Winter/summer quarters

[ChicksofHeaven]

Hello chicks! I’m thinking ahead to summer!

We built windbreak walls on part of our lean to in order to block the crazy South Dakota winds and protect the chickens from the cold.
We used clear corrugated polycarbonate roofing panels to build the walls. This allows daylight in and allows the sun to warm things up. It’s great. Example: this morning it was 7 degrees outside but 23 degrees within the walls, before the sun warmed anything up.

Our concern is for the coming summer. The panels might turn it into a greenhouse in South Dakota summer heat!
We do have a pen/run on the side of the lean to, and we could move the coop over there for their “summer quarters”.
My question is, will the three hens do well to transition to going to the same coop in a different spot? It’s less than 15 feet difference. Would that work? They free range anyway so maybe it won’t even matter. They could probably roost in the same place (inside the lean to) as long as they are smart enough to leave the sweat box when it’s hot during the day!

Any thoughts or concerns?

Pictures show the new walls, and the third pic is of a different flock when they were stationed in the “summer quarters”!

 

[Debbie292d]

That's a great idea!

As for moving the coop 15', I know ours wouldn't care. They may walk around a bit confused for a few minutes is all but they'd get it pretty quick when dusk comes.

 

[ChicksofHeaven]

That's a great idea!

As for moving the coop 15', I know ours wouldn't care. They may walk around a bit confused for a few minutes is all but they'd get it pretty quick when dusk comes.

Thank you! That’s what I thought. They’d figure it out pretty quickly.

 

[rosemarythyme]

My question is, will the three hens do well to transition to going to the same coop in a different spot? It’s less than 15 feet difference. Would that work?

If they don't figure it out on their own physically moving them into the coop for a few nights until they figure it out should work as well.

 

[linguini]

The windbreak walls look beautiful! You can replace the corrugated panels with hardware cloth in the summer and provide a run for the chickens. (and predator proof the run if you have predators around)

We have the same coop as our first of three coops. It's main problem is lack of ventilation. We leave both side-doors open and covered with hardware cloth for the summer.