Enclosed Run Design - extend roof from coop?

[Jake H]

Hi All, first time chicken owner here and I'm getting ready to finish framing my coop but I'm having second thoughts on the run design. The coop is 6x6 and the run is 6x8. The original design has the run attached to the coop and the roof going over the entire 14' span of coop and run. I'm having second thoughts about a full roof over the entire run, mainly because it feels like overkill to sheath, shingle, vent a roof that over 50% of it isn't even covering anything but the run. Does anyone have any opinion on whether or not it's a good idea/waste of time to do a full roof over the entire span? My new thought is to put a shingle roof on the coop, then drop the run walls down to about 5' high and cover the top with 1/2" hardware cloth. Follow up question, how much time do the humans typically spend in an enclosed run with the chickens? My thought is the bulk of your time is in the coop with them, but being my first time I'm not sure how it plays out.

 

[Ridgerunner]

You need to be able to walk in the run without bending over. Is 6' high enough, especially considering you are wearing shoes and you may bounce a little when you walk? I'm talking about the bottom of the framing, not the top of the roof.

A hardware cloth roof can work to keep predators out, though it might sag enough to make it harder to walk in there, especially if leaves, snow, or ice collects up there. Just build it strong for the weight of those. A solid roof can keep rain out of the run, just slope the roof so it flows away from the run. It can also provide shade. Rain, snow, and sunlight will still come in from the sides but a roof can help with those.

How much time will you spend in the run? Who knows? If you feed and/or water in the run you will be out there daily. Will you regularly be going in the run to clean? Some do, some don't. Some people like to bring a chair into the run and just sit there, maybe reading a book to socialize their chickens. Others don't.

 

[Jake H]

Good points! I think you convinced me to stick with my original plan of having the roof at 7' like the coop.

 

[21hens-incharge]

In my opinion your run is small enough to go ahead and roof the whole thing.
You won't need vents in the run roof since the wire sides will provide plenty.

I agree wholeheartedly with making it taller than you are by at least 6".

my hubby didn't want my original run showing above the 6' fence. That means that the framing was attached to the 6' posts making my low clearance areas just 5'6". I am 5'4". I hit my head of I am not super careful.

I will be fixing that this summer.

Lesson being don't make it difficult to move around in. Better is to do it once and do it right.