Coop Run Roof question.

[Framac]

I am going to have to start my run in the near future, and I need some help with the logistics.

The area including the coop is 26X27, the coop is 16X12 and in the bottom right hand corner. This leaves an area of 26 X 15 to the left of the coop, and 10X12 to the rear of the coop. I am going to use HW cloth Buried 12 inches, out 12 inches and 12 inches above ground. I was thinking of using 72 inch 4X2 welded wire above the HW Cloth (total of 7 feet high as I am 6'5" and hate bending into low structures. I am thinking of using used Rough Cut 2X8's for the framing of the sides.

My Problem comes when Figuring out what to do for the top of the run. I was going to use 60 inch wide 2X4 Welded wire running 26 feet long , but am having a difficult time figuring out how to secure it without post in the center. My Wife would like it to be aesthetically pleasing as well.

Any Ideas are appreciated.

Regards,

Christopher

 

[ChixWrangler]

Does the top of the run area meet the side of the coop??

If so frame in a flat "roof" to attach the welded wire to. I would use 2x6's spanning from the 26' side of the run to the coop. Mount a 2x8 to the 16' side of the coop and extend it past the back of the coop to the 27' side of the run. Also use 2x6's to span from the 2x8 to the 10' wall of the run behind the coop. Mount all the 2x6's centered at a distance equal to half the width of what ever fencing material you choose, i.e. if you want to use 60" welded wire mount the 2x6's on 30" centers. This should break up the roof into spans that you can buy lumber for without a center post.

Hope this helps the planning. PM me if you would like a sketch.

 

[patandchickens]

It depends very greatly on what climate you are in -- do you get snow, if so what is the biggest dump of snow that you've ever had?

Also, are you trying to keep raccoons/possums/etc out, or just keep hawks out and chickens in?

Pat

 

[Framac]

Quote:
Pat,

I live in Upstate NY. Over the last 2 years, we have gotten single snowfalls in the 18+ inches. On the ground we don't normally go over 4 feet, or not in the 4 years I have been down here. It is very likely that during the snowiest parts of the winter that the run will be closed.

I would like to keep raccoons, possums, foxes, hawks out.

I should have mentioned that two of the sides already have electric fence, that I was going to extend to the entire run. There are a line of trees on one side that a raccoon could climb up to jump down into the run area.

Regards,

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
Aha. That helps a lot, thanks!

Your simplest cheapest solution would be to rely on the electric fencing to keep out climbers and do some selective limbing-up of the trees so there is nothing appealing there to coons. (remember they can't really *jump*, outwards, they just pretty much go up and down. I do not know how long a vertical drop a raccoon would risk but I should *think* that 15' would probably be about the limit, if that). Because, then you could use a netting top and just remove it before heavy-snow season sets in.

If you want to have a wire top, I would suggest using 2x4 wire (heavy livestock-type grade, not weebly garden-type stuff). True, the very smallest of baby raccoons or possums can in principle get thru it, but you have to weigh that against it being much less snowcatching and therefore requiring less of a supporting structure. You could run 2x6's on-edge (rafter style) across the short dimension of each part of the run (so I do not believe you'd need any longer than 15', which is long but IMO is doable without further support as long as your wire size is 2x4). As far as spacking, even just every 4' might be ok (closer would be better tho). As long as everything was very firmly connected (especially along seams of wire) it should be be pretty much good. (Especially if you use closer rafter spacing). Sure, sparrows will get in, and as I say I can't guarantee that *never* would a baby raccoon or baby possum get in but I would be inclined to risk it myself, especilaly if you will be shutting the popdoor at night. (Adult raccoons may hunt during the day, but I've never seen one with young babies out before dark).

Oh, make sure the run fence posts and the board at the top of the run fence are sized/spaced to bear the load of potentially gettin-towards-18" of snow on that roof... the safest thing to do is to look up engineering tables for building a shed and use that as a general guide. The more willing you are to go out and bang snow thru the mesh (or rake it off from the sides) during the first part of a big wet snowstorm, the more you can 'cheat' on support strength.

If you did it with smaller mesh wire (smaller than 2x4") then I would strongly suggest engineering it exactly AS IF it were for a solid roof.

Actually, even if you're just using 2x4 wire, if you CAN engineer it as if it were holding up a solid roof, and build it with a 3:12 pitch to the rafters, then if money/materials become available in the future you can simply swap in some metal panels for the mesh and have an actual roofed run, which is awfully awfully nice

Mind this does involve a little higher upfront cost due to stronger supporting structure, but if you think it might be possible to roof it in future, it would probably be a good investment (and much easier to build that way now than to modify later)

JMHO, good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[Chicken.Lytle]

I use traps for raccoon control outside the run. The run itself is covered with poultry netting, suitable for discouraging hawks.

You can see these at my Chicken Products blog post.

 

[dbounds10]

My run is not as big as yours (mine is 12x18) but this is how we covered the top. Just to give you some ideas.