Official BYC Poll: How Is Your Run Covered?

[McChooky]

Solid roof, asphalt shingles.View attachment 2762096View attachment 2762097

But I still let them out into their electrified pen. Three years and no hawk has gotten a bird. The roosters do a good job alerting and they have a very large Quince bush they love to hang out under.
View attachment 2762102

This Quince bush is a fond reminder of one we had in our front yard.Sadly it took up half the walkway into the house so we dug it up .Our chickens loved it!

 

[TORIMILLS]

Right now ours is covered with a huge tarp. I ordered aviary netting that should arrive this week.

 

[BDutch]

I have two runs. The first is covered with strong black aviary netting fir birds of pray (1.6”) and the second run I attached later has cat netting (1.2”) with a fine metal thread inside. This is dark green, lighter and was easier to attach.

I like netting because:

• I need the rain coming in bc I have berry bushes in both runs.
• The girls are also free ranging a couple of hours on most day. This way a little grass can grow in it and I don’t have to clean it.
• Its easier to attach, cheaper and better looking than HWC.
  
  
  
  

Netting has a con too: it’s not as safe as HWC. Only use it on top!

Warning: In the first run I have netting from 3’ to the roof too. The netting above the coop was not a good idea. A fox jumped on the roof, has been gnawing on the net and has been biting through the tension wire. He got in and killed one chicken after the automatic pop door opened. Luckily I heard a noise and there were no more casualties. Now I made hwc on that part too.

 

[ForTheLoveOfSilkies]

Mostly old small gauge chicken wire enclosed area (was there when we bought the house but full of weeds) we built coop- tin sheet roof and pallet sides. Pop door to an open run fenced along the tree line for some protection.. birds have swooped down right in front of me for chicks but mother hen always attacks before I even knew it was there, a couple roosters are always on the lookout too.
Coop is on the left with tarps on the side for weather protection, further off the right is fenced treeline area..
I have put a tarp up overhead for some extra rain protection beside the coop, but for some reason it's all wet on the ground inside the coop/shelter area

 

[Driley62]

Part of my run 8x10 covered with poly roofing I found in the garage after we purchased our home underneath is chicken wire( I know its truly not secure like hardware cloth but it's been good at protecting. Haven't lost a one yet inside the run. Then I added an extension with electric poultry netting that's 82 foot long in total(not square so can't give actual sqft) but it's estimated at 420 sqft for the extension alone. Totaling 520 sqft. Behind the electric netting I drove u-posts and hanged 2ft high chicken wire above the netting to add some height for more agile birds or predators that could jump over the net. That section doesn't have a cover of any sorts(at least yet).

 

[PippinTheChicken]

I have netting with some corrugated plastic boards over the top.

 

[3KillerBs]

A third of the run is covered with a tin roof, the rest is covered with 2x4 welded wire.

I like the partial sheltered, partly open arrangement. It surprises me how often my chickens will choose to go out into the rain, even fairly nasty rain.

 

[HeatherKellyB]

Chain link top on a chain link run with sheets of tin laid across in a few areas for shade and a cover from the rain.

 

[Skyle]

My run is not predator proof. Since my chickens are free to roam in the whole garden all the day, that would be useless.
The run is used by the chickens only when it rains, it's covered by a plastic transparent sheet so it's always dry.

 

[Show Sebright]

Big Girl Coop-
Mine has wiring on the top. But here in Florida where is rains 24/7 we couldn’t do that. The ground became a lake. We lifted the coop up about a foot. Filled the bottom with half a ton of sand. Put a wooden board over the top and some plants. Looks nice and a lot drier.

Sebright Hotel-
It is 3 stories tall and can foot one bird or a few chicks in each level. It is for my show girls, sick birds, and chicks. They don’t have a “run” but something close. There is the inside coop part. And they can hang out in the other side to be outside. Covered with a roof. No rain can get to them. I got Lace in there now because of her foot. Also got some chicks below her.

All my birds get outside time.