Uh - Oh - HOT coop ( Updated w/ Pictures of what we have now)

[Carenm]

Quote:
We have clear. But, it's on top of plywood. Probably doesn't benefit us either. We get bad storms around here too in Midland, I didn't even think of hail

 

[Carenm]

ok, added some pictures and really they don't have much ventilation. Not sure what DH was thinking. I am looking at other people's coops and our birds will suffocate.

Back to the drawing board for dh

 

[fiddlebanshee]

Apart from adding ventilation, could you be able create some shade over the coop with a tarp, shade trees or something else so that it is not in full sun all day? Move it to where there is shade?

 

[Carenm]

Quote:
Unfortunately not. We live in the desert on undeveloped land. We are working on landscape but no trees

At least none enough to be helpful at this point.

 

[scrambledmess]

Since you are in the desert, do you really need an enclosed coop? Maybe open up the front of it, something like this: http://gallery.backyardpoultry.com/data/584/medium/P1260355.JPG

 

[Carenm]

Quote:
We do get cold winters so that was our reasoning. We get snow sometimes and in the single digits overnight several times over the winter

 

[AnnainMD]

1. You obviously know now that you need more ventilation. You might want to consider switching out that clear corrugated roofing material for the solid color ones, they'll block the light for you. Someone had that on their roof and measured the temp in their coop to be something like 120 degrees!!!
You can paint the roof white as well, like they do in Bermuda and Caribbean countries. You can read up on reflective roof material.

2. You might also consider painting the coop white or some sort of light color. You can have one or 2 ENTIRE sides made of hardware cloth to allow AWESOME ventilation and then just have wood panels that you can place over part of the wall for the really cold days.
Please read patandchickens page on winter coops:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=1642-winter-coop-temperatures

Also:
http://www.nortoncreekpress.com/fresh_air_poultry_houses.html

Chickens can handle cold WAY BETTER than they can handle heat. I had my girls out this weekend and it was in the mid-70's (~low 80's in the sun) and they were PANTING and laying down in the dirt with their wings spread. We put up a wood board to provide some shade and they were happy as pigs in s---!

3. Is the coop elevated to allow air flow below the coop and shade for the chickens?

4. Roof overhangs to block the sun.

5. Plant native climbing vines, anything that will provide shade.

Hopefully some of these suggestions are useful. If I can think of anything else, I'll let you know. It gets really flipping hot and HUMID here in MD.

 

[Carenm]

Quote:
Thank you for your advice. Will show this to DH. Good things our girls are still young enough to come in at night

 

[Lesa]

If you have electricity to the coop- the quickest, easiest thing to do is run a window fan. Turn it so that the air is being sucked out of the coop. With the ventilation you have, I would think you could get a complete air exchange quickly. Remember, for the most part your birds are going to be outside during the day. Providing shade over the run will do wonders. Many other great ideas and Pat's ventilation page is an important read. Good luck!

 

[Carenm]

We don't have electric out there but could run an extension cord, I think