Official BYC Poll: How Is Your Run Covered?

[Neggative]

My run isn’t covered, that’s why my chickens r hawk buffet

 

[Ltvo]

My run roof has plastic corrugated panels overlapped and screwed down with foam waterproof washers. The entire run is predator proof and attaches to the coop by a 3x3x12’ chute that also has the plastic panels cut to fit the top side so the sand that I have in the chute and run doesn’t get saturated when it rains

 

[joydix]

For many chicken keepers free-ranging the flock is not an option, so their birds are confined to a chicken run most if not all the time. Chickens kept in coops with a run attached are easier to keep safe from predators. Chicken runs can be basic with wires strung across the top to discourage flying predators like hawks or they can be elaborate with a complete wire roof that is high enough for you to comfortably enter the run to clean.

So please share with us: How Is Your Run Covered?

Please place your vote above, and please elaborate in a reply below if you chose "Other".

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Further Reading:

• Simple Predator Proof Poultry Run
• Accessorizing Your Run- How to Make Your Run More Fun For Your Chickens
• How To Fix A Muddy Run Chicken Coop
• How To Stop Hawks for 30 cents

Check out more exciting Official BYC Polls HERE!...

I have a large coop with hardware cloth walls. Some covered with corrugated plastic to keep draft out light in. Standard peaked roof. Wood, then corrugated metal on top. They have the run of our side yard which has ridiculous high hardware cloth on Top of fence. Then zip tied gaps. Predators could get in but would be very difficult. ESP the escape.

 

[knoelle]

We have our chickens in a repurposed horse stall in our barn. I open the door for them in the morning to an outside small horse corral. We used PVC pipe to create hoops and placed welded wire fencing over the top and all around the sides. It’s worked very well so far.

 

[Bella Dominique]

They have a secure run for night and for when we’re not home of solid roof and hardware cloth sides and flooring. The floor also has dirt and pine shavings on top of the wire. When we’re home they have an open run with tarps, umbrellas and a canopy for shade and to hide under Along with pallets and trees inside a fenced area.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I’ve tried netting to cover mine before, but honestly I wouldn’t recommend it. Hawks can still get through it easily, as well as climbing predators.

If hawks are getting through netting, either the netting is too flimsy (which is why I recommend a netting with a burst/break weight listed) or too taut (which weakens it and makes it easier to break through), or not fastened to the run well enough.

I've not had a hawk test the netting as far as I know, but we did see one swoop down and then peel away when it realized the run was covered, so at least it served as a visual deterrent.

 

[Legolas13]

I have corrugated plastic for my roof. Lets a bit of light in and was cheap!

 

[Jeri B]

My run is covered with chicken wire. The chicken wire seems a finer gauge here in Italy than what I remember in the US. A section of the run is also covered with shade cloth, though my girls seem to prefer the shade of going under the chicken house during the heat of the afternoon (~90F (my brain still lives in the land of Fahrenheit))

 

[Chicken Alabama]

My Chicken run is 20x20 with 70% covered with a heavy duty tarp over chicken wire.
I cannot free range my flock.

 

[CrazyChickenMamma]

We have a beautiful coop with a large run and small chicken pasture. We do have lots of birds of prey so we covered the run/pasture with “Hawk Blocker” netting. While it was not fun for my husband to install it was pretty affordable and thus far working great.