Need help deciding whether to build enclosed nesting/roosting area, or leave it open

[aggiemae]

If your coop has a clear roof you coop will get very hot unless it is in the shade, especially in the late afternoon. Natural light is good for chickens and being able to look out of the coop and see what's going on keeps then calm, so, in addition the 6 square feet of venting at the eves our coop had four windows at roost height (glass in winter and screen in the summer).

Ok, I have another question. I am going to be building this box inside of the coop and I have a clear plexiglass roof. Does their roosting area need to be completely enclosed for darkness at night so they can get that cycle of dark and light?
I'm going to have electrical put in the coop so that I can have a light on at night if I want to in the winter for a little heat and so they'll lay. I guess my dilemma is that I don't want the heat to escape or to dissipate quickly because they have a plexiglass roof as opposed to a plywood roof. I just want it to be right the first time around, so lots of questions.

There isn't any food or water in the coop at all. There is food in the run and the hens are let out at dawn. They got out into the yard (1/2 acre) mid morning and jump back into the coop at dusk on their own

Did you mean that you don't keep any food or water in the roosting area? There has to be water in the coop and food too!

 

[29PalmsRanch]

I'm down in the SE too. We went with a partial roof, open boxes.