Completely covered run?

[Ridgerunner]

If you cover the run it will stop sunlight getting in when the sun is directly overhead. At other times sunlight will come in from the sides. There are times my covered run provides no shade in the run.

If you cover the run it will stop rain and snow coming in when there is no wind and the rain or snow is falling straight down. If there is any wind rain or snow will blow in from the side. Still, slope the run cover so rainwater run-off flows away from the coop/run, not toward them.

Don't worry about a cover on the run blocking all sun from the chickens, that will not happen. It also will not keep it perfectly dry.

 

[Jkheald]

If you cover the run it will stop sunlight getting in when the sun is directly overhead. At other times sunlight will come in from the sides. There are times my covered run provides no shade in the run.

If you cover the run it will stop rain and snow coming in when there is no wind and the rain or snow is falling straight down. If there is any wind rain or snow will blow in from the side. Still, slope the run cover so rainwater run-off flows away from the coop/run, not toward them.

Don't worry about a cover on the run blocking all sun from the chickens, that will not happen. It also will not keep it perfectly dry.

Perfect. Thank you!

 

[townchicks]

There will still be sun coming in the sides, depending on the location of the run and the time of day. I have a 10'x12' cover over my run, and I have to provide a roll up shade in the summer months to give them relief from the afternoon sun. The real answer to your question, however, is no, they don't need it, but they do like it. Commercial chickens never get to lay in the sun. Most of us on here, however, are dedicated to providing the best life possible for our chickens, and IMO, that does include some time for sunbathing, at their choice.

 

[Wise Woman]

Mine is completely covered, but they still get sun shining in different areas at different times of the day. We used a metal carport, closed it in with hardware cloth and had the coop built inside the run. Very happy with the results.

 

[Susan Dye]

Love the carport idea! Very nice.

 

[Wise Woman]

Thank you. When my husband figured the cost of building the same size wooden structure himself, it wasn't that much more money. Plus we saved endless hours of work. These guys came and put this up in one morning. It would have taken my husband months to build something similar out of wood, then shingle it, then do the hardware cloth etc.

 

[Ste]

Our coop/run is completely covered. They still get sunshine in the run and love to sunbathe. They also have shade available at all times however it's completely protected from rain and snow.