Chickenitis, I've got it bad! My chickens are the last thing I think of at night and the first thing I think of every morning.
This weekend I am building them a new coop as their previous one is woefully inadequate. I was really excited about my design until I showed it to a friend.
I had planned on installing a clearlite roof, which is basically a corrugated 'see through' plastic roof. To compensate for the extra heat on warm days I have designed hinged panels that open out for extra ventilation and easy cleaning, as it is not a human sized walk in coop. We do not have hot summers.
My friend says that chickens like to lay their eggs in dark places and my coop will have too much light. Is this true, or can I go ahead with my light filled coop?
My chickens thank you.

T, It is true that the hens like a dark place to lay their eggs. I have plastic corrugated over some coops in my outside, summer pens, and while it doesn't get too hot, I do place a corrugated metal section over the plastic, over the nesting area, which gives enough shade. (It blows off during high winds--not often). But the pens need side shading during the summer, and I use greenhouse netting on the largest pen, and Lattice sections on the smaller pens, but they have to be moved as the sun moves. Heat by direct sun can be lethal. These outside coops are not suitable for our winters, and when nights drop below freezing, the birds go into their winter houses. CJR

CJR, Thank you for the sound advice. I have built my coop and have a spare piece of corrugated iron to do the same with.
It is just like being a parent(all over again) and wanting to do everything right! I am even seeing things differently. Yesterday I went grocery shopping and instead of seeing cardboard boxes, I saw some very good nesting boxes.
Thanks again from a newbie.

Im new so please dont get mad if i am doing this wrong
i know i should probably leave an answer but im in the same boat you are. is it ok to piggyback messages if they are the same topic.

i am getting 2 hens this comming sunday and thought i built the perfect coop
according to advice i got from other sites they said a hen needs a light to help in egg production. so i put plexiglass on the top. now i here that is wrong
will the plexiglass act as a magnifying glass and fry my poor chickens? i live in SC so it does get hot.
but since i am also building an encolsed pen, i figured they would only go into the coop at night.is this ok

Ed: I didn't see this message before replying to your other one. In South Carolina, you will need to make sure your hens can be shaded in the daytime and have enough ventilation at night without being too drafty. See other responses in the other message string.

Ed, I think, with your climate the plexiglass on top will make it too hot. Your hens will have to go in during the day to lay, also to eat and drink if you put feeder and waterer inside. Sunlight on a plexyglass top will make a furnace.

for some birds extra hours of light r needed to keep
getting eggs in the winter when days r short but they
like to lay the eggs in a dark place