How do you heat your coops

[bruceha2000]

BRUCE~wow did I score!!!! I picked up those rolls of 3x25 ft plastic from Walmart's 2 years ago for $3 bucks each!

The same hefty 8 mil???

If so, WOWOWOWOWOWOW!!!!!

I did well with the 3x100 hardware cloth on Amazon (not AS well, but still). It was ~$90 in June, $20 more last time I looked. Still free shipping. Without that it would be prohibitively expensive. Besides being cheaper, a single 100' roll is a lot more versatile than 4 25' rolls.

Bruce

 

[bruceha2000]

thanks bruce, too small for my pen, it's 9 feet tall in front and the back is 6 ( slanted roof) it takes a lot to wrap it as it is also about 12x 17 feet long . For 10 or 12 chickens

I could go for the larger "sort of clear" pre-made tarp for a run though they are more expensive by the square foot. But they come with tie down grommets so are versatile and can be really tough, I found 20 Mil 'glass clear' (18 oz) at mytarp.com. They also have 30 Mil (SUPER tough) and 7 oz ( I guess ~ 8 Mil??) that is reinforced but not "glass clear".

They also show 20' x 100' 10 Mil clear plastic sheeting for $178 (8 Mil for $145). I can't tell from the picture (it is rolled up) if that is the normal opaque clear or the window glass clear. The really clear stuff I got has a white paper layer (I assume to keep it from getting scratched before it is put up) but the picture of the 20x100 clear looks like a regular roll of opaque clear plastic available most anywhere (though the much lighter weight 6 Mil). I didn't check shipping at mytarp, though I'm tempted to get a 6' x 8' clear for the south and part of the east side of the small front porch (house, not the coop

). The wind whips snow in like you wouldn't believe. I have a plexiglass panel on the north side that works pretty well but the winter wind doesn't always blow from the north

That 9' high section makes it hard to be economical since things tend to be sized in 6' , 8', 10', 12'. Of course, if you are just trying to keep the wind off, there is no need to wrap all the way to the top. They have an 8' x 12' (though "Size is cut size. Tarp's finished size is up to 3 - 5% smaller.") "string re-enforced" semi clear tarp for $47. The 8x12 20 Mil clear is $63, the 8x12 30 Mil is $110. The 8' 7 oz doesn't come any longer than 12' (though they do customs). To cover the 17 foot sides, you would need the 10 x 20 for $96. Not sure what you do with the extra part at the top and end.

For my coop, I wanted clear visibility for the girls to see out and the people (who, aside from ONE of the 3 cats and me, are also all girls, story of my life

.) to see in. And I wanted as much light passing through as possible since it is a distance from the outside wall, even regular opaque 6 mil plastic cuts a lot of light.

Bruce

 

[vickiw]

BRUCE~That's what they are, I just checked. Grabbed them off the clearance rack at the end of the heating season. Think they probably didn't sell because they were displayed in the winterizing windows, etc. section and they were too thick for anyone looking for window covers and didn't come with a way to attach. They kept marking the stuff down and went it hit rock bottom a friend let me know (insider, shhhhh) and I ran and snatched whatever was left.

 

[Gifa]

Tarpaflex.com is running a great deal on 14mil clear tarps with UV protection and tie down grommets, and quarter inch polyfiber mesh reinforcement.

Crystal clear like glass, no, but I doubt the chickens really care that much about seeing out in the winter and 14mil is a pretty decent wind and water barrier while still being transparent enough to let the sunlight into their run.

I got:

1 10'X20' for $19.99
2 7'X10' for $11.99 ea

7 day shipping was $24

$64 total after taxes. Delivered as promised.

I think that's a superb deal for something that is sturdy enough to be reused for at least two or three seasons. I'm keeping my expectations low so that any more reuse out of them is bonus.

 

[karlamaria]

My run is weird shaped, I had it dne this way so snow rolled off the back . I know the plastic is not as clear as I would have liked, but last year I tarped my whole pen in blue and grey tarps and that was pretty dark, they still laid a lot lol. My coop has windows on every side so there coop is always full of light. The pen I wrapped is totally wrapped, top to bottom, and I put bricks on the ground so no snow or wet would get under . If this begins to rip this winter I'm going to go for the plastic see through tarps, I'm not messing around and hard pressed to cover that coop. If the plastic fails, tarps will work well .i can just staple the tarps on the top where it's so tall, and then zip tie them on the rest of the way, and put bricks on the bottom to hold them down .

 

[Gifa]

My run is weird shaped, I had it dne this way so snow rolled off the back . I know the plastic is not as clear as I would have liked, but last year I tarped my whole pen in blue and grey tarps and that was pretty dark, they still laid a lot lol. My coop has windows on every side so there coop is always full of light. The pen I wrapped is totally wrapped, top to bottom, and I put bricks on the ground so no snow or wet would get under . If this begins to rip this winter I'm going to go for the plastic see through tarps, I'm not messing around and hard pressed to cover that coop. If the plastic fails, tarps will work well .i can just staple the tarps on the top where it's so tall, and then zip tie them on the rest of the way, and put bricks on the bottom to hold them down .

I tried to see if you had a photo of your run, to get a better idea about your setup. I can't really tell from the photos you have, But As long as your 9' wall is parallel to your 6' wall, you should be able to use a 20'X40' tarp (9+12+6= 37') to wrap the front top and back. Then all you'd need is a 10'X12' for the end as long as you line up the vertical edges, you can tuck the excess flap under the tarp you have going over the top.

Or if your coop attaches to the run on the tall side... Then you only need a 20'X30" to go over the top and the short side, a pair of 10'x12' footers over the ends, and then you can use a blue of grey over the rest.

I dunno. Geometry... this is why they teach it in school I guess.

 

[bruceha2000]

Tarpaflex.com is running a great deal on 14mil clear tarps with UV protection and tie down grommets, and quarter inch polyfiber mesh reinforcement.
I got:

1 10'X20' for $19.99
2 7'X10' for $11.99 ea

7 day shipping was $24

$64 total after taxes. Delivered as promised.

I think that's a superb deal for something that is sturdy enough to be reused for at least two or three seasons. I'm keeping my expectations low so that any more reuse out of them is bonus.

Sure is a great price. If I could figure out how to keep it from blowing away (no permanent posts on the outdoor run, only 4' T-posts and we get some wicked winds) it would be a fantastically cheap way to provide shade and rain protection. Snow protection too for those with well supported solid wire run covers

Bruce

 

[karlamaria]

Finished up the coop, totally wrapped and looked at the back where we did the back side and sure enough the plastic was coming off the staples, duh ! So I remembered I saw some show that was filmed in alaska where they made a green house and put slates over the plastic where the staples were . This reinforced everything. So off to the lumber yard we went and got wooden slats 8 fett tall, and we will be screwing these slats on this afternoon. This should take care of the staple problem and high winds. Sine it's only I and grand kids and my daughter we are not very up on how to do things lol. We shall see what winter brings. I just do not have the money right now for clear tarps etc. will take a picture of my pen and coop tonight to post here.

 

[bruceha2000]

So off to the lumber yard we went and got wooden slats 8 fett tall, and we will be screwing these slats on this afternoon. This should take care of the staple problem and high winds. Sine it's only I and grand kids and my daughter we are not very up on how to do things lol.

I stapled my 8 mil plastic but my situation is different - the coop is a converted horse stall inside a barn. No wind

Definitely have to put battens over plastic to keep the wind from ripping it right through the staples. You can still tack it up first with staples, lots easier than trying to hold it up and nail or screw battens down at the same time. So, even though you didn't plan it this way, you are doing it the right things and in the right order

Bruce

 

[karlamaria]

Wow so yours is out of the wind, you have it made. We had high winds yesterday! We got the slats going to head out now to finish up with them and all is well. They love it when there run is covered, no wind and my baby chicks are better off. Long winter ahead, we got a slight snow last night, going to see 28 as a high this week and pretty low also. Not thrilled winter is coming .