Official BYC Poll: Is your RUN Covered or Not?

[lifein1840]

Of course if money was no issue and you had an easy way to make it happen (no trees in the way) I’m sure most people would have a cover run.

However, what is your current run like? Covered/ uncovered, size and what is the floor/ bedding made up of?

*please feel free to add a photo of your setup!

Covered with a grid of cording for the hens and small chicks, the back is not covered (too big) but there are lots of "cover" areas.

 

[Roli]

Covered

This is before I started the new coop on the back right side of the run which will replace the current coop. Total area is 20x14

 

[Durrrell]

I added a 6'x12' roof to my run which is about 50% of the run. Before covering, The first year, my 20 chickens never went more than 1 foot outside in the winter in Vermont with all the snow, so my 21 birds were extremely "cooped up"... Now, they can play outside all winter and they have lots of snow free area.

Added a gutter/rain barrel system so they have water except during winter the barrel would freeze. Next winter I could put 1-2 stock water heaters in the 55 gallon barrel.

Found this pic while I was installing the water collection system. As you can see they are out and about under the roof.

 

[Double Yolked]

Half covered. I have a Tuff panel clear cover over about half the run while the other half covered with heavier duty deer netting, the black colored kind. It keeps the birds out mostly and discourages hawks nicely.
The girls have a dry half for wet days. In years past I had a second part to the run, gated, that was about 45 x 60 ft and grassy with lots of interesting things for the hens to get into but this last winter a tree fell on my fence and I haven't yet got it repaired. Ripped out four heavy duty fence posts and destroyed the wire. With shelter in place going on I haven't been able to get anyone in to help repair it. It's heavier digging than this old lady is able to do.

 

[birdsrfun]

My small coop is inside our run. The entire run is covered, half with a solid roof, and half with chicken wire. It’s worked well for me for the last 5 years. Our girls get let out daily to free range as well. We only have three hens.

 

[countryladyNH]

YES, covered!
Honestly, we can't understand someone not covering the run, and we mean a roof, not just hardware cloth. Ours has a clear corrugated plastic roof. It is also angled---(shed style roof---no snow issues).
They have sun, but the run is completely predator proof and they are out of the rain and snow.

 

[ThePepperPatch]

Completely covered 20×20 run. Our run is made of chain link kennel panels and hwc skirting + bottom 2 feet of chain link covered in hwc. Top of main area has thick tarp kennel pitched roof and hwc running between tarp and run wall. The rest is covered with welded wire fencing covered in 1x1 chicken wire. Our main predator here is aerial, our 7 acres is fenced and our dogs patrol enough where nothing other than birds, the occasional rabbit and deer come in. Side aviary in the works will be covered in netting connected a giant pine tree. We still have grass in our run despite 8 chickens + some mulch added in the feeding area under the solid roof.

 

[Citytransplant]

The first time I had chickens, we put up similar enclosure of dog run fencing and sat back very proud of how nice it looked. Shortly after, as I was watching the chicken, I noticed they became very panicked. Looked up to see several hawks flying closer and closer. I took all the baling wire I was saving and strung it east to west then north to south. Wanted the hawks to know it was there so I ripped pieces of aluminum foil and twisted it around the wire in various places. It worked great! Did not loose any chickens. Happy dance!!! I am 5'2" so I only have to stoop down a little, my poor 6'2" husband has almost decapitated his self a few times, but he finally learned. We haven't had chickens for a few years until now and have 5 chicks and 2 ducks almost ready to go outside. I will be putting the wire back up.

 

[21hens-incharge]

Currently chicken wire over my 16x 20(ish) run. Adding a metal roof very very soon.

Sooooooo sick of shoveling snow out of it.

 

[ThePepperPatch]

The first time I had chickens, we put up similar enclosure of dog run fencing and sat back very proud of how nice it looked. Shortly after, as I was watching the chicken, I noticed they became very panicked. Looked up to see several hawks flying closer and closer. I took all the baling wire I was saving and strung it east to west then north to south. Wanted the hawks to know it was there so I ripped pieces of aluminum foil and twisted it around the wire in various places. It worked great! Did not loose any chickens. Happy dance!!! I am 5'2" so I only have to stoop down a little, my poor 6'2" husband has almost decapitated his self a few times, but he finally learned. We haven't had chickens for a few years until now and have 5 chicks and 2 ducks almost ready to go outside. I will be putting the wire back up.

I will keep this in mind when making the side aviary! I like the shiny aluminum foil idea. They used to free range in the side yard but a hawk took one so they got a whole new run set up and no free ranging in the yard til its safely covered!