Aluminum run buckled in from snowstorm

[Triangle Nostril]

Hey all - my aluminum chicken run's roof poles got bent out of shape from the snow. The structure is still holding and I put some wood supports in for now to keep it sturdy for now. But I was wondering if anyone else has advice for how to go about reinforcing and replacing the parts here. I'm sure I'm far from the first person this has happened to.

It's only the roof bars that got hit the worst, and only on one side. The sides are mostly fine just a bit warped. The roof bars are bent but not at sharp angles. Most of the structure is surprisingly in tact. So I'm thinking I find replacement poles and use wood framing to re-enforce those weak points for the future? I know aluminum is shot once it's bent and twisted up, so not looking to salvage these pieces but just get ideas for a plan going forward on repairing the overall run. Currently just have a 2x4 and ladder as bandage reinforcement until I figure things out. Already cleared the snow from the top of the run.

 

[Al Gerhart]

Patch it up to get by and replace it with 2 x 4 wood construction. Or if you have a welder in the family, use some square tubing. It needs to be heavy enough to prevent storm damage or staked down to piers or 30" long wood stakes. Consider an A frame, gives you enough room to walk down the center to clean and provides maximum floor space per dollar spent. Or a hoop house style.

That chicken wire has to go too and replace it with hardware cloth. Even small dogs can rip through chicken wire.

 

[Triangle Nostril]

Ah, the sides and parts of the top portions are fully hardware clothed up with a skirt on the outside. You can see it on the first pic. The chicken wire is just internal, but the cloth is outside of it. It's just the roof directly under the tarps that are pure chicken wire - which I kinda worry about sometimes but at night they'll be in their coop which is fortified well enough that I don't have to worry even if a raccoon got in (so far my cameras haven't picked up anything ever snooping around the run at night, thankfully).

Prior to this, I just walked under and cleared the snow from beneath. Today I went out to do the same but we had such heavy snow overnight that it was like this before I could even clear the snow off haha.

 

[Al Gerhart]

My bad.... Still, an owl or large hawk will have no trouble ripping through the roof. The stuff is just twisted together. Then again, if you don't have larger predators it might just be good enough.

For now, drill some holes in the bent aluminum and sister some 2 x 2's or 2 x 3 boards to the bent frame members. Ugly but cheap and quick.

 

[Sefirothe]

Another user here beefed up his metal pole run to withstand heavy snow loads. Maybe you can get some inspiration starting here?

 

[Triangle Nostril]

My bad.... Still, an owl or large hawk will have no trouble ripping through the roof. The stuff is just twisted together. Then again, if you don't have larger predators it might just be good enough.

For now, drill some holes in the bent aluminum and sister some 2 x 2's or 2 x 3 boards to the bent frame members. Ugly but cheap and quick.

All good, I understand the concern and it's good advice regardless. The exposed part is clothed, under the tarps is just chicken wire but my thought is an aerial predator would probably not think to rip the tarp up to reveal the weakness under. And if they do the chickens will have enough time to hide inside their coop. Plus my local hawks are pretty small guys with tons of easier targets around.

Nonetheless I do plan to reinforce it more soon anyway. Don't want to lose any of my girls to a predator that was smarter than I gave credit for.

Another user here beefed up his metal pole run to withstand heavy snow loads. Maybe you can get some inspiration starting here?

Very good visual, thank you. I'll combine this idea with @Al Gerhart's and reinforce my poles. I'm no builder but this kind of modification seems simple enough.