Plastic Wrapped Runs???

[Rare Feathers Farm]

So where does one buy the plastic wrap stuff for the runs?

I have always wanted to try wrapping the runs in plastic (the sides only) to prevent some of the nasty wind from barreling down on the coop in the winter months...we frequently get 40-50mph blowing snow and sub-zero temps.

Last year, I made little "curtains"out of heavy canvas and put them over all of the pop holes. This prevents some of the wind from entering the coop and some of the blowing snow from wetting the shavings...but I'd like to do some more this year.

The coop is like Swiss cheese with pop holes all around!

I will need A LOT of plastic....

I looked at the painter drop-cloths yesterday at wal-mart but they'd be shredded in about 2 minutes....as they are way too thin and I'm not sure how they'd attach to the runs?

 

[airmechreed]

You can buy it at big R , Tractor supply co. Home Depot, Lowes, ACE. Pretty much anywhere hardware is sold.....I would get it in a 6mm thickness as 4mm won't last as long. Good Luck!

 

[sutillman]

I went to a breeder's farm last year and he had gotten used billboard and wrapped his runs with them. They are one big sheet of heavy tarp like stuff now. They were like eight feet high and really long. Might want to check with a billboard company and see if they give away theirs. He had the ad part to the inside by the way. Guess it kept the chickens something to read during the day!

 

[Rare Feathers Farm]

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We only have a home depot here...so I'll try them....do you use it? If so, how do you attach it to the runs?

 

[Rare Feathers Farm]

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That's an interesting idea. I had originally wanted to just use OSB a few feet up around the runs (I might still get my way since the dog has been tearing into the runs to eat scraps with the chickens)

BUT DH says that looks "tacky" and stuff....here in the winter, OSB goes on sale for $4.97 a sheet. So I usually stock up before it goes back up around $6 when the weather gets nicer.

 

[SteveBaz]

I like the canvass idea you had. drape it over the 2 sides and use the brass eyes to hold it down by tying a rope to the eye on the canvass and the other to the cinder block. This will not go anywhere and would out live the 6mm plastic I think . JMHO

 

[airmechreed]

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We only have a home depot here...so I'll try them....do you use it? If so, how do you attach it to the runs?

I don't use it myself for the run, however in building a green house and doing research I found that 6 mm is the strongest that I can get a hold of......They have clear tape for the application of a green house... I am not sure how one would attach it to a run though I will think about that and get back to you on that.

 

[upcdayz]

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The drop cloths might work as a temporary solution but I wouldn't count on them for very long. Even the thicker ones (.4) will rip eventually. I've used them on my runs and attached it with a staple gun.

 

[Rare Feathers Farm]

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Whicih would be fine if I didn't have hundreds of feet of runs to do.

But if I remember correctly, the tarp I bought was around $10 and it was only 6' x 6'

 

[Rare Feathers Farm]

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We only have a home depot here...so I'll try them....do you use it? If so, how do you attach it to the runs?

I don't use it myself for the run, however in building a green house and doing research I found that 6 mm is the strongest that I can get a hold of......They have clear tape for the application of a green house... I am not sure how one would attach it to a run though I will think about that and get back to you on that.

Thanks!