Chicken run ideas - I REALLY need the input and pictures!!!

[Heidizzybean]

Hey everyone. Been SUPER busy with college these past few months that I haven't been able to get on here.

Which I totally missed being on BYC.

Anyway, earlier this summer, my father had a man come over with a chainsaw to cut some trees down. He sure wasn't that good at it as one of those trees fell onto and smashed my entire run in. I haven't been able to use it in over 4 months because of this. Now my father FINALLY has time to make a new run with the framing and I want it made a certain way.

Hope you can read this. But basically, can someone please post pictures of run's with roofs leaning against a coop like my rough example.

-Heidi

 

[teach1rusl]

Are you talkiing about something like this???

 

[Heidizzybean]

Yes!!! Exactly like that so that when it rains and snows, the solid roof sheds it off instead of letting it get into my run, and soaking the sand I'm going to put down on the ground.

Only thing is it's going to be a bit steeper because it is going to be attached to the barn over the window of the coop.

 

[Heidizzybean]

And this is going to be done, whether my father wants to or not. I am sick of seeing raccoons on top of the run trying to get at my chickens from that window. It scares me. I've poked more coons than I care to count in the past year with my long stick, knocked it down, and they barely got away alive with my Great Pyr. after 'em.

Gotta love that dog.

 

[thomasboyle]

I think mine is similar to what you are looking for.

 

[teach1rusl]

Thomas - your snow picture made me shiver

I'm working on winterizing today, the last warmish day we're supposed to have before the cold snap....

 

[Heidizzybean]

That's a nice coop! Mine is just built into the barn with the (broken) run sticking out about 8'. But it's 42' by 10' inside. So in all, my coop is a 50' by 10' ft. coop for my chickens. Just gotta clean it and put down fresh shavings DLM style after I get out of college for Christmas break.

 

[Monguire]

Have you considered polycarbonate roofing? I've done two runs with it now and it is wonderful for keeping the run dry while still allowing sunlight in. They have clear polycarb but in both instances I went with the smoke-colored version. I can't speak to how well it'll bear a snow-load (sounds like this coming winter will provide me my answer) but am thinking if the slope is steep enough and the rafters/perlins are spaced well it should do fine for everything but the very heaviest of accumulation.

Just a thought if lighting/open-feeling is important.

 

[thomasboyle]

You are very smart for winterizing in the good weather! I wrap my coop each winter, but invariably I end up doing it at night, in the freezing cold as the first snowstorm is hitting!