We've been working on some extra shade for the chickens over summer. Unknowingly we seem to have put their pen in the hottest place on our property. We went out to visit friends yesterday, and arrived home to find the chickens hot and bothered, with their beaks hanging open, looking most miserable, so something had to be done.
Firstly, we used five sugar cane bales to make a shade shelter within their outside pen. These will hopefully block out the worst of the north and western sun in this section. I also put this 75 litre bin in there filled with water. I'm not sure how effective it will be, but I am hoping that it will keep the area cooler for longer.
Then down the side of the pen we've put a large trellis of reo bar steel. I've planted some loofah seeds, some cowpea seeds (with inoculant), some nasturtium seeds, and some linseed. Hopefully once they grow, they will shade the side of the shed and keep the temperature down in there too. Until they get growing, we've put up some shadecloth, with a gap between it and the shed, in the hopes of cooling things down.We'll see tomorrow how it goes. I'm happy with all we've done, although there are a few more things we've planned to do as well. So far though, everything we've done has been with materials we've already had, so there hasn't been a big outlay.
3 comments:
Hope you'll have happier chickens very soon.
Thanks Tilly, I hope so too.
Add a grape vine and you will have permanent shade in summer, and sunshine in the winter...natures comforts for hens lol
Have you thought about growing your spuds in a wire cage Rinelle?
Somewhere on my site is how its done, very effective, minimal space, can be done anywhere, easy to find the spuds when ready, cleaner spuds and the remainder of the materials can be added to your garden as compost/mulch
Blessings:)
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