yeah, that is a really nice run! Thanks for sharing the finished hoop pictures. Plenty of head room in there to walk around, that is great!
Our first attempt at a coop
- Thread starter georgiagail
- Start date
- Apr 6, 2011
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Quote:
Howdy,
We addressed the bulk of this back in May. Despite ferocious heat here in the south the girls have had no noticable heat issues through the summer. Between the excellent ventilation and the old growth forest in which the coop is nestled, the coop is frequently cooler than the ambient temperature. The girls stay outside in the run from just after sunrise until just after sunset. When it is bedtime they file in and perch mainly on the ceiling joist except the lone Rooster who nests on the roost I made closer to the locked door. This could be a protective trait.
We have hawks, owls, and falcons which show up every once in awhile and then they make a bee line for the coop or under it. Since this first attempt we have made two more coops built very much along the same pattern. All have extensive shade, all using the same semi-clear roofing. Perhaps the birds are well acclimized, but except a bit of open mouthed breathing we have noticed no ill effects from the temperatures which often hover close to 100 degrees. Crazy birds even take sunbaths in the sand, usually in the mornings when the most sun makes it into the run. In late afternoon they get chilled watermellon and greens. They seem content with the set-up.
Howdy,
We addressed the bulk of this back in May. Despite ferocious heat here in the south the girls have had no noticable heat issues through the summer. Between the excellent ventilation and the old growth forest in which the coop is nestled, the coop is frequently cooler than the ambient temperature. The girls stay outside in the run from just after sunrise until just after sunset. When it is bedtime they file in and perch mainly on the ceiling joist except the lone Rooster who nests on the roost I made closer to the locked door. This could be a protective trait.
We have hawks, owls, and falcons which show up every once in awhile and then they make a bee line for the coop or under it. Since this first attempt we have made two more coops built very much along the same pattern. All have extensive shade, all using the same semi-clear roofing. Perhaps the birds are well acclimized, but except a bit of open mouthed breathing we have noticed no ill effects from the temperatures which often hover close to 100 degrees. Crazy birds even take sunbaths in the sand, usually in the mornings when the most sun makes it into the run. In late afternoon they get chilled watermellon and greens. They seem content with the set-up.
Quote:
Howdy,
We addressed the bulk of this back in May. Despite ferocious heat here in the south the girls have had no noticable heat issues through the summer. Between the excellent ventilation and the old growth forest in which the coop is nestled, the coop is frequently cooler than the ambient temperature. The girls stay outside in the run from just after sunrise until just after sunset. When it is bedtime they file in and perch mainly on the ceiling joist except the lone Rooster who nests on the roost I made closer to the locked door. This could be a protective trait.
We have hawks, owls, and falcons which show up every once in awhile and then they make a bee line for the coop or under it. Since this first attempt we have made two more coops built very much along the same pattern. All have extensive shade, all using the same semi-clear roofing. Perhaps the birds are well acclimized, but except a bit of open mouthed breathing we have noticed no ill effects from the temperatures which often hover close to 100 degrees. Crazy birds even take sunbaths in the sand, usually in the mornings when the most sun makes it into the run. In late afternoon they get chilled watermellon and greens. They seem content with the set-up.
I feel bad you're having to defend yourself over and over and over again. I read thru all the pages and read where you said this a few times already in this thread. What works for you won't work for everyone.
You must have a huge yard if you've built two more coops like it! WOW! What kind of birds do you have?
Howdy,
We addressed the bulk of this back in May. Despite ferocious heat here in the south the girls have had no noticable heat issues through the summer. Between the excellent ventilation and the old growth forest in which the coop is nestled, the coop is frequently cooler than the ambient temperature. The girls stay outside in the run from just after sunrise until just after sunset. When it is bedtime they file in and perch mainly on the ceiling joist except the lone Rooster who nests on the roost I made closer to the locked door. This could be a protective trait.
We have hawks, owls, and falcons which show up every once in awhile and then they make a bee line for the coop or under it. Since this first attempt we have made two more coops built very much along the same pattern. All have extensive shade, all using the same semi-clear roofing. Perhaps the birds are well acclimized, but except a bit of open mouthed breathing we have noticed no ill effects from the temperatures which often hover close to 100 degrees. Crazy birds even take sunbaths in the sand, usually in the mornings when the most sun makes it into the run. In late afternoon they get chilled watermellon and greens. They seem content with the set-up.
I feel bad you're having to defend yourself over and over and over again. I read thru all the pages and read where you said this a few times already in this thread. What works for you won't work for everyone.
- Thread starter
- #44
The first coop houses the "big" girls and the two other ones are for bantams; one for a trio of MF cochin bantams plus a few extra little bantams, the other for the nine chicks the MF cochin bantams have produced...
So cute!!!!
We're very blessed to have a number of very large, old growth trees and a huge 25+ year old tea olive that's taller than our two story house. So we were able to put all the coops under these trees and they're in shade most of the day.
Gail
So cute!!!!
We're very blessed to have a number of very large, old growth trees and a huge 25+ year old tea olive that's taller than our two story house. So we were able to put all the coops under these trees and they're in shade most of the day.
Gail
- Apr 6, 2011
- 51
- 0
- 28
"I feel bad you're having to defend yourself over and over and over again. I read thru all the pages and read where you said this a few times already in this thread. What works for you won't work for everyone. You must have a huge yard if you've built two more coops like it! WOW! What kind of birds do you have?"
LOL, yes, but much of that was back in May. While I was, at the time convinced extreme heat would not be an issue, now I know it isn't. As victims of chicken math we now have 3 coops, all built in similar manner, all with the Tuftex roofing. GeorgiaGail has posted our second coop, but do not think she has posted the third. It was the most challenging of the three because it is on a fairly steep slope. To use a dog kennel I was forced to elevate the foundation, and only this past weekend completed the ramp and landing to the door. All that remains to be done on this one is a step down inside the coop and it will be complete. I hope this will end my foray into coop building as we are running out of room and I am running out of steam.
Perhaps she will post some pictures from that one as well.
LOL, yes, but much of that was back in May. While I was, at the time convinced extreme heat would not be an issue, now I know it isn't. As victims of chicken math we now have 3 coops, all built in similar manner, all with the Tuftex roofing. GeorgiaGail has posted our second coop, but do not think she has posted the third. It was the most challenging of the three because it is on a fairly steep slope. To use a dog kennel I was forced to elevate the foundation, and only this past weekend completed the ramp and landing to the door. All that remains to be done on this one is a step down inside the coop and it will be complete. I hope this will end my foray into coop building as we are running out of room and I am running out of steam.
Perhaps she will post some pictures from that one as well.
awww, your chickens are beautiful! So cute! Love 'em!! And, WOW- you've done nothing but build chicken coops lately! ha! I bet you are worn out of building them! Chicken math strikes again.
I enjoy looking at everyone's coops so much!
Do you think that by having the ckear panel there is heat in the coop as a reult? I like how simple it looks.
- Apr 6, 2011
- 51
- 0
- 28
Quote:
If the coops were in direct sun it could be a problem, but maybe not even then. Only when our MF cochin roo gives warning of a predator do they go in the coop during the day. Even then they usually scurry under the coop instead. Whenever I hear him give one of these alerts I go out and check on them. Not a chicken in sight except him standing out in the middle of his run staring down the hawk, owl, or falcon. I can now even tell what predator he is warning of as he has a slightly different alarm for each different threat.
By the time the sun sets the coops have been in shade for most of the afternoon. Usually it feels cooler in the coop than it does out in the run. We placed all three coops in a position to take maximum advantage of the excellent shade trees above. We have used shade cloth to cover areas of the run with less shade. The girls in the coop pictured here use what direct sun they get to flop over and sunbathe.
The second coop which holds the MF Cochins has a single slope roof at a shallow pitch, but it lies dead between a pair of mature pear trees which give it all day shade. The last coop which houses the MF cochin chicks is mostly under a giant Tea Olive which pretty much shields it from ever receiving direct sun.
If the coops were in direct sun it could be a problem, but maybe not even then. Only when our MF cochin roo gives warning of a predator do they go in the coop during the day. Even then they usually scurry under the coop instead. Whenever I hear him give one of these alerts I go out and check on them. Not a chicken in sight except him standing out in the middle of his run staring down the hawk, owl, or falcon. I can now even tell what predator he is warning of as he has a slightly different alarm for each different threat.
By the time the sun sets the coops have been in shade for most of the afternoon. Usually it feels cooler in the coop than it does out in the run. We placed all three coops in a position to take maximum advantage of the excellent shade trees above. We have used shade cloth to cover areas of the run with less shade. The girls in the coop pictured here use what direct sun they get to flop over and sunbathe.
The second coop which holds the MF Cochins has a single slope roof at a shallow pitch, but it lies dead between a pair of mature pear trees which give it all day shade. The last coop which houses the MF cochin chicks is mostly under a giant Tea Olive which pretty much shields it from ever receiving direct sun.
- Sep 19, 2011
- 89
- 1
- 33
I know this is an older post, but curious on how the zip ties have held up over time? I am considering using this technique for my run, but heard zip ties can dry out/freeze and break over time. Any input?
JulesAussies
In the Brooder
I am not the thread starter obviously but am also curious if they had better luck with zip ties than I did. I wasn't using mine for chickens but to tie down a tarp to block the back upper opening of my hay barn. Now I'm at 4,750 feet elevation and it was in full sun so my zip ties didn't make it past a couple months. Went back to good ol' bail twine. LOL
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