Covered run

[Doc7]

With the understanding that tarps and such degrade over time, is there any health issues associated with covering the run top to prevent some muddy egg issues?

when it doesn’t rain my eggs are sparkling clean. Folks can’t believe mine come from my home chickens becaus they’ve only gotten dirty eggs from others. 100 sq foot run and 45 sq foot coop for 9 chickens (usually 6, but 3 chicks April to September before cull).

I put in fresh dry leaves once a week and this keeps it pretty dry but still, rain sometimes makes ot a little muddy and I’ll get 1-2 eggs that I don’t want to even bother washing off.

is there any issue with laying a tarp on top of the run hardware cloth ceiling without some sort of sunlight vitamin deficiency?

This photo shown from last year when run addition for adding 3 chickens was completed but the new coop addition wasn’t built yet

.

 

[Folly's place]

Having a covered run is wonderful, but you need to plan for water run-off, and especially snow load, even in Virginia! Having a sloping roof is essential, and with adequate framing, or even a heavy rain will be a big problem.
So yes, roof it somehow, but don't just throw a tarp over that flat top.
Mary

 

[BDutch]

If the sun gets in sideways there is no problem. The sun gets in the run anyway. Chickens search a place in the sun if they like to get a bit of sunshine.

I have a tarp for my coop (party tent frame) but I don't use it. The soil is alive and my chickens like to scratch in it. The poo in the run disappears because its alive. It disappears because the rain worms and insects digest it. I don’t even have to clean the run.

I scatter a few hands with grains every day to keep the chickens occupied. The weeds and grains they don’t eat, grow in the run after a rain shower, until the chickens eat it.

If its raining a lot the eggs get dirty. But I don’t mind. Its less work to clean the eggs then cleaning the run, if it where covered.

 

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

You should definitely cover your run. Chickens are not fond of mud. Also, I have to agree with @Folly's place. The roof needs be on a slant to allow for snow and rain to run off. Also, make sure the water runoff from the "roof" will flow away from the run and doesn't back up into it. In your climate, a covered run will allow shade on those hot summer days.

 

[Donkeygrl]

So what is the best cover ? Wood that is sealed or metal ?

 

[Alaskan]

So what is the best cover ? Wood that is sealed or metal ?

Whatever you know how to work with, or can get inexpensively.

I like metal since snow slides off easily, so it doesn't have to be as steep. I can get bunches of snow, I refuse to ever have to run out in the middle of the night to shovel snow off of a roof... so sloped roofs are the way to go!

Wood has to be steeper than metal to shed snow, but well sealed, painted regularly, should work too.

 

[Alaskan]

Also... I have free metal roof in my junk pile...

 

[Folly's place]

I have shingled wood roofs here, because we didn't have stuff laying around, and had to buy all of it. Metal would be wonderful though!
Mary

 

[Donkeygrl]

I want metal and can get it easily but was worried about Indiana heat? Like would it make the run extra hot or no?

 

[Alaskan]

I want metal and can get it easily but was worried about Indiana heat? Like would it make the run extra hot or no?

If the walls are all wire, it should be fine, and the shade will be great.

But yes, if you insulate the bottom of the metal roof, so no heat is radiated down, yes, that would be even better.