# Starting over



## eqstrnathlete (Dec 9, 2012)

Hello. After losing yet another entire flock to some wild critter, I've bit the bullet and purchased a strong coop. I am starting over with baby chicks. I want to put the coop in my backyard bec it is nearer the water and we can see it from the back deck, and is farther from the tree line. However, it is full sun from sun up until sun down. I have another place to put it but it is on the other side of the house, sways from water, and at the tree line. I live in Missouri where summer is 90-100* with 70-100% humidity and winter lows in the 20's. I am torn and do not know where to place my coop.


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

Hi, welcome to the world of chicken! I see what you mean about where to put the coop. There was no choice for me to make in Florida, LOL. I do think that chickens handle cold better than hot. I think your weather is pretty mild, not really hot or cold for a long time. So I don't know, I don't think one will be better than the other as long as you do provide shade and put ice in their water when it's hot.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

You already bought it? If not, can you choose a roof color? One that will reflect the sun back and not absorb it like the darker colors. Is the underside insulated or sheathed with wood to prevent the heat from the metal sinking in to the coop?

If the coop is on the south side of the house place it with the doors facing the house. The outside pen will be in more shade than sun. Use light weave, light colored shade cloth on the sides to reflect sun. And if you see them panting, hose down everything. You can also buy misters at the big box stores to turn on when it gets unbearable for them.


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## eqstrnathlete (Dec 9, 2012)

It is sold as is-no color requests. The coop would be on the east side of the house so I guess it would need to face a diff direction.


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## eqstrnathlete (Dec 9, 2012)

Oh and the roof of the inside coop is insulated with insulation


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

What kind of insulation? Birds like nothing better than to attack foam insulation. They'll eat down in nothing flat.

For Winter, you don't want the door facing the North or West. You don't want those Winter winds to have easy access to their open door or pen. For Summer shade cloth will be your friend. Unless we have wind driven rains I can get away with just using my shade cloth to keep rain out of my birds' pen.


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## dawg53 (Aug 25, 2015)

That's a very nice coop. It'll be time to enhance its security once you get it set in place. Since you lost your last flock to predators, I highly recommend installing hardware cloth over the existing wire on the bottom half of the pen as well as the bottom half of the main entrance door and the chicken entrance door on the right side. 
As it is now, a **** could easily reach in and rip a chickens head off.
Then, lay an apron of field fence on the ground all the way around the outside of the coop/pen. You can use fencing nails to hammer it into the wood frame all the way around. This will prevent predators from digging under the frame to get at your chickens. About 12-15 inches of fence layed outward from the frame on the ground is all you'll need. Grass will eventually grow through it and will make it almost impossible to lift up.
As far as vents go; install fine mesh screen over the vents (like for a screened porch,) then install hardware cloth over the screen. The screen will prevent bloodsucking mosquitos and gnats from attacking your birds at night, flies during the day. The hardware cloth will stop predators.


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## chickenqueen (Jan 9, 2016)

My coop sat out in the sun like that until some trees I planted grew tall enough to shade it late afternoon.The door faces west,that's where most breezes come from.I put a fan in at the top of the door,blowing the hot air out.When I had it facing in the chickens started sneezing so I turned it around.In the winter,I only open 1 door half way to cut down on the cold wind.Like Sem said,poultry can handle freezing temps much better than hot temps.You can also freeze grapes,watermelon,etc as cool down treats and place frozen bottles of water in their waterer for cold drinking water.I found water frozen in bottles lasts a lot longer than free floating ice cubes.Maybe you can paint the roof green to help cut down on heat.


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

That is a beautiful coop! I guess you'll be making the chickens a charming area. Looks like treated wood, too. With your climate I think you'll be fine anywhere if you can make them some shade. 

I am looking forward to seeing the chicks!
You ride?


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## eqstrnathlete (Dec 9, 2012)

We laid a foundation today. It has paver rock 4" deep, sand 3" deep, them 2 layers of 4" concrete stones.


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## eqstrnathlete (Dec 9, 2012)

seminolewind said:


> That is a beautiful coop! I guess you'll be making the chickens a charming area. Looks like treated wood, too. With your climate I think you'll be fine anywhere if you can make them some shade.
> 
> I am looking forward to seeing the chicks!
> You ride?


Yes I ride! Here's my boy.


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

Beautiful horse! What kind of riding? I did Dressage for 10+ years, and now I have a Tennessee Walker. This is not me on her, just a young friend.


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## eqstrnathlete (Dec 9, 2012)

I did hunter/jumper showing with a diff horse for a decade. Now I just trail ride.


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