High winds on a tarp and plastic covered omlet run

[Cryllc82]

Hi everyone! I'm a bit nervous about the weather coming in on WV, I live in Huntington. We're supposed to be getting 50mph winds and temperatures dropping to the single digits for a couple of days. I have an Omlet chicken run that is 9ft wide x 7ft tall x 19ft long. It's been covered with tarps and heavy plastic sheeting. Everything is secured with bungee and zip ties. The entire run is peg screwed to the ground along its skirt. Does anyone have advice if this is safe for high winds or what should I do? I'm a first year chicken owner. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Crystal

 

[SmiYa0126]

@3KillerBs can you help with this question?

 

[Alagirl]

I might consider cutting some flaps in the tarps to prevent them from becoming sails.
You should be Ok as long as the structure is secured though.
(I am getting uneasy, because it's supposed to go down into the low teens here as well.)

 

[AnnPann]

you need to vent it for sure, right NOW. don't wait. you're better off with snow in a cold run than with your run blown into the neighbors yard. those green ground pegs are not for keeping it from taking off. i had a 9x9 walk in omlet run tumble in high winds (was a work in progress - chickens had not moved in yet, so thankfully no injuries). better yet, if you can get your hands on ground anchor stakes and rachet straps, that would be even better (if the ground is not too frozen to put them in already). you want to make sure it cant become a sail.

 

[Krugerrand]

you need to vent it for sure, right NOW. don't wait. you're better off with snow in a cold run than with your run blown into the neighbors yard. those green ground pegs are not for keeping it from taking off. i had a 9x9 walk in omlet run tumble in high winds (was a work in progress - chickens had not moved in yet, so thankfully no injuries). better yet, if you can get your hands on ground anchor stakes and rachet straps, that would be even better (if the ground is not too frozen to put them in already). you want to make sure it cant become a sail.
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Not sure if I should give you a 'Wow' or an 'Informative.' I went with 'Informative.'

 

[Cryllc82]

I might consider cutting some flaps in the tarps to prevent them from becoming sails.
You should be Ok as long as the structure is secured though.
(I am getting uneasy, because it's supposed to go down into the low teens here as well.)

Yes! My chickens seem to know something is coming. I let them out to range in the yard and they came back into the run after a few minutes and they all sat down together in their favorite corner. I hope your chickens do well with the weather too.

 

[Cryllc82]

you need to vent it for sure, right NOW. don't wait. you're better off with snow in a cold run than with your run blown into the neighbors yard. those green ground pegs are not for keeping it from taking off. i had a 9x9 walk in omlet run tumble in high winds (was a work in progress - chickens had not moved in yet, so thankfully no injuries). better yet, if you can get your hands on ground anchor stakes and rachet straps, that would be even better (if the ground is not too frozen to put them in already). you want to make sure it cant become a sail.
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Wow that is very scary. If mine holds up through the winds gonna do this with the ratchet straps.Do you still have your Omlet run?

 

[AnnPann]

Wow that is very scary. If mine holds up through the winds gonna do this with the ratchet straps.Do you still have your Omlet run?

I did until this past fall, when I moved the flock into a new coop/run.

The ratchet strap/ground anchor trick held through some pretty intense storm and winds last summer. Highly recommend.

 

[Cryllc82]

I did until this past fall, when I moved the flock into a new coop/run.

The ratchet strap/ground anchor trick held through some pretty intense storm and winds last summer. Highly recommend.

Thank you so much for the advice!

 

[AnnPann]

One more thing- when you do add the ratchet straps, its actually even better to do it on the inside of the run in an X pattern across the walls, to keep it from shearing, depending on the direction of the wind. This is what I ended up doing (vs what my photo shows I did initially). So a ground anchor in each corner, and a strap going from one ground corner to the opposite upper corner. Provides more hold than a straight shot over the top.