an excellent broody so she still has a job here.

So after the get out of there broodness do they stop laying for a bit cause i have heard from others that theres stop laying for a while after she when broody.

 

[tammyd57]

Quote:
Yeah, Puffy's a cutie. Which works in her favor since she hasn't laid any eggs since she went broody in April and hatched 5 babies for me. But, eggs or no eggs, she is an excellent broody so she still has a job here.

So after the get out of there broodness do they stop laying for a bit cause i have heard from others that theres stop laying for a while after she when broody.

Yes, most of the broodies I've had over the years will stop laying until their babies are a few weeks old, but usually start up again within a couple months. Puffy hasn't laid since mid-March when she went broody. She didn't brood them after hatch, for various reasons I had to take them and brood them myself, so she actually should have started laying again in maybe mid-June. She isn't molting either. Everyone else is but Puffy has all her feathers and looks great!

 

[Jferlisi]

well im sorry to hear that, but hey all least she is staying pretty for ya. LOL.

 

[Jferlisi]

So i finished my coop today, it wasn't what i planned or anything, we got the babies sooner than i had planned. I just couldn't wait any longer. LOL I will post some pics of the coop tomorrow.

 

[elmo]

Quote:
Chicken wire isn't predator secure, either. If you want to keep predators out, go for welded wire (sometimes called hardware cloth).

I live in North Texas where 100 degrees in summer is common, also. I have an open sided coop but I foolishly sited it somewhere that gets afternoon sun. Bad move.

I just had a conventional closed coop built for me this August, but this time I sited it properly. It's in an area that gets no afternoon sun and only a little morning sun. It has a radiant insulated roof and conventional insulation in the walls, and it has plenty of ventilation: 36 square feet when all vents and windows are open (in a building with 64 square feet floor space). Bottom line? This August during our heat wave the temperature inside the coop was no greater than the temperature outside. Yes!

So be sure to put our coop someplace where it gets afternoon shade.

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

Quote:
This is the best you can hope for without cooling the air and what you should strive for in extreme heat. My coop gets no hotter inside than the temperature under my darkest, shadiest tree. I agree with elmo, insulate and ventilate to keep hot air from building up inside and acting like an oven. You can also use shade cloth panels to keep the sun from hitting the coop. Here's mine: