Chicken run in shady area?

[katho]

Hello, I am new here, with a question. We are looking at getting chickens and are considering where to site the coop and run. One possible location has some good sized trees and smaller saplings, plus is shaded by nearby tall trees and a house, so it doesn't get much direct sun. The ground surface is pine needles/leaf litter. We are concerned that the chickens need more sun, and that predators could use the trees to get in. Should we rule out this location? We are in Massachusetts, so it gets below freezing in the winter and 80s/90s in the summer.

Thanks for any advice!

 

[Judy]

A shady spot is ideal for a run, IMO. Even northern summers get uncomfortable for them in the heat of summer, and they need shade and breeze to survive summer heat. They should get enough indirect sunlight to make their vitamin D, etc. even in a shad area. You'll have to weigh the predator risk yourself, though, of course.

 

[4 the Birds]

A shady spot is ideal for a run, IMO. Even northern summers get uncomfortable for them in the heat of summer, and they need shade and breeze to survive summer heat. They should get enough indirect sunlight to make their vitamin D, etc. even in a shad area. You'll have to weigh the predator risk yourself, though, of course.

I agree with Judy that shade is a MUST! A sunny spot can also be a good thing for the frigid cold months and it also helps to dry the coop and run after rains as well as removing mildew. The ideal place in my opinion is a sunny location with plenty of space for air movement. Shade can be created with awnings, overhangs, and a covered run.

 

[LauraSac]

Our run gets filtered shade from trees in the afternoon, when it's hottest. It's also covered, but we have "sun roofs" that we can cover when it rains. The sunroofs are covered with hardware cloth, so predators are never an issue. They enjoy the morning sun, but they stay put in the covered areas in the afternoon. They don't even want filtered shade at that point. It gets really hot here, triple digit hot, but we also have no humidity so the shade is comfortable.

 

[RonP]

I would be more concerned about the unprotected run and the safety of your flock.
Shade should not be an issue as others have mentioned.