COLD weather question

BLOOIE - your chicken run is awesome! Half of my run is only 4 feet tall and I've been wondering how to raise the roof but I think I can use your idea of the hoops. You made my day!

Can you tell me what kind of plastic you use to cover the sides in winter? I used tarps last winter and the run was just too dark. Can you use the plastic over again from year to year?

Thanks!!!

Thanks. We love it and it's worked so well here that I wouldn't change a thing - well, except maybe add another panel next summer, but we'll see!

We bought the heaviest ml (and I can't remember what that number was right off the top of my head) clear plastic Lowe's had in stock. If you click on "My Coop" under my avatar and scroll down through quite a ways down, there are some photos and descriptions of how we put the plastic on for winter.

Because we used the lattice over the top as a spacer between the chicken wire covering the cattle panels and the plastic, we didn't have any ripping or shredding with the weather. We were able to remove it in just three pieces (not easy, but we did it!) and put it away for this season. The piece that went over the top was the easiest to get down because we hadn't had to "fit" it". The piece on the south side was easy, too. The section on the north side was a little trickier because we had to cut a curve into it and also fit it around the door.

Amazon has a clear plastic that is reinforced with mesh and we seriously thought about getting some of that, but ours is still in such good shape that I hate to spend the money if we don't need it. I dunno - we're still kicking it around.

Hi, Blooie. I just wanted to hop in here and thank you for posting those pics of your chicken run. The construction of your run is a revelation to a new-to-chickens peep such as myself. I will be adding this idea to the top of my list of potential ways to go. I am scheming to get my first little flock next spring and I love the "feel" of your run, it is as you say bright and warm looking!

Thank you, Debbie. We are very pleased with the appearance and function of this run. But I can't take credit for the design - there are lots of examples of hoop coop and hoop runs in the coop section of BYC. The only thing we did differently was use steel fence posts pounded into the ground on the outside of the run so that any load would be distributed that way instead of the run simply blowing over or collapsing. Without no framing except at the door, the weight of the run isn't a factor.

In my opinion the more freedom your birds have to move about the better off they are. I leave my small doors open year around 24/7 except under rare occasions. ( blizzards, etc). Chickens, like all other creatures have built in instincts and will avoid situations that are unhealthy for them. My chickens free range most of the time but my young birds stay in a brooder house/ pen setup until around 20 weeks. The door between the brooder coop and pen does not even close as I removed it. I've had 35 young birds in there all summer and they like to have the choice of going between the coop and pen at their free will ,not mine. As long as your chicken pen is safe and secure from predators I would not worry about shutting the small door as long as it's not allowing wind to blow into the coop. You can make a simple 3 sided box for a wind block if need be. Good luck

Blooie said:

Here in Northern Wyoming my pop door to the run is open all year round, 24/7. I have an attached run that we cover with clear plastic (think greenhouse)...

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Where do you purchase the clear plastic sheeting?

Kluk-Kluk said:

Where do you purchase the clear plastic sheeting?

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We got it at Lowe's.

Blooie -- That is a cool run area.

We have a new coop (the palace) this year. From 2012 to early this year January we had a movable coop, where we could move it from place to place. Didn't like it too much since the rain in the winter gave us muddy shoes and slipping and sliding all over the coop from the mud, we've also fell down a few times over the years, no rain to get us wet now since hubby built a building that has electric in it for the lighting when it's not sunny out we can still see to collect eggs. Our coop took from early January to the end of March to get finished. Hubby did most all the work except when he got my Brother to help out when he needed help. It 10x20 lifted off the ground with cement blocks, all made from wood, floor is wood with plastic on top of that for easy clean up, roosting area, laying boxes, four windows with screens. He divided the coop in half and other half is for the riding mower. Water and feed is in the run area which is probably longer than the coop area. Run area has wire all around and no roof on the run area. Nothing bothers the girls at all, we have no eagles, hawks and the other birds around the area is crows but with over 4 large trees in the back of run and coop there is no way a crow can swoop down to grab the girls. Crows has never came after the girls. No possums, coons or any other critters since we haven't seen any since 2012. The girls are very safe. The trees leans over the coop and run area. Pictures are on another thread here. I think it on one of the threads about what is use for flooring in a coop.

Blooie said:

We got it at Lowe's.

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I'll be getting some. Thanks!