Shower curtain/vinyl sheets for winter winds: how to hang? how to secure?

[Shadrach]

I do this very thing with all of my coops! I hang them up with zip ties, just not too tights, so they can slide easily by hand but no so loose that the wind will move them around. I use natural rubber straps to hold them down against the fencing. {don't forget to oil them with Vaseline or some kind of oil, so they don't dry-rot) I suggest getting the longer ones, you can always connect them with others until you get the proper length you are looking for. I put them across the bottom about a foot up so if the wind blows because, we know it does. They will not flap around everywhere. You can also attach a tiny zip tie to the little plastic tabs that are usually at the center side with suction cups on them.
When it starts warming back up a good bit. I just use cheap stretchy bungee cords and make tiebacks with them by over lapping one side to the other, let take the other hook grab the bungee cord itself and then attach the hook to the fencing itself. I am usually able to gather two at a time and kid of swoop them over together into one. If it looks like it's going to rain or storm, I just let them back down again and leave the bungee cord attached to the fence for the next pretty day! I hope this helps or gives you ideas.

What wind strengths do you get?

 

[MomaYow]

What wind strengths do you get?

I just use a medium weight shower curtain liners. They hold up nicely. I had purchased about $50.00 worth when Belk store {online} had them on sale for around & $8.00 each. They were regularly about $14.00.

 

[gtaus]

Our temps (Central TX) can jump from 70's or more one day, to an event like The Big Freeze 2021. Thankfully, a few inches of snow is infrequent but highly possible. There is no "average" anymore. My primary goal is keeping wind and driving rain at bay.

Let me put a question to your question. Why do you even need curtains on your run for where you live? I have visited Texas a few times in winter, and it was hotter there than in Minnesota in our summers. It's hard for me to imagine any snowfall lasting more than a few days in Texas. I would think your birds would not have much problem putting up with a bit of bad weather for a few days - I mean my chickens literally stay in their coop for the snow months and don't go outside until the snow melts in the spring.

OK, maybe not a fair comparison as my chicken coop was built to twice the space normally recommended for the chickens. That is because I knew they would be living inside the coop for all those winter months. I understand that in southern states, the coops are probably much smaller and the chickens spend more time outside in the winter.

If you really need curtains on your run, then I agree with using trim boards to fasten the shower curtains to your 2X4 frame.

 

[KyCoop]

We got clear roof panels. Yes storage is a problem but I can't stand the sound of flapping plastic and I didn't want the girls to have to listen to that 24/7.
We did use wood slats to fasten the plastic down and it worked well. Just not well enough for me.

 

[3KillerBs]

Here on NC I just used zipties to fasten a tarp to part of one wall to keep wind from blowing into the roost area during swirling storms.

I'm on my phone so I can't easily add a link, but you might find my thread "Open Air Coop in the Snow" reassuring.

I've also used intact straw bales to create chicken-height windbreaks in the run along with the other run clutter.

 

[texsuze]

My coops aren't large enough to house my girls for days/nights on end, since the girls have access to the barn and 3 acres of fenced/electrified barnyard during the day. In my current setup, coops are used for night roosting and egg laying, but are still contained within predator-proof runs. My outdoor run and coop, being on the north side of the barn, gets the brunt of driving winter rain and cold fronts that come through the area from that direction. For my purposes, providing a wind/rain break for my girls during a few months of the year means they can use the outdoor run and coop, when they chose, without getting pelted with rain and ice on those occasions when Nature throws us a real curveball.

During last year's Big Freeze we had temps in the 'teens, strong winds (40 mph) and ice covered surfaces onto which 4" of snow fell--for several days in a row. Plus total loss of water and power for 11 days (some folks went 22 days without both). Atypical for us, but I'll say the majority of our weather 'events' tend to be in the extreme category.

 

[Sally PB]

I use shower curtains. I attach them with zip ties through the grommet holes to the 2x3 fencing on the sides of the run. I lay the excess flat on the ground and cover it with piles of leaves. Snow helps hold it down too.

Since the frame of the run is metal, I can't use the wooden strip idea, but wow, does that look neat and tidy!

When I put polycarbonate panels on the roof of half my run, I used the leftover pieces to make more permanent panels to block the wind.

 

[texsuze]

Thanks for all the replies! Good info here to incorporate. Hopefully I can create something easy to install and remove.

 

[ChicFil- A]

I use zip ties to attach tarps to the top of coop all the way around. Then zip tie down the sides and bottom. In spring I can cut the ties on the sides and bottom but leave attached at the top and roll up and tie with string. Then when winter rolls around again I just untie and fasten the sides and bottom again.

Great idea !!! This is my hoop coop… I love it, I use bungee cords of different lengths to secure the sheeting, I also use tarps and 6 mil. plastic sheeting, on inside to keep away drafts.
My flock did great the first winter, I am pleased with this coop.

 

[henless]

I use screws & washers to attach my shower curtains to the run. I put the top of the shower curtain along the bottom of the run and put the screws in the grommets. I pull the curtain up tight as high as it will go and screw through the plastic.

I find the washers give it enough support to keep from tearing, as long as the curtain is pulled tight. You can always screw a 1x4 or 1x6 along the top of the curtain. I can't do this since my curtains aren't straight across the top (no posts to screw some sides too). I tuck the loose curtain corners in between the curtain & hardware cloth. No problems doing it this way. I will add duct tape where my curtains over lap if there is no board to screw too.

My curtains go up along the West & North sides for wind break. We are usually in the 20's - 30's for winter lows, with wind chills in the teens. During snowmageddan we got below 0 temps for several days. I hope that doesn't happen again.