Seeking help for coop!

[jessmariee]

Hi, all! So excited to be a part of this community - I’ve spent several days combing the posts and gleaning helpful info. I’m going to start my own flock of chickens soon, but I’m currently still in the coop-planning stage. There are so many fantastic ideas and I’m trying to filter out what will work best for my area/coop/flock.

I live in the desert in California, so the summers are hot, arid, and mostly clear, and the winters are cold and cloudy. It doesn’t rain often, except when it pours, and we don’t get enough snow to build a snowman. We do get strong winds, usually around 10mph, and occasionally up to 25mph. Over the course of the year, the temperature typically varies from 32°F to 95°F, but it is rarely below 25°F or above 105°F. From what I’ve read so far, I’ll have to worry more about the heat than the cold.

Originally I had planned to build my own coop and run. I have grand ideas in my head that I didn’t think I would find in any pre-fab coop. Before I got very far in drawing up plans, someone suggested that I look into turning a shed into a coop. The more I researched that idea, the more I liked it (especially since it means I could be finished quicker, which means I can order my chicks sooner!).

Now the hard part is figuring out what I need and what will work best. I’ve recently moved so I finally have the space (yay!). I have a nearly level area in a corner close to my garden that is approx 40’x50’, and that’s where I plan to house my girls.

I may be delusional and have big, crazy ideas, but this is what is in my head. Please feel free to share your advice, input, and constructive criticism - I will take all the help I can get!

I would like to get a shed either 8’x’10’ or 8’x12’, with 7’ tall walls. I plan to put up a half wood, half chicken wire wall inside, dividing it into an 8’x5’ feed room/storage/first aid space and using the rest for the coop, which would make it either 8’x5’ or 8’x7’ (depending on shed size). This makes the coop at least 30 sq ft, which should be palatial for 5 birds.

The inside half-wall will hold two nesting boxes that bump out into the feed room with egg access on that side. Next to the nests, there will be a human-sized screen door for coop access. Across from the nest boxes, I’ll put the roosts with a poop board underneath, and in the corner I’ll put a pop door for chicken access to the run.

I plan to have three windows, two on one of the eave sides of the shed, and one on the other next to the door. I read somewhere that there shouldn’t be a window on a north wall - does that apply to me and my climate? A window on that wall would a lot of light into the storage space. The gabled ends will each have a vent, and I’m thinking a ridge vent might be necessary as well. In the winter, if I close the windows, will the gable vents and ridge vent be enough? In the summer, I can open the windows (which will of course be covered with hardware cloth) to help keep it cool.



Ventilation vs orientation. This is the part I’m still unsure of. I am trying to figure out if the walls with the gable vents should face (roughly) NE and SW, so that the wind blows straight through the vents. If I do that, the run will be on the south-west side between the shed and a six-foot privacy fence. In the winter, the fence casts a long shadow over where the run would be every afternoon. I plan on having a covered run, so in the summer there would be as much shade as possible. Will it be too much shade in the winter? Is there such a thing? These are the types of questions floating around my brain every time I try to make a decision! In the chicken scratch drawing below, you can (hopefully) get a rough image of how it will sit. It’s obviously not to scale



I’m pretty sure I’m not going to insulate. But I don’t know if I should finish the walls or just leave the framing exposed and paint it? I am considering black jack on the floors.

What’s the general opinion on food and water in the coop? I had figured I’d leave it in the run, to minimize moisture in the coop and encourage the hens to enjoy the outdoors.

The run will be something like 8’x8’, with a human door, and will have a roof to provide shade and keep the ground dry in case of rain. What is standard for a run floor? Should I put sand or shavings on the dirt?

I know this post has turned into a novel, but I really want to make sure I get as much as possible right the first time to avoid unnecessary expense and hassle later on! I know I’m in the right place for helpful input. Any and all information is greatly appreciated!

 

[cavemanrich]

You have things quite well figured out.
Here are some of my thoughts/answers.
Northwall window,,,, no problem. The more natural light inside,, the better.
Orientation,,,, Sounds fine to me. I would like to suggest to have eves venting, The ridge venting is good also, but I favor the eves. both sides. You will have the gable vents. Place high up to ridge.

Finishing interior walls, not necessary. Paint is fine.

Place wood shavings, or hay on floor of coop. Makes easy way to clean up. Then just rake/sweep the contents at cleaning time into run. Chickens will have something to scratch thru.

Covered run is GOOD. since it is not going to be very large, consider using Clear Corrugated Polycarbonate Panels. In winter, sun will shine thru. In summer you can block out the sun with light blue tarps on top of panels. (creating somewhat shade) Remove again for winter.
Leave run floor ground, soil, or can put in some sand. There are other options that you can apply as your needs arise. (wood chips,more hay,, etc.)

I suggest an automatic pop door if you are one that would like to sleep in on certain days.

I like to have food and water in my run area. I do remove food for the night and place into a metal can so as not to attract unwanted visitors.

Do not build roosts too high. 3 feet is high enough. This way injuries from flying down to coop floor are minimal.

Ask any other questions you may encounter as you are building your coop.
WISHING YOU BEST,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

 

[jessmariee]

You have things quite well figured out.
Here are some of my thoughts/answers.
Northwall window,,,, no problem. The more natural light inside,, the better.
Orientation,,,, Sounds fine to me. I would like to suggest to have eves venting, The ridge venting is good also, but I favor the eves. both sides. You will have the gable vents. Place high up to ridge.

Finishing interior walls, not necessary. Paint is fine.

Place wood shavings, or hay on floor of coop. Makes easy way to clean up. Then just rake/sweep the contents at cleaning time into run. Chickens will have something to scratch thru.

Covered run is GOOD. since it is not going to be very large, consider using Clear Corrugated Polycarbonate Panels. In winter, sun will shine thru. In summer you can block out the sun with light blue tarps on top of panels. (creating somewhat shade) Remove again for winter.
Leave run floor ground, soil, or can put in some sand. There are other options that you can apply as your needs arise. (wood chips,more hay,, etc.)

I suggest an automatic pop door if you are one that would like to sleep in on certain days.

I like to have food and water in my run area. I do remove food for the night and place into a metal can so as not to attract unwanted visitors.

Do not build roosts too high. 3 feet is high enough. This way injuries from flying down to coop floor are minimal.

Ask any other questions you may encounter as you are building your coop.
WISHING YOU BEST,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Thank you for all the tips! They’ll be very helpful! I hadn’t thought about having a clear polycarb roof on the run, that’s a great idea thanks for the input, I appreciate it!

 

[DobieLover]

You've got a great plan! And I'm not saying that because it sounds remarkably similar to what I'm going to be starting next week!

I agree with @cavemanrich. There is no issue having windows on the north side.

If you are going to cover your run, I would suggest you enclose the walls with 1/2" HC and install a 2' wide predator apron with same all the way around everything. If you do this, you will have a totally secure coop/run and can leave the pop door open all the time. That is how I manage my flock and I have yet to have any type of behavioral issues.

I would also recommend making your run as large as you can afford as you will never regret making it bigger but there is a good chance you will regret it being too small. With a coop that size, you may very well become the victim of chicken math and you want your run to accommodate.

I would not leave the floor in the run dirt. It will quickly become a mess. If you have access to inexpensive wood chips, I would use a thick layer of that for your run litter as it will provide something for the chickens to scratch around in and will compost their droppings.

You will never have to close your windows with the temps you stated unless some of the windows are directly across your roosts. Then only when the temps are below 35 or so.

 

[jessmariee]

You've got a great plan! And I'm not saying that because it sounds remarkably similar to what I'm going to be starting next week!

I agree with @cavemanrich. There is no issue having windows on the north side.

If you are going to cover your run, I would suggest you enclose the walls with 1/2" HC and install a 2' wide predator apron with same all the way around everything. If you do this, you will have a totally secure coop/run and can leave the pop door open all the time. That is how I manage my flock and I have yet to have any type of behavioral issues.

I would also recommend making your run as large as you can afford as you will never regret making it bigger but there is a good chance you will regret it being too small. With a coop that size, you may very well become the victim of chicken math and you want your run to accommodate.

I would not leave the floor in the run dirt. It will quickly become a mess. If you have access to inexpensive wood chips, I would use a thick layer of that for your run litter as it will provide something for the chickens to scratch around in and will compost their droppings.

You will never have to close your windows with the temps you stated unless some of the windows are directly across your roosts. Then only when the temps are below 35 or so.

Thanks for the info!

I have been back and forth on having a bigger run. I definitely have the space to go bigger, and I probably will. Not just for the chickens, but also for selfish reasons — the bigger it is, the easier it will be for me to get in and comfortably do stuff!

I’m also definitely doing the predator skirt. I don’t know what all kinds of predators I’ll get around here, but I’d definitely rather have it than be sorry later.

My biggest concern has really been the ventilation and keeping the girls cool in the summer. That’s my main reason for covering the run. I’ll feel better knowing I did what I could to keep them cool, dry, and safe.

Thanks again!

 

[Ridgerunner]

Over the course of the year, the temperature typically varies from 32°F to 95°F, but it is rarely below 25°F or above 105°F. From what I’ve read so far, I’ll have to worry more about the heat than the cold.

For chickens your winters are not cold. With their down coats they will be comfortable. Heat is your enemy. Heat can kill. Shade is your friend. Direct sunlight is no friend.

I would like to get a shed either 8’x’10’ or 8’x12’, with 7’ tall walls.

That will be really nice, quite palatial. I really like a walk-in coop and i really really like a coop bigger than the absolute minimum. That just makes dealing with issues so much easier. The higher walls make it easier for you to work in there. The taller the walls the better the ventilation can be.

The inside half-wall will hold two nesting boxes that bump out into the feed room with egg access on that side.

Excellent. This way the nests will be on an interior wall and not exposed to sun that could make them into ovens.

I plan to have three windows, two on one of the eave sides of the shed, and one on the other next to the door. I read somewhere that there shouldn’t be a window on a north wall - does that apply to me and my climate?

If you were in the frozen north where lack of heat were a problem then a south window could be useful. But even there a window on the north side would still let in a lot of light. I have yet to see any logical reason why a window to the north hurts anything as long as it does not let really cold air blow across the birds on the roosts when it is really truly cold. So shut the window in winter if that applies to your situation. I would shut your windows in winter.

The gabled ends will each have a vent, and I’m thinking a ridge vent might be necessary as well. In the winter, if I close the windows, will the gable vents and ridge vent be enough?

In winter in your climate, yes. But I'd suggest leaving the tops of your walls under the overhang open, covered with hardware cloth of course. I don't know what size rafters you will wind up with, probably 2x4 or 2x6. That makes a natural opening. You can either put the hardware cloth vertical between rafters or under the rafters to form a soffit. That gives you a lot of shaded light, stops predators, and gives you a lot of rain-proof ventilation. A ridge vent will be greta and will nto get blocked with snow in your climate. Gable vents work well also.

In the winter, the fence casts a long shadow over where the run would be every afternoon. I plan on having a covered run, so in the summer there would be as much shade as possible. Will it be too much shade in the winter? Is there such a thing?

No, even in climates a lot colder than yours here is not such a thing.

I’m pretty sure I’m not going to insulate. But I don’t know if I should finish the walls or just leave the framing exposed and paint it?

I would not finish the walls as the area between the inside and outside becomes a great place for Mommy Mouse to raise a family. That would provide a fair amount of insulation though so there is a trade-off. As far as painting inside, pure personal preference. I don't paint mine as it is inside and protected from weather. But if you wish, it will not hurt a thing for you to paint it. The chickens won't care either way.

My coop floor and run floor are dirt. My coop floor is covered with wood shavings. If you enclose that area underneath where you and the chickens don't have access it becomes another good place for Mommy Mouse and her many broods. I did haul in some extra dirt to put inside my coop to raise the floor level enough so flooding from rainwater stays out. My run is on a slight rise so it drains really well and stays pretty dry.

What’s the general opinion on food and water in the coop?

Depends on who you talk to. Some people only feed and/or water in the coop, some only outside, and some do both. We all have our reasons, many different reasons. Some people feed in the coop to try to stop wild birds from eating feed. Or maybe they like to sleep in so food and water is available to the chickens when they wake up and the pop door is not open. Some feed and/or water in the run to help keep rodents out of the coop or to get the chickens outside more so they don't poop so much in the coop so they have less poop to manage. I do both, mainly as I almost always have juveniles in the flock. Having multiple feed/watering stations makes it easier for the weaker chickens to eat and drink without being bullied. There are a lot of other reasons people give for all of these. Like practically everything else there is no one right way where every other way is wrong. For some of us in our unique situations some ways might be better than others, but for many of us it just doesn't matter. Do whatever works for you.

The run will be something like 8’x8’, with a human door, and will have a roof to provide shade and keep the ground dry in case of rain.

A roof helps keep if drier and shadier, but a lot of rain and sun can come in from the sides. A roof may not help quite as much as you think, though I do like my covered run.

What is standard for a run floor? Should I put sand or shavings on the dirt?

The most important criteria for me in the run is that it needs to drain. If it is on a low spot water may run to it and stand. You said your area is flat, which is good but if it were sloped a tiny bit or raised so water drains away it could be better.

Some people will have you believe that whatever they use or how they do it is absolutely great and works miracles in all conditions in all climates. Yeah, sure. You will find that we use all kinds of things with success. To me the most important thing is that the water has a place to go. Then almost anything works in most conditions. If water stands then you can easily have issues. Some people like to turn their run into a compost pile, especially if they garden. I think that is a great idea if it doesn't stay too wet. As always there are a lot of things you could do.

Some people love sand, some hate it. Like any tool if it is used right it can work really well. Sand drains really well if the water has some place to drain to. But there can be another issue. Chickens poop. If enough chickens poop in a small enough area that poop can build up to here it can stink if it stays wet, even if drainage is good. Some people with small runs sometimes use sand so they can easily scoop chunks of chicken poop out of it and keep it cleaner. To me that is another reason a bigger run might be better than a tiny run.

Now a couple of observations. The way your roof is sloped you will get soaked when you walk into the coop in the rain. You might want to put the human door on another wall or use a gutter. Also slope the roof so rainwater runs away from the run, not into it or use gutters and downspouts to direct the water away.

To aid ventilation I'd suggest a vent low to the ground on the shady (north) side of the coop. That could be an opening covered with hardware cloth. You can cover that area in winter to stop cold breezes from hitting your birds on the roosts if you need to or put a window down low that you can close there. Warm air rises if it has high openings to get out of and cooler air can come in to replace it. The coolest air you are going to have to replace it is on the shady side of your coop.

 

[jessmariee]

Over the course of the year, the temperature typically varies from 32°F to 95°F, but it is rarely below 25°F or above 105°F. From what I’ve read so far, I’ll have to worry more about the heat than the cold.

For chickens your winters are not cold. With their down coats they will be comfortable. Heat is your enemy. Heat can kill. Shade is your friend. Direct sunlight is no friend.

I would like to get a shed either 8’x’10’ or 8’x12’, with 7’ tall walls.

That will be really nice, quite palatial. I really like a walk-in coop and i really really like a coop bigger than the absolute minimum. That just makes dealing with issues so much easier. The higher walls make it easier for you to work in there. The taller the walls the better the ventilation can be.

The inside half-wall will hold two nesting boxes that bump out into the feed room with egg access on that side.

Excellent. This way the nests will be on an interior wall and not exposed to sun that could make them into ovens.

I plan to have three windows, two on one of the eave sides of the shed, and one on the other next to the door. I read somewhere that there shouldn’t be a window on a north wall - does that apply to me and my climate?

If you were in the frozen north where lack of heat were a problem then a south window could be useful. But even there a window on the north side would still let in a lot of light. I have yet to see any logical reason why a window to the north hurts anything as long as it does not let really cold air blow across the birds on the roosts when it is really truly cold. So shut the window in winter if that applies to your situation. I would shut your windows in winter.

The gabled ends will each have a vent, and I’m thinking a ridge vent might be necessary as well. In the winter, if I close the windows, will the gable vents and ridge vent be enough?

In winter in your climate, yes. But I'd suggest leaving the tops of your walls under the overhang open, covered with hardware cloth of course. I don't know what size rafters you will wind up with, probably 2x4 or 2x6. That makes a natural opening. You can either put the hardware cloth vertical between rafters or under the rafters to form a soffit. That gives you a lot of shaded light, stops predators, and gives you a lot of rain-proof ventilation. A ridge vent will be greta and will nto get blocked with snow in your climate. Gable vents work well also.

In the winter, the fence casts a long shadow over where the run would be every afternoon. I plan on having a covered run, so in the summer there would be as much shade as possible. Will it be too much shade in the winter? Is there such a thing?

No, even in climates a lot colder than yours here is not such a thing.

I’m pretty sure I’m not going to insulate. But I don’t know if I should finish the walls or just leave the framing exposed and paint it?

I would not finish the walls as the area between the inside and outside becomes a great place for Mommy Mouse to raise a family. That would provide a fair amount of insulation though so there is a trade-off. As far as painting inside, pure personal preference. I don't paint mine as it is inside and protected from weather. But if you wish, it will not hurt a thing for you to paint it. The chickens won't care either way.

My coop floor and run floor are dirt. My coop floor is covered with wood shavings. If you enclose that area underneath where you and the chickens don't have access it becomes another good place for Mommy Mouse and her many broods. I did haul in some extra dirt to put inside my coop to raise the floor level enough so flooding from rainwater stays out. My run is on a slight rise so it drains really well and stays pretty dry.

What’s the general opinion on food and water in the coop?

Depends on who you talk to. Some people only feed and/or water in the coop, some only outside, and some do both. We all have our reasons, many different reasons. Some people feed in the coop to try to stop wild birds from eating feed. Or maybe they like to sleep in so food and water is available to the chickens when they wake up and the pop door is not open. Some feed and/or water in the run to help keep rodents out of the coop or to get the chickens outside more so they don't poop so much in the coop so they have less poop to manage. I do both, mainly as I almost always have juveniles in the flock. Having multiple feed/watering stations makes it easier for the weaker chickens to eat and drink without being bullied. There are a lot of other reasons people give for all of these. Like practically everything else there is no one right way where every other way is wrong. For some of us in our unique situations some ways might be better than others, but for many of us it just doesn't matter. Do whatever works for you.

The run will be something like 8’x8’, with a human door, and will have a roof to provide shade and keep the ground dry in case of rain.

A roof helps keep if drier and shadier, but a lot of rain and sun can come in from the sides. A roof may not help quite as much as you think, though I do like my covered run.

What is standard for a run floor? Should I put sand or shavings on the dirt?

The most important criteria for me in the run is that it needs to drain. If it is on a low spot water may run to it and stand. You said your area is flat, which is good but if it were sloped a tiny bit or raised so water drains away it could be better.

Some people will have you believe that whatever they use or how they do it is absolutely great and works miracles in all conditions in all climates. Yeah, sure. You will find that we use all kinds of things with success. To me the most important thing is that the water has a place to go. Then almost anything works in most conditions. If water stands then you can easily have issues. Some people like to turn their run into a compost pile, especially if they garden. I think that is a great idea if it doesn't stay too wet. As always there are a lot of things you could do.

Some people love sand, some hate it. Like any tool if it is used right it can work really well. Sand drains really well if the water has some place to drain to. But there can be another issue. Chickens poop. If enough chickens poop in a small enough area that poop can build up to here it can stink if it stays wet, even if drainage is good. Some people with small runs sometimes use sand so they can easily scoop chunks of chicken poop out of it and keep it cleaner. To me that is another reason a bigger run might be better than a tiny run.

Now a couple of observations. The way your roof is sloped you will get soaked when you walk into the coop in the rain. You might want to put the human door on another wall or use a gutter. Also slope the roof so rainwater runs away from the run, not into it or use gutters and downspouts to direct the water away.

To aid ventilation I'd suggest a vent low to the ground on the shady (north) side of the coop. That could be an opening covered with hardware cloth. You can cover that area in winter to stop cold breezes from hitting your birds on the roosts if you need to or put a window down low that you can close there. Warm air rises if it has high openings to get out of and cooler air can come in to replace it. The coolest air you are going to have to replace it is on the shady side of your coop.

Thank you SO much for your feedback and suggestions! You’ve given a lot of useful information, as well as some things I hadn’t thought about. What you said about a slightly sloped area being better makes total sense, of course, and now that I think about it I may have a much better place to put the coop. Thanks for the input!

 

[IamRainey]

Hi. I'm in suburban SoCal. What I'd want to know first is what kind of predators you have. I'm thinking coyotes and snakes. What else? Foxes? Hawks? So, the first thing to figure out is is that shed up to them. What kind of latches are on the doors and windows? Make sure you've got something that can be reinforced by carabiner clips if there's any possibility of raccoons or anything else with agile fingers.

You probably need to supplement the roof with deep overhangs for shade. Or you may add shade cloth on the side/s with the greatest sun exposure. I use the heaviest knit I can get doubled on 2 sides of my coop and run. I think it gives my chickens 20˚ of cooling.

If you go for a shed plan to have a level concrete pad prepared first. I get that you think the spot you've chosen is level but unless it is and remains completely level you'll get settling which will mean gaps in the door/s and windows that small creatures can get in and larger animals can get a hold on to pull their way in. Also, if you're subject to occasional flooding you'll want the floor of the coop raised up so that it will remain dry. If you get flooding and runoff a concrete pad is a MUST.

Make sure the windows are securely protected with hardware cloth screwed in at close intervals with washers.

As far as your run goes, make sure it's securely attached to the shed/coop with screws and washers that can't be pulled out and that are placed at close intervals. Use the heaviest gauge of 1/2" hardware cloth available and dig it in at least 12". If you have a loose sandy soil, I'd go 18". I added 12" concrete pavers 360˚ around mine. You don't want anything digging it's way in.

If you have a loose sandy soil on the floor of your run it will be excellent for dust bathing. Your birds will love it and they'll be able to scratch in their poop to keep it clean. But since you said you had strong winds I'd add a wall on the windward side to protect you birds and the floor of the run. That's where I'd put their food and water. The other 3 sides will still give you good ventilation.

You will absolutely want an electric supply out there. You'll need it if you're brooding chicks. In the summer you'll need fans and it sounds like you may need some heated water in the Winter. Some people also provide supplemental lighting in the Winter to keep egg production up. That's optional but when temps hit triple digits your chickens will need cooling. I run box fans and when it's at it's worst, I put blocks of ice in front of the fans.

Good luck! It sounds like you're going into this thoughtfully and well-informed. That's the best possible thing you could do!

 

[jessmariee]

Hi. I'm in suburban SoCal. What I'd want to know first is what kind of predators you have. I'm thinking coyotes and snakes. What else? Foxes? Hawks? So, the first thing to figure out is is that shed up to them. What kind of latches are on the doors and windows? Make sure you've got something that can be reinforced by carabiner clips if there's any possibility of raccoons or anything else with agile fingers.

You probably need to supplement the roof with deep overhangs for shade. Or you may add shade cloth on the side/s with the greatest sun exposure. I use the heaviest knit I can get doubled on 2 sides of my coop and run. I think it gives my chickens 20˚ of cooling.

If you go for a shed plan to have a level concrete pad prepared first. I get that you think the spot you've chosen is level but unless it is and remains completely level you'll get settling which will mean gaps in the door/s and windows that small creatures can get in and larger animals can get a hold on to pull their way in. Also, if you're subject to occasional flooding you'll want the floor of the coop raised up so that it will remain dry. If you get flooding and runoff a concrete pad is a MUST.

Make sure the windows are securely protected with hardware cloth screwed in at close intervals with washers.

As far as your run goes, make sure it's securely attached to the shed/coop with screws and washers that can't be pulled out and that are placed at close intervals. Use the heaviest gauge of 1/2" hardware cloth available and dig it in at least 12". If you have a loose sandy soil, I'd go 18". I added 12" concrete pavers 360˚ around mine. You don't want anything digging it's way in.

If you have a loose sandy soil on the floor of your run it will be excellent for dust bathing. Your birds will love it and they'll be able to scratch in their poop to keep it clean. But since you said you had strong winds I'd add a wall on the windward side to protect you birds and the floor of the run. That's where I'd put their food and water. The other 3 sides will still give you good ventilation.

You will absolutely want an electric supply out there. You'll need it if you're brooding chicks. In the summer you'll need fans and it sounds like you may need some heated water in the Winter. Some people also provide supplemental lighting in the Winter to keep egg production up. That's optional but when temps hit triple digits your chickens will need cooling. I run box fans and when it's at it's worst, I put blocks of ice in front of the fans.

Good luck! It sounds like you're going into this thoughtfully and well-informed. That's the best possible thing you could do!

Thanks for the reply! We do have some predators to prepare for, but will definitely have a 1-2 foot HC predator skirt in place. Between that, the solid roof, and the dogs in the yard, I don’t expect too much of an issue.

The run will be against the north side of the coop, providing a good amount of wind and sun shelter. I’ve been considering covering one of the sides with shade cloth for added heat protection, too. Glad to know it’s been helpful for you! 20˚ cooler is a big difference, especially if it means going from 100 to 80. Thanks again!

 

[IamRainey]

Yes! That 20˚ is an estimate but the effect can be profound and, I think, the difference between whether or not some of the birds make it.

We lost 1 last year in our worst heat. I'm grateful it was just 1.

Just be prepared for it. ...with electricity if you can manage that.