Too much sun in my coop

[Sally8]

After reading through many articles here, I'm still stumped. We built our coop within the chain link fence out in our backyard. We put 2 average/smallish size windows on the North and South sides because those are the directions of our storms. We live in a gully. The sun comes up behind the coop (East) and then goes down facing the back of our house. We live in the county and have problems with coyotes (huge problem), foxes and stray cats along with raccoons, skunks, hawks etc. I felt more comfortable with the coop door facing our door and windows to keep an eye on things, plus my dogs like to go out on the screen porch and they bark if a leaf moves. The problem I never thought about is the sun shining in the doorway. Right now my chicks are about 2 months old and I'm worried about the sun cooking them. I took a fan out and am placing frozen milk jugs out. They can get away from sun on either side but darn, I wish I thought of that before. We actually never see the sun until 10-11am and then it's out of sight by 6pm. The door is a screen door reinforced with chicken wire. The coop is 2 feet off the ground. I didn't want anything on the back side because of the preditors. Any ideas? Thanks. (My husband, as we speak, is still working on the fenced in run and eventually they can get under the coop, there are trees but they won't shade in the afternoon.)

 

[PeepsAreForMe]

Hi Sally8 - can you post any pictures? We are totally redoing our coop as well, which will face the brutal afternoon sun. It will be 7 feet high so I can walk in it, and I was thinking of putting those bamboo shades that roll up inside so I can put them down to block the sun and still get air movement. Maybe you can do something similar.

 

[AussieAcres]

Are you looking for a permanent solution or a temp one until the season cools? Couple ideas here, The first would be a more permanent solution. you could frame in a piece of plywood as wither a full or half door and double hinge. The lower section of the screen door could be covered by the plywood door and create shade and be opened independently of the screen door.

A temporary version of this could be achieved by simply stapling a section if tarp over the lower half of the door.

Either option still allows for airflow, but provides more shade than a fully open screen.

 

[furbabymum]

Get an awning would be what I'd say.

 

[Sally8]

Thank you all for your suggestions. I had my husband angle the roof to try to block some of the sun but it didn't cover enough. I watched one day and we don't actually get the full sun in the coop until 3:30 in the afternoon. Today my hubby and I went to Home Depot and over in the screening section, they sell screen called Super Solar Screening. Size 36" x 84". It is charcoal in color and deflects the sun's heat by 90% You can see through it. So air can go through. It's nearly dark and I rolled it u for the times I don't need it.. It cost $16.00. I'm toying with the idea of making it permanent but I like a better view to see them at night from the house. Our coop is still such a work in progress but when it's done I'll post pic's. Right now just the babies are in there. I have 6 older hens in the older coop. As soon as I can tell boys from girls, then l will separate, hens with 1 roo. You can see my nosy kids looking down after we put the screen up. I just love them.

 

[Life is Good!]

Nice looking helpers you've got there. Seems one is ready to open the toolbox and get to work!

 

[teach1rusl]

Dang...that price isn't bad. So has it worked pretty well??? You've sure got some cuties there!!

 

[The Lazy L]

95 F in the coop, 100 F in the run. My 6 week old chicks are running around playing like...chickens with their head cut off. Temperature doesn't seem to faze them one bit.

 

[Mtn Laurel]

I have a reflective tarp covering my run to block the sun. It does a great job.