pix of the half-finished new run with occupants

[patandchickens]

It seems to be taking me a long time to build the new roofed Sussex run. I've got the roof and some of the chainlink on, but no hardwarecloth on eaves and no front or people door. (It's about 5x14', and about 4.5' high at the low end of the roof)

We're starting to get days where they really *should* be Out. So I stapled on some feedbags and plastic to chickenproof gaps, and tied a chainlink gate on front as a door, and let Pants and his ladies check it out:

(the drift on the roof was originally almost continuous with the main roof - I need to learn how to rake snow off roofs without it all landing on my head

)

Here's a pic of the whole enchilada:

Once the ground has thawed and water has gone down, the back pen of sussexes (currently just spare roo Itchy and 3 hens) will get a 10x10 roofed run of the same style as Pants', slightly taller, right behind Pants' run and with the wall between 'em removeable for times when I am using it all as just a single pen.

The little lean-to run on the front of the building (which currently serves the 3 chanteclers and 1 remaining ISA Brown) is now fully plastic-wrapped and is doing REALLY well as a solar heater, btw. On sunny days I open the chicken door and window into it, and it can raise the temperature of the 15x40 building by 5-6 C or more (like 10+ F). Yet the temperature in it down at 'chicken level' does not get overly warm and they can still use it as a small run.


Pat

 

[Mahonri]

Wow, what beautiful Sussex!

 

[#1California Chick]

Looks good!!!

Amazing that your "solar coop" can heat up the bigger building!!

Cindy

 

[lalyswishytail]

I was noticing the plastic that was showing in the photo taken from the inside of the new run. Maybe you said it and I didn't understand, but why is there plastic up there?

This next part kinda strays from your new coop, but I got the idea from your lean-to run. You've mentioned insulation on several other threads. I was wondering if putting plastic all over bigger openings counts as insulation. I know that you would have to leave some space open for ventilation, (you've taught many of us a lot about ventilation latetly

), but is plastic enough?

 

[patandchickens]

I was noticing the plastic that was showing in the photo taken from the inside of the new run. Maybe you said it and I didn't understand, but why is there plastic up there?

Yeah, that's some of the 'half-finished' part

It's temporarily covering the openings under the eaves and purlin ends. Which otherwise a chicken could get out

Eventually (i.e. hopefully SOON but I didn't want to keep depriving the chickens of nice weather) it will be replaced by hardwarecloth, which will be predatorproof as well as chickenproof.

You've mentioned insulation on several other threads. I was wondering if putting plastic all over bigger openings counts as insulation. I know that you would have to leave some space open for ventilation, (you've taught many of us a lot about ventilation latetly big_smile ), but is plastic enough?

It's not really insulation but it stops drafts and air movement. I would call plasticking-over an open window or run an 'uninsulated cover'; kind of intermediate between open to the breeze and covered with something that has actual insulating value. Whether plastic is "enough" depends entirely on what you're trying to achieve, under what conditions

Pat​

 

[mjdtexan]

Very nice. I do have to say one thing though, "brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr." It looks really cold there.

 

[patandchickens]

Not cold at all - it was in the mid-to-upper 30s F when those photos were taken! Woo hoo, temporary spring!

(likely to get down into the minus teens F or lower in a few days though)


Pat

 

[cmom]

Looks great!!!