Can a roof be flat for part of a chicken run?

[Sunshine Flock]

I have some leftover lumber, a new miter saw (life changing tool), and now I'm going to create a proper extension out from the roof to cover a section of the run for some outdoor shelter.

The fencing is six feet tall and comes straight off the side of the coop. I'm going to square out a section using an existing 4x4 post in the fencing, and then I'm going to add a new post inside the run and squares out the rain shelter on the other side of the coop.

So basically it's a rectangular box with the east side as the back of the chicken coop, the south side a wood framed six foot fence, and then adding a post in the opposite corner to frame out the space.

Running the board off of the 4x4 fencing post would create a flat roof. I'm not sure what to expect from the rain. Will it pour down all around the edges? Will I need gutters to funnel it out of the yard? For some reason I can't wrap my brain around how this works and what I need to do.

 

[junebuggena]

Add a 2x4 to one side. That will raise one side just high enough to create an angle needed to direct rainfall.

 

[B Redhawk]

Instead of a flat roof you might want to lower one side by at least a few inches so it is a shed roof. That way the water would run off one side only and you would just gutter that one side. The other option would be to do a standard gable roof. Flat roofs really aren't flat they have to shed water to the corners or at least two corners or else the water stands in place and the roof fails from the water weight.

 

[Sunshine Flock]

Good feedback, thank you.

None of the water from the sloped roof (sloped down toward the chicken run) of the coop creates any flooding. It's all pretty even without the need for gutters.

If I have corrugated roofing on the shelter extension, would that help funnel water?

Amazingly, the one thing I can't get over with the design of my chicken run is the 2x4 at the top that attaches to the coop, right where the shelter will go. It's not perfectly level and instead slopes upward as it reaches the coop. I'm guessing the slope is off by 1.5 inches. It's SO annoying because of how hard I worked to make everything level. I overlooked one dumb detail and because of it I hung the board unlevel.

The shelter roof would follow that slight slope, sending the water down into the run. It could be enough to handle rain load, and corrugated metal would also help, right?

I should post photos.

 

[Harmony Fowl]

Just agreeing with the others on a non-flat roof. We built our coop into an existing homemade carport, used half for the coop and half as a covered area for the run. A covered area is super useful (so say my 30 birds who are not out in the rain right now but not confined to their coop, either) but the flat roof we inherited, not so useful. Water pools at the slightest of low points and will eventually leak.

 

[Sunshine Flock]

Just agreeing with the others on a non-flat roof. We built our coop into an existing homemade carport, used half for the coop and half as a covered area for the run. A covered area is super useful (so say my 30 birds who are not out in the rain right now but not confined to their coop, either) but the flat roof we inherited, not so useful. Water pools at the slightest of low points and will eventually leak.

Oh, a carport would be a great place to shelter your flock. The more I study the run and coop, the more I don't see an option with a flat roof, but maybe I'll come up with something as I'm building it and add more slope.