Plastic Wrapping Runs

[EMoRY 913]

Th

Good gravy, some of you get a lot of snow...

That s n nothing yet SMH

 

[Aunt Angus]

Th

That s n nothing yet SMH

No snow here at all. I get cold when it gets into the 40's - LOL! Y'all must be made of sterner stuff! We do have HEAT, though. Regularly gets above 105° in summer.

 

[Chica'sChickens]

 

[MotherOfChickens]

Last year I used a tarp...

With that said, I only had to use it during a 2 week period where we had temps that did not get out of the teens and the wind was bad. It usually is cold but not below freezing except for here and there and when it is, it is usually only a day or two. Our coldest months are January and February but it's already getting down in the 20's here at night, so there is NO telling what this winter will be bringing with it. So this year, I will use heavy duty plastic, if need be. My run is 6 feet tall, so I will wrap it from a foot down from the top.

 

[Aunt Angus]

Well, it's raining right now. The run is dry. The chickens are not. They are foraging in the rain, but it's nice to know that should they need it, the run is cozy.

There is a big ol' tree right smack in the middle of my yard. It still has enough leaves to provide some refuge from the elements. They look happy. Probably lots of bugs and worms to be found right now!

 

[CradG]

Like most things chicken, it depends on multiple factors....
...IMO, it mostly depends on how much sheltered space the birds have so they are not crowded on the worst weather days. They need to be dry and out of the wind if the temps are low...the colder it is, the more this matters. The more crowded they are the 'unhappier' and unhealthier they are, so the more protected space they have, the better, IMO. I've seen some nasty 'Cabin Fever' behavior during the one winter I overcrowded my coop. My run is large but not wrapped or solid roofed.

Thanks, that makes a lot of sense. I only have 9 hens and they have about 5' x 12' with plenty of roost area inside in addition to the 12 x 10' covered run. They seem like they have enough room to not pick on each other and so far from what I've seen they come outside if it is freezing cold or there is blown snow covering the run. They only stay in side if it is freezing cold AND there is snow all over. I'll probably keep the run open unless things change. The coop blocks most the wind coming off the lake at least.

 

[Cryss]

Here is what we did.

View attachment 1594255 View attachment 1594253 View attachment 1594254

Was that tarp from here? It looks similar. I'm hoping to get these in the future. https://www.shadenthings.com/mobile/tarps-clear-tarps-c-22_24.html
Meanwhile, my son in law brought home a bunch of black heavy tent type tarps so I've just finished doing the 2 wall bits myself. Hubby n I did the parts above the run on Monday. Not crazy about the black but for now its free

the north wall covered. West wall is the front.

East wall kinda covered.

Son in law started building frame of a lean-to over the run. After one panel he injured his back and neck so building stopped. Hubby and I laid boards across and tied an older tarp down on top. The "roof" of the chain link fence is hardware cloth.

Where the second panel of lean-to would have gone is over the coop which is inside the run. We still have the 2x4s sil was going to use so we laid 10 of them across rhe top of the chain link walls in an 8 foot stretch, laid six 4x4x.25 sheets of plywood across that, and threw some smaller but heavy duty tarps on top. The plywood is really thin but it was just lying around and free.

Panel 3 area is uncovered except for the hardware cloth. For now this is all I can do. The food and water area is under panel 1. The north and east walls are tarped so there is a wind break. The south and west remain open for now. Hoping next year to tightly wrap all 4 walls in clear tarps and have the lean-to completed. The runs hardware cloth roof will be plenty of ventilation all while being protected from weather by the lean-to.
I just have to get them through this winter.

 

[mmmeyer]

I always enclose my coop runs in plastic. Usually I decide where its going to sit for the winter. ( My coops and runs are moveable) Then using heavy plastic wrap. (reuse old pieces till they fall apart. enclose the whole thing. During a 2-3 foot blizzard the coop area its warm and very little snow. (one Piece didn't survive the blizzard). During the winter I fill the coop run with leaves, and by spring the dirt level of the run is higher with the mulched leaves. Also use deep bedding method in coop. Chickens happy laid eggs all winter.

 

[Aunt Angus]

It is now raining quite heavily. Coop is completely dry. Run is *mostly* dry. There is some water getting in between the roof's tarp and the shower curtains.

I'm sitting here, watching the rain hit the run. I think I have devised a better way to keep the rain out. It will be hard to explain, but once the weather subsides a bit, I will make some alterations and then get some pics if it works. Might be helpful to others who have set ups like mine.

 

[aart]

It will be hard to explain, but once the weather subsides a bit, I will make some alterations and then get some pics if it works.

Observation then adjustment.