# Need coop advice



## Grocerygetter (Aug 4, 2013)

I live in south Louisiana .. The summers here can get brutally hot !! My plan was to build a coop about 3 foot off the ground and wrap it with hardware cloth ... The floor being hardware cloth as well but with a rubber mat on top ... My issue is everything I have been reading says to use line shavings for bedding ? I think my initial design wouldn't work with the shavings bc they would get wet ... Any ideas on a hot weather coop ? Most people around here don't worry about bedding for their birds and will use just about anything for a coop . But I want healthy birds !! Thanks


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Why does it need to be off the ground?

Mine are in a 10 X 10 dog pen with a solid roof.


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## Grocerygetter (Aug 4, 2013)

I guess it don't have to... It's just the design I have in my head... I just feel they would be better off if they were off the ground. And it would be easier for me to maintain. They will have a 20x20 pen and will free range in the afternoons when I get in from work. My biggest issue is idk whether to close the coop up or leave it open with hardware cloth instead of plywood walls


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

There are issues with leaving it open. One is rain. If your overhang is large enough its not much of a hassle but it has to be large enough. Even with a a large enough over hand if its wind driven you have to be prepared to get tarps up. 

If I was to do this over again, I would have three solid sides and one open. Much less hassle for trying to keep the wet and wind out.


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## Grocerygetter (Aug 4, 2013)

robin416 said:


> There are issues with leaving it open. One is rain. If your overhang is large enough its not much of a hassle but it has to be large enough. Even with a a large enough over hand if its wind driven you have to be prepared to get tarps up.
> 
> If I was to do this over again, I would have three solid sides and one open. Much less hassle for trying to keep the wet and wind out.


Sounds good... I'll close the north side which is going to be the back and I'll close the sides and leave the front open ... Then I'll board the front up in the winter time. Thanks for the suggestions !!


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

After I posted that I was thinking that I could probably go ahead and close in mine any way. It would certainly make things easier. 

I don't know how complicated you want to get with this but you could make half walls that are solid. Have the upper half in wire and have a hinged louver to raise when the weather is hot and lower during rain or Winter. 

I've found in the heat and humidity that a high output fan is my best friend. Or maybe I should say my chickens' best friend.


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## Grocerygetter (Aug 4, 2013)

I thought about doing it that way but leaving the bottom half open and the top half closed so when they are roosting they will be in the closed up half ..it will be 3ft wide x 8ft long .. Not sure how tall yet..I plan to put gates on the two ends so I can open both up at the same time to clean it out ... Nesting boxes will be off the back wall and I'll be able to open them from the outside to get eggs. Not sure how I'm going to do the floor just yet. I may go with a wire floor and a rubber mat on top ... That way I can pull the mat out and spray it off with the hose and put it back in. Thanks for the info !!


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## jmc0319 (Sep 16, 2012)

I am in Georgia. Gets pretty hot here too. Here is my coop. It works well for me. The coop is off the ground with two dan out doors. One you can see in the picture and one inside that you can't. I have since added an 8' by 16' run to the right side.








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## Barnbum374 (Mar 14, 2013)

We are in S TX. Having our coop off the ground may not make it cooler, but it sure make it easier to clean. Here is a pic of our coop. We didn't put a door on it to keep it cooler. I have linoleum squares on the coop floor with pine shavings to make cleaning easier. The run is on sand.








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## TheLazyL (Jun 20, 2012)

Grocerygetter said:


> Sounds good... I'll close the north side which is going to be the back and I'll close the sides and leave the front open ... Then I'll board the front up in the winter time. Thanks for the suggestions !!


Why board the front up in the winter?


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Wind and driving rain. Plastic can be used instead of boarding but if the winds are particularly nasty that can tear loose. Ask me how I know. But if a batten is put over the top of the plastic it can withstand a lot more gusting.


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## Grocerygetter (Aug 4, 2013)

Very nice set ups !! Thanks for the info


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