Enclosing part of a chicken run

[Becky61]

I’ve purchased two 10x13 chicken runs from Amazon that I’m going to reinforce with hardware cloth. They are currently covered with poultry wire. We have too many predators to risk free-ranging and want to give our girls lots of room to roam. We’re new to this and have 6 chicks. We plan to let them live out their lives regardless of egg production, so we want to have plenty of room to add an additional coop. The runs each came with a cover that covers half of the run. I would like to enclose 1/4 of the total run space. I was thinking about covering it with exterior plywood and I would like to add a metal or polycarbonate roof. Has anyone done anything like this? If so….how did you support the extra materials? Looking for ideas.

 

[azygous]

What is your location? What is your climate? How hard does the wind blow and how often? Do you have bears?

First thing I would suggest is digging footings to anchor the run supports against something lifting the run (wind and bears) and flipping it over. Bears and wind are both expert at this.

 

[NatJ]

I’ve purchased two 10x13 chicken runs from Amazon that I’m going to reinforce with hardware cloth...The runs each came with a cover that covers half of the run. I would like to enclose 1/4 of the total run space. I was thinking about covering it with exterior plywood and I would like to add a metal or polycarbonate roof. Has anyone done anything like this? If so….how did you support the extra materials? Looking for ideas.

Do you have the kind of run with a metal frame, or the kind with a wood frame? It can make a difference in how you attach things. Either kind can have a strong frame (rare) or a rather weak frame (fairly common).

If you just want to keep out the weather (sun, wind, rain), you might try tarps. You will have to secure them well, so they do not flap and shred themselves, and you will have to make sure the whole run does not blow away in the wind. I have found that cheap tarps will typically last through one winter, but are in bad shape by spring. More expensive tarps can last longer. Because tarps are cheaper than wood, they can be a good way to try ideas before committing to something permanent. And because tarps are much lighter than wood or metal, they can be put on things that are not strong enough to support heavier materials.

If you live in a climate that gets a lot of snow, tarps will not be good on the roof. You would either need a strong, rigid roof; or you would need to have a top that lets snow fall right through.

If you want a structure that includes plywood and a metal roof, you might have better results if you frame it with wood too, instead of trying to attach it to the chicken run you have. Then you could put it inside the run, or put it next to the run and connect them together.

 

[3KillerBs]

Welcome to BYC. Where, in general, are you? Climate matters, especially when it comes to housing.

In addition to the importance of anchoring things firmly, weight is going to be a concern for those runs so you'll want to plan to use lightweight materials -- someone had one of that sort of run buckle under snow load this past winter.

In a mild climate, heavy-duty tarp would be sufficient (not to mention cost effective with the price of lumber still so high).

Consider metal roofing/siding -- it's relatively lightweight and surprisingly easy to work with.

 

[Becky61]

Do you have the kind of run with a metal frame, or the kind with a wood frame? It can make a difference in how you attach things. Either kind can have a strong frame (rare) or a rather weak frame (fairly common).

If you just want to keep out the weather (sun, wind, rain), you might try tarps. You will have to secure them well, so they do not flap and shred themselves, and you will have to make sure the whole run does not blow away in the wind. I have found that cheap tarps will typically last through one winter, but are in bad shape by spring. More expensive tarps can last longer. Because tarps are cheaper than wood, they can be a good way to try ideas before committing to something permanent. And because tarps are much lighter than wood or metal, they can be put on things that are not strong enough to support heavier materials.

If you live in a climate that gets a lot of snow, tarps will not be good on the roof. You would either need a strong, rigid roof; or you would need to have a top that lets snow fall right through.

If you want a structure that includes plywood and a metal roof, you might have better results if you frame it with wood too, instead of trying to attach it to the chicken run you have. Then you could put it inside the run, or put it next to the run and connect them together.

Thanks for your reply and ideas. I think I'm going to order a clear poly tarp that is reinforced and is 14 mils thick. My run is in the shade of some apple trees, but some areas will get sun, so I'd prefer something clear. I'll see how this works through the summer and go from there.

 

[3KillerBs]

I would beware of a clear covering for a coop or run that gets any sun.

You don't want to turn your run into a rotisserie.

 

[Penpal]

If you only have six chickens the covering that came with the runs should be quite sufficient for shade. It would be sufficient for many more chickens. Just give them a couple of perches to roost on and they will head for the cover whenever they need a rest.

You can use a rake or broom to get the snow off.

 

[Becky61]

Do you have the kind of run with a metal frame, or the kind with a wood frame? It can make a difference in how you attach things. Either kind can have a strong frame (rare) or a rather weak frame (fairly common).

If you just want to keep out the weather (sun, wind, rain), you might try tarps. You will have to secure them well, so they do not flap and shred themselves, and you will have to make sure the whole run does not blow away in the wind. I have found that cheap tarps will typically last through one winter, but are in bad shape by spring. More expensive tarps can last longer. Because tarps are cheaper than wood, they can be a good way to try ideas before committing to something permanent. And because tarps are much lighter than wood or metal, they can be put on things that are not strong enough to support heavier materials.

If you live in a climate that gets a lot of snow, tarps will not be good on the roof. You would either need a strong, rigid roof; or you would need to have a top that lets snow fall right through.

If you want a structure that includes plywood and a metal roof, you might have better results if you frame it with wood too, instead of trying to attach it to the chicken run you have. Then you could put it inside the run, or put it next to the run and connect them together.

I would beware of a clear covering for a coop or run that gets any sun.

You don't want to turn your run into a rotisserie.

You have made a good point, but I think this tarp will work because most of the area is pretty shaded. I'll see what it looks like when it arrives....Amazon...free returns.

 

[aart]

I think I'm going to order a clear poly tarp that is reinforced and is 14 mils thick. My run is in the shade of some apple trees, but some areas will get sun, so I'd prefer something clear. I'll see how this works through the summer and go from there.

You can always cover the clear with some shade cloth.

Where in this world are you located?
Climate, and time of year, is almost always a factor.
Please add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, and then it's always there!

 

[Becky61]

You can always cover the clear with some shade cloth.

Where in this world are you located?
Climate, and time of year, is almost always a factor.
Please add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, and then it's always there!
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