Summer Heat

Last weekends project was to install a sun shade on the front of the coop. With temperatures in the mid to upper 90’s in the afternoons, the sun comes blazing through the front of the coop and it is horribly hot. We have tried many different things from misting systems, to evaporative fans, planting trees, and frozen water bottles. However, this sunshade may be the best idea yet. The material is specially made to allow the breeze to blow through, but block the direct sunlight. It has made a huge difference in temperatures inside the coop.

Now, we combine this with the evaporative fan in the back and it is perfect. Inside the coop, there are actually also two ceiling fans and an exhaust fan up in the roost. Having the air moving like this, and blocking the direct sunlight on extremely hot days will definitely help keep the coop much cooler than it normally is and hopefully protect our chickens from heat exhaustion and heat strokes.

Last year, I wrote about using the water bottles here.

http://www.happy-days-farm.com/2013/07/battling-heat.html

Here is a link to the fabric if you want to attempt to make a shade.