Work in progress...PICS INCLUDED

[honeyb711]

We have another 3 more of the 'black pens' coming, they all connect together, so we will go 1 up, giving access to the laying boxes from this level, & 2 out, giving more ground space.

We are also letting the girls out to free range, with supervision, for a couple of hours each day aswell.

Any tips, ideas or advice on things we can add or do differently are welcome

We do intend to replace the plastic sheets in windows with a mesh or similar once the weather starts warming up again for some more ventilation, & the piece of timber sitting on top of run will be replaced with 2 small pieces of dowelling to secure where we had to alter the screening on the adjoining door from coop to run.

 

[PingoBags]

If it was me, i'd add a small vent on either side just under the eave, near the peak of the roof.
Allow the heat to escape easier.
The tar paper you have on the roof will also heat up from the sun.
I had the same issue. I used 1" thick insulation just as a heat barrier and stapled it to the underside.

How is that feeder and waterer working out for you? Much wasted food?
I was gonna make one but ended up making something out of wood which I had laying around.
It almost looks like a single nesting box connected to the end of my coop but its for feed.

 

[honeyb711]

If it was me, i'd add a small vent on either side just under the eave, near the peak of the roof. 
Allow the heat to escape easier.
The tar paper you have on the roof will also heat up from the sun.
I had the same issue. I used 1" thick insulation just as a heat barrier and stapled it to the underside.

How is that feeder and waterer working out for you? Much wasted food?
I was gonna make one but ended up making something out of wood which I had laying around.
It almost looks like a single nesting box connected to the end of my coop but its for feed.

Thank you for those tips. We had discussed insulating the roof, & will do so, we are in QLD so the weather gets quiet warm.

As for the vents, i was thinking of putting another window in the backside of the coop, i just wasnt too sure if it needed it. I will get hubby onto perhaps just adding a vent or 2 where you suggested though instead.

Thanks again.

 

[PingoBags]

I based my ventilation on my greenhouse which has been working perfectly.
Vents on either side, near the peak of the roof. It's not passive though.
At one end I have a small 12v fan facing out, connected to a small solar panel used for trickle charging car batteries.
Whenever it's sunny out, warm air is sucked out, no batteries, just a panel.
Passive works too, just slower.

Same idea for my greenhouse but the fan is a bigger 120v connected to a diy thermostat.
When the temps get to about 30-35 celsius, the fan automatically turns on and pulls all the warm air out.

 

[aart]

Coop's kinda small for 4 birds....definitely needs more ventilation.

 

[honeyb711]

Coop's kinda small for 4 birds....definitely needs more ventilation.

The enclosed part of the coop (blue section) itself is 1.5m x 1.2m, there are 3 nesting boxes, & a roost. The chickens go inside here about 7-8pm & are up again by about 6am. I worked out already that it needs more ventilation, but did think the coop itself was ok size wise as they only sleep in it. They free range most of their waking hours & spend the rest of the time in their run (which is being added to) The entire coop itself is 2.5m (l) x 1.2 (w). The whole thing once complete will be at 'human' height & will total approx 10.5m (l) x 7.2m (w).