Is coop too hot at night in Texas summer

[Flame80]

I'm newbie and in another post I never really got a answer to part of my question. Here in deep east Texas Heat indexes are already reaching over 100* during the day. Night time temps can stay at 80*. My question is are my 8 week old white leghorns getting too hot in their coop at night? Coop is above ground and Is 3 foot x 8 foot in size. I only have 6 birds. They have a 8 foot x 16 foot run to play in during the day but Should I be worrying about them getting too hot in a coop at night? They seem just fine when I let them out at 7am each day but it is just going to get hotter as summer comes on stronger!!

 

[muddy75]

@Kiki @RUNuts
as long as your coop has adequate ventilation, they should be fine but some people choose to run fans when possible and provide frozen treats during the day for their birds

 

[aart]

You can only get the coop as cool as it is outside.
I use a fan in east window late in day to help with that.

Pics of your coop and urn would help immensely here.

Do you have a thermometer in the coop?
Are your birds panting and holding their wings out on the roost at night?

 

[RUNuts]

Agree. Until the birds are acclimated, they are in the run, in the shade holding their wings out and panting. Provide lots of cool dirt and shade. Mine like it under the bushes and banana trees. Flower beds with deep mulch are a favorite also.

They will get accustomed to it eventually. By preference, I try for the lighter fowl for layers. Leghorns and other Mediterranean breeds are recommended while cochons and orpintons and heavier breeds have more trouble.

 

[Flame80]

I will put a thermometer back in the coop at night. I have not seen them panting in the coop or spreading their wings at night. They only did that when they wouldn't come out during the day. Thus me learning to close the pop door behind them when I let them out in the morning. So if its 80* outside and I can keep it 80* inside the coop at night then They are safe correct?

 

[featherhead007]

Key words/phrases: Ventilation, mist system, and check on them often.

 

[RUNuts]

I will put a thermometer back in the coop at night. I have not seen them panting in the coop or spreading their wings at night. They only did that when they wouldn't come out during the day. Thus me learning to close the pop door behind them when I let them out in the morning. So if its 80* outside and I can keep it 80* inside the coop at night then They are safe correct?

I've had no issues with my coop. How ventilated is your coop?

Mine has 1' of hardware cloth open on the front and eaves open. Lots of cross flow for air.

 

[Alaskan]

So if its 80* outside and I can keep it 80* inside the coop at night then They are safe correct?

Yes, to 80 outside and 80 in the coop is what you want.

Leghorns do GREAT in the heat.

That is actually what those HUGE combs are for, to help them get rid of extra heat.

As long as they have shade, and don't ever run out of water, they should do great.

I would check on them, of course, but wouldn't be too worried until the heat was over 100.

I am a HUGE proponent of hot weather places having coops that are mostly wire. I grew up in Texas, my baby sis still lives there, and her coop is solid wire on the front wall, other 3 walls are about 3 feet solid, then wire to the roof, so yes, the perches are in full breeze. She has some heavy breeds, but they all do well with that setup.

My grandmother's Texas coop was only slightly more closed up than my baby sis... still way more wire than most coops that you see.

 

[Dhkoenig]

Yes, to 80 outside and 80 in the coop is what you want.

Leghorns do GREAT in the heat.

That is actually what those HUGE combs are for, to help them get rid of extra heat.

As long as they have shade, and don't ever run out of water, they should do great.

I would check on them, of course, but wouldn't be too worried until the heat was over 100.

I am a HUGE proponent of hot weather places having coops that are mostly wire. I grew up in Texas, my baby sis still lives there, and her coop is solid wire on the front wall, other 3 walls are about 3 feet solid, then wire to the roof, so yes, the perches are in full breeze. She has some heavy breeds, but they all do well with that setup.

My grandmother's Texas coop was only slightly more closed up than my baby sis... still way more wire than most coops that you see.

Question - this sounds great to me but how do you assure that predators won’t go after them?

 

[Alaskan]

Question - this sounds great to me but how do you assure that predators won’t go after them?

Use strong hardware cloth. You can also double wire with a second layer of stronger wire, or run electric wire around the coop.

A mostly wire coop can be made fully predator proof.