Covered Run VS Uncovered

[Pine Roost]

I currently have 9 chicken (3 bantams, 6 RIRs) in a 64 sq ft run...but want to add one more 8x4 section to make it 96 sq ft for the birds to have. What do yall think about having the run covered with just the welded wire to keep pretadors out? Do you think the smell would be unbearable when the poo got wet from rain? Of course the coop is covered, but I am hoping that I can get away with the run being left open to the sunlight. What are yall's thoughts???

 

[Mahlzeit]

My run is uncovered and it really only smells after a very heavy rain. Having the chickens in the run over the years the dirt has become so dense from all of their droppings that the rain water was not draining out and was sitting as smelly mud. So I ended up removing pretty much the whole top layer of dirt and the water now drains again and there is not much and issue of smell. I also have many more chickens than you so you shouldn't have too big of a problem having an uncovered run.

 

[TXchickmum]

A run covered with welded wire should be fine. We have a 240 sq. ft. run covered with chicken wire to keep out hawks. It is tall enough, however, that I can go in and scoop the poop up, daily. -just a preference. We haven't experienced any smell even during rain.

 

[Queen Bee]

You should be ok with just wire on the top..

My old run was covered with chain link fencing but no roof. The chickens were on it for 4yrs and I never had any smell. It was not level, it sloped slightly and every once in a while I threw pine shavings out on it.. I tried throwing hay down one winter BUT it was a big mass of a mess! The hay packed down became slick and rotting... I ended up using a pitch fork and taking it all out... It was too much hay for the area..

 

[karlamaria]

We covered the run, we did not want rain and mud in there or snow. It's covered and slanted so it's totally dry . We tarped the one side to keep the rain out this summer and it was awesome, we plan to staple plastic on it this winter to keep blowing snow out. We also just added sand too dust bath and they love it. Not sure where you live but if it's like Montana wet all winter no way would I go with out a roof

 

[new chick 203]

Ours is covered with a heavy dear netting to keep out hawks, but I dream of a roof to keep the snow off. What a luxury to no shovel the run! Today is stormy and they are pouting a bit, if I had more covered outside space they would be so happy.

 

[karlamaria]

Ours is covered with a heavy dear netting to keep out hawks, but I dream of a roof to keep the snow off. What a luxury to no shovel the run! Today is stormy and they are pouting a bit, if I had more covered outside space they would be so happy.

last year we put a very large tarp over the top of ours, then every time it snowed we went out and shoved it off from underneath . That got old lol. I decided then I was not going to go through another winter dealing with. Snow, and water dripping and hired a guy to do a new run for us. It was the best thing we ever did. All summer not one drop went into the pen, and the way the roof angles down in back everything will slide off to the back . I also added a electric door lol, now my winters are going to be a lot easier! There is nothing better then cleaning a dry run verses a wet poopy soup pen.