So I am new to this whole chicken thing and am getting very excited to get started. I am scheduled to take the chicken class in February at the end of the month. Should I wait for the class before I start looking for a coop and progressing in my chicken plans? Or can I go ahead and get a coop and does anyone have any suggestions for what kind of coop is good for our summer heat? I kinda like this one that I attached.
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What is one more month in the big scheme of things to wait? My opinion is to take the class and that will help to inform your search for the perfect coop... or you may design one yourself. The most important thing to keep in mind is keeping cool and especially shade, meaning a big tree or the north side of your house or somewhere else with DEEP shade for the summer. Placement of the coop will ultimately be much more important than the nuances of coop design to your ladies survival of the brutal summers!
Becky's coop is very well suited for the desert. It's open on three sides, but has walls that offer protection from the worst weather. Her coop allows air to flow through. She's also right about the dark color and nest boxes. We have similar boxes, but ours are painted white and I crack them open a tad in the heat so they have ventilation.
Chickens are very cold hardy, so you never need to worry about cold. Our coop is open on two sides. It's mobile, kind of, so we aim the two walls against the winds & afternoon sun.You can see it on my page if you click on my name.
April, if you choose this coop, definitely replace the interior wall with wire, and probably another wall. The windows might give enough air, but not likely.
Marilyn, That's a clever idea with the doors, and I love the little chicken sitting in the coop already! :) If the two side walls are solid, I'd recommend leaving the back wall open with wire, and keep the doors open. You'll rarely need to close them.
Keep in mind that monsoon winds blow from S-SE, winter winds blow from W-NW, and the afternoon sun is on the West as well, so it's good to protect them from those directions.
Thanks for the input Sheri. I checked out your coop and it looks nice. What do you have for your flooring? I think I maybe trying to hard with the coop..
We have wire on the bottom, so the poop, well, most of it, falls through. (I think it's 1"x1" wire--I'll check and let you know if it's different) The wire floor minimizes cleaning and we don't need shavings. We catch the droppings and add it to our compost, and about twice/year I go in with a floor scrubber and brush the floor wire.
Here is a picture of our open-air coop and the grow-out coop.
(yes, that's a rice milk box. I put it there to keep the chickens from going in there. It was supposed to be temporary, but it's been there at least a year. lol)
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We're new to the chicken thing too. Our 5 girls are 9 days old. We're building a coop that is similar in design to the one you posted, but we're using kitchen cabinet doors that we got at the Habitat ReStore. That way we can open them for air or close them when we need to protect them from bad weather. I'll post more pix when the coop is finished (the yellow squares are color chips for the doors). I hope we're doing right by the chickens.
I was just looking at backyard chickens and like this design myself. They put plastic under the reed fencing but I'm thinking for out here no plastic so the wind can pass through... just a thought? Anyone else? maybe if modified?
That's a great looking coop but I'd be worried the enclosed part would be too hot. You can leave the whole side off of the coop part on the side of the run and paint it a lighter color and it would be better suited for our heat. Also, you'll want to make sure the nest boxes hanging out the side are shaded so they don't become ovens. Think about 114 degree heat when you decide on a coop. The cold here isn't a concern.
Also, you can check out backyardchickens.com they have lots of "open-air" coop designs to look at.
I'm working on a coop too at the moment and I had planned on closing three sides but having shutters that opened similar to the picture she has here. Are you saying it's better to not have any inclosed area for the chickens at all? I mean I'm starting with basically a dog run, and building on to that, perhaps I shouldn't put any shelter for the chickens at all, just roosting bars and nests? I know we don't get extremely cold but we do hit bellow freezing about a week or two each year in our yard.
That's a very nice coop, April. I can't see the back side, so the only thing I'd caution you about is the lack of ventilation. Some coops are designed for colder climates, and a fully enclosed coop can cause suffocation in chickens during our hot season. I had a friend lose two chickens in a coop with three wood sides and one wire. Here in the desert you need shelter from the sun and monsoon storms, but not from the cold.
You can get started now if you want. If you get chicks, they won't be ready for a coop for a month or so anyway.