Will they be happy

[Tala]

Will chickens be happy with a pavillion type set-up ? Or will they constantly feel insecure?

I really don't "need" walls, in fact I need as much ventilation as possible, so I was planning to go with more of a shelter than a coop, but I started to wonder if they will feel safe enough?? I intend to have one solid wall and the roosts will be against it. I seem to remember that my grandma's coop was open on two sides and the roost was up against one of the two walls, so I guess it worked for her.

Reassure me!

 

[meriruka]

Chickens are happy pretty much anywhere if ther is plenty of food & water. But my questions are:
Will they have protection from predators?
Do you put them somewhere else in the winter?

 

[possumqueen]

I agree with you, Tala. Chickens in the south need ventilation more than they need walls. If the walls are predator proof and they have shelter from the worst rains, then they're fine.

I'm in North Carolina -- hot summers and (relatively) mild winters. When we get nasty cold weather, I can set up a big ol' appliance box around the roosts. They get shelter from the wind, and the cardboard helps them hang onto body heat. I tie it down with bungy cords. It's super cheap. I can find an appliance box anytime I want in advance, fold it flat and store it until I need it. The, when the weather emergency is over I can throw the box away. No germs, no bugs, happy chickens.

 

[elmo]

Quote:
Great idea! I'm going to borrow it.

 

[scooter147]

Protection from predators is the main concern I see.
I don't know what part of AR your in but if winters are mild it should work.

 

[Tala]

A "reall bad cold snap" in my area of Arkansas means that it might get down to 20*F overnight, and that only happens a couple of times per winter. For our outdoor animals in the past we have used a heat lamp on those extra frigid nights and I'm running power out so I can put in a light socket. Like someone else said, I could probably rig up a tarp or cardboard if necessary.

Most of the time the average temp is like 40*F so I think chickens will do FINE.

The entire thing will be covered in welded wire fence up to the roof so nothing can climb in, with hardware cloth 2ft up around the bottom to keep shavings in and predator paws out. Like I said it will be solid behind the roosts so raccoons can't reach through while they sleep. I will have electric fence around the base for dig-under protection, and probably couple that with a hardware cloth "skirt".
I want to have a solid door that is the same height at the building, so nothing's climbing in, and I will padlock this door at night to keep raccoons out.