Texas

[henless]

We are looking at doing a whole new set up for our ladies so they are together for me to care for but separate for various reasons. In Texas for the coop should I have 4 walls and a floor or will 3 walls away from north wind be enough? DH wants 3 walls and the whole coop with roosts and laying boxes will be all one part with the run being completely covered for shade in summer I am a bit over protective and wonder if a closed coop is necessary

any suggestions?

Last year, DH & I built a coop/run combo out of two of our stalls. North wall was solid, East/West walls were solid on bottom & open on top. This year I'm redoing the whole thing, much to my DH's dismay. I'm tearing all the walls out and replacing with hardware cloth. It will be hardware cloth on all 4 sides, with tarps/clear plastic put up for winter.

Even as open as it is now, my chickens are already hot. It's just so freakin humid with all the rain we've had.

After reading all the recent posts on coops I've realized that the coop I'm building is more suited to cold weather. Good thing I'm still working on it and can incorporate features that'll keep them cool. I'm sure glad I'm following this thread. I might have accidentally cooked my chickens.

Don't worry. Even if you had finished the coop, you can still redo it!

I don't think a coop is ever finished!

I did get some more work done on mine today. I'm keeping my granddaughter over the summer, so even though I'm not getting as much accomplished as I would like, she does help and is great entertainment.


eta: Speaking of rain, I hear thunder now. I sure needed to mow the yard this evening. *sigh*

 

[orumpoultry]

Last year, DH & I built a coop/run combo out of two of our stalls. North wall was solid, East/West walls were solid on bottom & open on top. This year I'm redoing the whole thing, much to my DH's dismay. I'm tearing all the walls out and replacing with hardware cloth. It will be hardware cloth on all 4 sides, with tarps/clear plastic put up for winter. 

Even as open as it is now, my chickens are already hot. It's just so freakin humid with all the rain we've had. 

Don't worry. Even if you had finished the coop, you can still redo it!   I don't think a coop is ever finished! 

I did get some more work done on mine today. I'm keeping my granddaughter over the summer, so even though I'm not getting as much accomplished as I would like, she does help and is great entertainment. 


eta: Speaking of rain, I hear thunder now. I sure needed to mow the yard this evening. *sigh*

I don't know about y'all. ... Even with all of the rain we've gotten recently we're still dry. Rivers are high, yes. Lakes flooded, yes. Some soggy spots? Yes. Still dry? Scarily so.

 

[Briza]

Quote:
I think you might be right about that! Every time I see someone else's coop pictures, I start to think about what I like about it and how I can incorporate the bit I like.

 

[JRNash]

Here comes the rain. AGAIN!!

 

[Rustys Girls]

Don't say that, but just a little won't hurt. Thank you Briza, Hello from the Galveston Gulf Coast, I have some special girls. Building a big coop out of an old Deer Stand, tower. It is starting to get in the 90's here, about ventilation?? Exhaust or blowing fan, or both? I am having fun with these and can't wait intil I start adding a few here and there. I have white,red,and barred rocks plus a Delaware and a Wyandotte, GL. I have a design for my coop, walk in door and all, just want to make it sanitary and heat/cold tolerant. Didn't raise the girls this far to half-*** it. rg's.

 

[bnjrob]

Don't say that, but just a little won't hurt. Thank you Briza, Hello from the Galveston Gulf Coast, I have some special girls. Building a big coop out of an old Deer Stand, tower. It is starting to get in the 90's here, about ventilation?? Exhaust or blowing fan, or both? I am having fun with these and can't wait intil I start adding a few here and there. I have white,red,and barred rocks plus a Delaware and a Wyandotte, GL. I have a design for my coop, walk in door and all, just want to make it sanitary and heat/cold tolerant. Didn't raise the girls this far to half-*** it. rg's.

Fans are a luxury item and won't work if the power goes out. When you think ventilation, think non-electric ventilation. Lots of air flow with windows, air flow under eaves drawn out at roof ridge, etc. If you start pampering your chickens so that they get accustomed to *weather* that requires electricity and your power goes out - your chickens can keel over at a much lower temperature than they normally would because they haven't been acclimated to high temps without having their fans and water sprinklers, etc..

 

[Rustys Girls]

Would you put any ventilation on the floor of the over night coop? I was thinking 1/2 Rabbit Wire half wood, I really am concerned about air flow, I will have an exhaust fan even if I have to solar panel it--see Tower Blind, I have solar panels

But I hear you loud and clear, I think hurricane, got a million questions. rg's

 

[orumpoultry]

All of my coops are open air on two sides. I walled the western sides. Evening sun in the summer is much worse than cold wind will ever be. Tarps and clear wrap go up in the winter.

 

[Rustys Girls]

I sure appreciate you, is a 40" x 48" coop good enough for 2 grown hens with a 3' x 8' daytime run, will be able to move around . I'll show a pic of what I have done, this is just something that needed finishing, I think it will work. rg's

 

[henless]

I don't know about y'all. ... Even with all of the rain we've gotten recently we're still dry. Rivers are high, yes. Lakes flooded, yes. Some soggy spots? Yes. Still dry? Scarily so.

No, we are not dry. We are not as wet as we were, but I wouldn't say we have dried out yet.

Don't say that, but just a little won't hurt. Thank you Briza, Hello from the Galveston Gulf Coast, I have some special girls. Building a big coop out of an old Deer Stand, tower. It is starting to get in the 90's here, about ventilation?? Exhaust or blowing fan, or both? I am having fun with these and can't wait intil I start adding a few here and there. I have white,red,and barred rocks plus a Delaware and a Wyandotte, GL. I have a design for my coop, walk in door and all, just want to make it sanitary and heat/cold tolerant. Didn't raise the girls this far to half-*** it. rg's.

Welcome!

Ventilation? Here in Texas, I don't think you can have too much ventilation.

Would you put any ventilation on the floor of the over night coop? I was thinking 1/2 Rabbit Wire half wood, I really am concerned about air flow, I will have an exhaust fan even if I have to solar panel it--see Tower Blind, I have solar panels

But I hear you loud and clear, I think hurricane, got a million questions. rg's

Floor ventilation at night would be great for our summers. It gets hot/humid during the summer and they would appreciate any breeze they get while roosting. During the winter, you could always block the lower air flow.

I sure appreciate you, is a 40" x 48" coop good enough for 2 grown hens with a 3' x 8' daytime run, will be able to move around . I'll show a pic of what I have done, this is just something that needed finishing, I think it will work. rg's

Sounds big enough, if you can stop at 2!