Input on Building a Roofed Chicken Run

[TalkALittle]

Well, my neighbor made a three sided shack to store his wood and just stapled a cheap tarp over the plywood roof. It made it through the winter fine and the plywood still looks good under it. He's planning on replacing tarp with metal roof but is doing it a piece or two at a time.

 

[snhchick]

Simple and inexpensive; I love it! Thanks!

 

[Triciakins]

This is a great thread. I was wondering the same thing... is it worth the cost to roof the run and would the chickens be happier or ? I am in Texas- we have mild winters but scorching summers and I am going to use sand as litter so after reading your replies- we are for sure roofing the run!

Thanks for sharing everyone!

 

[NewbieChickster]

Okay. So if I put a roof over my run... (which I really want to do) What do I put on the ground? The grass is pretty much gone anyway. So any suggestions on what I should put down on the ground?

 

[Folly's place]

I use shavings/ deep litter, just like is in my coop. Mary

 

[NewbieChickster]

How many birds do you have, in how small of a space, and how often do you have to clean it?

 

[skylerw]

I'm new to all this however I just let them scratch in the dirt in the coupe and inside the deep litter method

 

[Folly's place]

My coop/ run combination is about 24' x 14' total, and they free range whenever possible. I keep about 35 birds over winter, which includes about a dozen bantams. Right now I've got about twice that, with the summer babies. they will be thinned out by fall, as they grow. I clean it all out about three times a year, and just add more material as needed otherwise. Mary