Can molting bring stress to my ladies?

[spies04]

thanks! I will look into that for our ladies and closing off their pen.

 

[yawningreyhound]

You have my sympathy on the snow. I'm dreading it here in NY.

I'll offer pics of my chicken runs. They can go out in the crap weather. The plastic blocks the snow and wind, though a little snow won't hurt. Of course these are not airtight.

Oh, goodness! We were just talking about wishing our tarps were clear. Our setup is similar, they're outside or they're in their roofed cage area that's about 75sq. To have clearness would be so much more cheerful than our tarpss on these wet days they're confined (by their own choice!). It's not light free but man it is shaded to near dusklike conditions. I went with tarps because of their grommets but now I know how easy those are to install. Off to find plastic!!!! Thanks! I learn something every time I visit.

A picture (or 3) is worth a thousand words.

 

[rancher hicks]

I'm not sure you can see, but I use pieces of Cardboard to keep the staples from tearing through the plastic. I use caution in the spring when I take off the plastic not to let staples fall on the ground where the chickens might eat them by mistake.

 

[yawningreyhound]

I'm not sure you can see, but I use pieces of Cardboard to keep the staples from tearing through the plastic. I use caution in the spring when I take off the plastic not to let staples fall on the ground where the chickens might eat them by mistake.

So I'm shopping for clear tarps (they make them with GROMMETS! I'm psyched!)...do you have poly or vinyl? Or an opinion on either? And how thick is yours, please?

 

[rancher hicks]

So I'm shopping for clear tarps (they make them with GROMMETS! I'm psyched!)...do you have poly or vinyl? Or an opinion on either? And how thick is yours, please?

I'm sure they have clear tarps but in my case I have to cut off some of the plastic come spring and then more come summer or it gets too hot and humid. I just buy a roll of 10'X25' plastic at home depot. About 4ml. I'd get thicker if I could afford it but the 4ml works okay.

 

[TalkALittle]

I use clear poly tarps on my run. Stapling plastic each year didn't seem too appealing to me, nor did throwing out the plastic at the end of the season. The tarps will last me many seasons and were cheaper than it would be to buy the plastic sheeting a few years in a row. If you go with vinyl, they will be much more expensive than the poly--or at least that was my experience when comparing prices.

 

[rancher hicks]

I use clear poly tarps on my run. Stapling plastic each year didn't seem too appealing to me, nor did throwing out the plastic at the end of the season. The tarps will last me many seasons and were cheaper than it would be to buy the plastic sheeting a few years in a row. If you go with vinyl, they will be much more expensive than the poly--or at least that was my experience when comparing prices.

Well now I don't like pulling plastic each year and the girls will peck at it. I've prefer something more permanent and it can be found. Heavier plastic, such as is used in the greenhouse business. BUT, I need to take it down or I'd have steamed/poached chickens and eggs. Though my runs are not airtight they do get humid. Chickens can deal with the cold better than hot and humid. Makes the whole run like a petri dish of disease.

Of course I can open the door in the warmer days of winter to they can go out.

I suppose you could make storm windows to insert but then you'd need a place to store them in the summer. You can find cheap or free old storms on CL. I've considered these. OR you could frame out some Plexiglass. Or you could buy clear plastic corrugated panels to screw in and take them down. Some snow in the run is okay and the chickens like it.

I personally can't afford it. I do have some panels on top of one of my runs. Trouble is they're not 24" wide but 221/5" wide.