Clear poly roof for run?

[LaurenRitz]

I used PVC in the areas that won't be exposed to direct sun (north and north west exposure gets wind but no sun, shaded south facing run), and poly everywhere else.

 

[Blingchix6]

I used clear panels on the roof of part of the run and it would get really hot in the summer. I stapled shade cloth to the underside of the rafters and it cooled it off considerably. I also hung a high output fan from the rafters to keep the air moving.

 

[RebelEgger]

Our first coop has these clear panels for the roof. The coop is now 4 years old, has been moved from our old house to the new property and the panels are still in good shape. Our coop has never been in full sun so the girls don’t cook, but they are able to go under the coop if they need complete shade. Good luck with your roof!

 

[AntiqueB]

I used clear panels on the roof of part of the run and it would get really hot in the summer. I stapled shade cloth to the underside of the rafters and it cooled it off considerably. I also hung a high output fan from the rafters to keep the air moving.

I love the idea of shade cloth underneath! I only thought about putting it on top. . .

 

[AntiqueB]

Our first coop has these clear panels for the roof. The coop is now 4 years old, has been moved from our old house to the new property and the panels are still in good shape. Our coop has never been in full sun so the girls don’t cook, but they are able to go under the coop if they need complete shade. Good luck with your roof!View attachment 3752363

Do you remember which brand they are? They're in excellent shape!

 

[RebelEgger]

Do you remember which brand they are? They're in excellent shape!

I don’t remember no, we just got them from our local building supply. We are located in NS, Canada so it may not be the same available to you anyways.

 

[K0k0shka]

I had clear polycarbonate panels ("Suntuf") on top of my run the first year, though I don't anymore because I had to take them down after a ridiculous fight with a neighbor. The run gets direct sun only in the morning, and after that is shaded by a big tree, so the panels didn't make it any hotter in there than it already was. I ordered them from Home Depot and back then they were $17 per 2'x6' panel (the price has jumped since then). I really loved the panels and was heartbroken that I had to take them down. Now I have ugly patio umbrellas there instead, to provide shelter from rain and snow. I still use the poly panels in the winter, as wind blocks along the walls of the run, and they work great for that!

 

[stevenhpearson]

I am in NYC, and have been covering my 13' x 10' run with tarps and plastic sheeting for the past few winters, but none hold up. The run is completely covered with hardware cloth, and with the wind making it flap, I get holes. I also have a hard time keeping it on the run anytime it gets windy. Repairing it in mid-winter is not pleasant, so I want to put up more permanent panels.

The run is mostly shaded in summer, and I can always put a shade cover over it, so I've pretty much set on clear corrugated (the wavy kind) panels. But there are so many choices!

There are different weights (.8 mm and 1.6 mm), different brands, and different names within the brand. Does anyone have a clear roof, and can suggest what might work best?

I have clear plastic corragated roofing on my run adjacent to my coop so that in the winter the hens have a place to go when it snows. It has been in place for 2 years so far and seems ro be holding up well

 

[QODTMWTD]

I am in NYC, and have been covering my 13' x 10' run with tarps and plastic sheeting for the past few winters, but none hold up. The run is completely covered with hardware cloth, and with the wind making it flap, I get holes. I also have a hard time keeping it on the run anytime it gets windy. Repairing it in mid-winter is not pleasant, so I want to put up more permanent panels.

The run is mostly shaded in summer, and I can always put a shade cover over it, so I've pretty much set on clear corrugated (the wavy kind) panels. But there are so many choices!

There are different weights (.8 mm and 1.6 mm), different brands, and different names within the brand. Does anyone have a clear roof, and can suggest what might work best?

For over a year we made do with a heavy duty white tarp nailed down to joists over the run area, but it was starting to get ripped from the wind and it was starting to leak. We just had the run roofed in sheet metal panels. At first I was a little disappointed because it was slightly darker in there compared to when the tarp was up, but it's really preferable in every way. Any kind of solid roof like that will be an improvement, whether you get metal or those corrugated sheets off the shelf at Home Depot. The heavier ones will stand up better and probably be less likely to crack at the screws.

Having clear panels sounds like a good idea on the face of it, but if the tarp roof flaps in the wind, won't the shade cover do the same? You might be happier and the birds might be cooler with an opaque roof, where you're not having to cover and uncover it all the time.

 

[QODTMWTD]

I had clear polycarbonate panels ("Suntuf") on top of my run the first year, though I don't anymore because I had to take them down after a ridiculous fight with a neighbor. The run gets direct sun only in the morning, and after that is shaded by a big tree, so the panels didn't make it any hotter in there than it already was. I ordered them from Home Depot and back then they were $17 per 2'x6' panel (the price has jumped since then). I really loved the panels and was heartbroken that I had to take them down. Now I have ugly patio umbrellas there instead, to provide shelter from rain and snow. I still use the poly panels in the winter, as wind blocks along the walls of the run, and they work great for that!

View attachment 3752917

View attachment 3752918

It looks great with the clear plastic roof. What was your neighbor's problem? And how is that plastic roof any different than having a plastic roof on a shed, from the neighbor's perspective?