For a few short years our first wood coop w/flimsy chicken wire was open to the elements -- rain, wind, cold, heatwaves, etc, and no amount of tarping or using popup canopies provided comfort or safety to our first coop/run. It was custom-built by a local feed store customer for our first two Silkies -- great design for bantams but materials were low-quality.
So later when we remodeled the yard we erected a blockwall around the backyard and iron fencing in the front yard. We added two roofed patios -- one for "people" and one for the newer sturdier "chicken barn coop w/dog kennel wire" placed in the same spot where the old coop was.
After treks in the rain to the old coop to collect eggs or check on chickens during hot or cold spells we decided the extra $2000 to have covered patio roofs, especially for the coop/run, was worth it for both us and our hens. No more hot sun beating down directly on the coop roof, no more concerns of stormy rain leaking into the coop, no more muddy steps to collect eggs, etc.
On the "chicken" side of the yard we buried the legs of a 10'x10' popup canopy over a 4'x4' sandbox so chickens can dust bathe protected from sun OR rain! The canopy legs have been buried for 9 yrs -- we replace the cover once a year.
The chickens don't like muddy rain -- especially feather footed Silkies so we put stepping stones on their side of the yard and two more popup canopies for shade/rain protection, & the popups also have been a great deterrent from local aerial predators (Coopers Hawks).
So hard to keep from posting so many pics but our whole retired life has been centered around chickens. If we didnt have zoning laws and nice neighbors we might've had 100+ birds by now!
This is probably the saddest post I have ever done here on BYC. I had to go to town this morning, and upon my return home I found Sir Jaffar lying in the run passed away. One of his spurs was hooked up to the chain link, as if fighting off a threat to his ladies. So, he’s gone and I am devastated.
and it’s because in this case they got so wet because you’re taking such good care of them. The looks you captured seem to be them saying “Why, oh why human, do you do these weird things!”
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