YES, you DO need shade!!
Shade cloth can work very well.
We have a very HOT south side of the run. So we’ve used:
1. Shade cloth- great, but can’t see the chickens very well.
2. Gourds -especially birdhouse gourds readily available in seed packets. They grow fast and have large leaves. Birds will eat the plants and the gourds if they can get to them. But, WOW! Shade and coolness! So, you could arch something over that (or just leaning like a lean-to) to support the vines.
3. This year we are growing the gourds in a different spot and will try a climbing decorative bean seed (although edible this type is mostly decorative, and I need to find my packet to tell you what it is), and climbing snap dragons. Not sure how vigorous these will be, so can’t speak to that.
4. Propped up board -ok, it’s in the front of your house, so maybe a nicely decorative pallet that’s is painted and can be propped in front for shade and secured on the sides with sturdy garden stakes.
Part of the reason they need shade is because that is a hot time if the day, and their water needs to be kept cool or they are less likely to drink. When chickens are dehydrated they don’t lay eggs. When chickens are stressed (including heat stress bc no shade) they also don’t lay eggs.
Shade cloth can work very well.
We have a very HOT south side of the run. So we’ve used:
1. Shade cloth- great, but can’t see the chickens very well.
2. Gourds -especially birdhouse gourds readily available in seed packets. They grow fast and have large leaves. Birds will eat the plants and the gourds if they can get to them. But, WOW! Shade and coolness! So, you could arch something over that (or just leaning like a lean-to) to support the vines.
3. This year we are growing the gourds in a different spot and will try a climbing decorative bean seed (although edible this type is mostly decorative, and I need to find my packet to tell you what it is), and climbing snap dragons. Not sure how vigorous these will be, so can’t speak to that.
4. Propped up board -ok, it’s in the front of your house, so maybe a nicely decorative pallet that’s is painted and can be propped in front for shade and secured on the sides with sturdy garden stakes.
Part of the reason they need shade is because that is a hot time if the day, and their water needs to be kept cool or they are less likely to drink. When chickens are dehydrated they don’t lay eggs. When chickens are stressed (including heat stress bc no shade) they also don’t lay eggs.
