need ideas for shade on the outdoor run.....(pic added)

[savingpurple]

We have a good section of outdoor area for the 7 chickens we have, but with our spring turning oh so darn slowly into summer temps, I worry that the coop will be too hot for them to retreat to, during the heat of the day, and the open area is in full sun. It was the only location I had to do the coop. I don't want something permanent as I won't be able to see them, as I would like too, but am at a lose of a solution?

Any inovative ideas? If you need an updated pic of the coop I can add it

Thanks in advance....

 

[chezpoulet]

Try shade cloth- you can get them at Lowe's for about $26-30 dollars, and hang it up on the south side, so that it will filter most of the afternoon sun. I find that it works better than putting the shade cloth directly over the run.

 

[ForgottenGlen]

We are going to be transplanting one of our grapevines from the woods to the side of the run when we get it done, plant it out where they cant eat/peck at it and let it grow up the sides and over the top. This way when the grapes grow next year they can have treats too!

Also we have some fiberglass from an old letter side of the road sign that we put over the top of the coop and it's lightweight and keeps the sun off great especially during the hot hours of the day. NC gets hot quick! Free stuff by the side of the road that can be re purposed is always good.

 

[benjoycei]

a tarp is cheaper, and will keep them drier in wet weather. I like the grapevine idea

 

[hennyannie]

Harbor Freight had a great deal on shade cloth made like a tarp about a week ago. I am currantly using the silver tarps from the camping section at Walmart and they work great. They reflect the heat and last alot longer than any i have used.

 

[Patricia Jane]

I use shade cloth and it works great. It's also suppose to drop the temp down by 15%. That's the claim anyway. But I really like it. Gives filtered sun which is nice. My whole run is covered with it.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

I take a large canvas tarp and put up 2 sawhorses. I hang the tarp up on some lumber stretched across the sawhorses.

I bungee cord the tarp to some metal T posts in the ground next to the sawhorses to secure it against the wind.

They love it, as it is a rain shelter and a sun shelter. I place a pallet on the ground underneath it along with a bowl of grit. Instant vacation spot.

 

[carolinasculpture]

Hi! We did the grape vine thing as well, but until they get bigger I have planted sunflowers along the outside of the run. They grow pretty fast, get tall enough to block some sun, in the fall, the chickens enjoy the heads then they fall into the run and they die for winter removal. Also, the chickens do hang out in the shade from the coop, but really enjoy the area under the coop that is shaded ALL the time and stays pretty cool, comparatively, here in SC. When it is really hot, we have put a little pool with a couple of inches of water in it. They stand in there for a while. Have heard of others using a mister, but haven't done that yet. Good luck!

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

Half our run has shade cloth over it and we have some along the west end to block the setting sun heat too.

 

[fresheggsdaily]

I did the tarp thing for awhile but found it kind of cheesy. Instead I planted some butterfly bushes, roses and gardenia. They love to settle underneath them in the summer. And added bonus is that the bushes attract bugs that they love to eat.