plexiglass panels

[Dhkoenig]

Hi All. We were having harsh wind, early winter Nor'easters, driving sideways rains....my gals were getting drenched and the floor of our coop mud. We decided to cover and protect the run for the winter. We put plexiglass panels around the sides (clear) and we put a plexiglass roof on. Of course we raked and cleaned out the floor and I am about to put down a few inches of pine and aspen chips, but I have some questions for you pros out there. My husband put a lean-to shaped roof frame on and put plexiglass panels on it so that rain and snow will run off or be easily removed and he put them on three sides of our run to keep rain out. The problem that I am wondering about is - the plexiglass is not perfectly crystal clear. I can see my girls and they can see me but it is more like blurred images of them. So in other words, not opaque but not completely clear. I can tell a buff from a leghorn from outside, but not WHICH leghorn etc... So...while our run is nice and dry and protected from harsh winter winds, I worry about them not seeing enough out into the world. They get sunlight through it but not a clear view of outdoors except at the coop end of the run which isn't all that much. It is ventilated with soffets at the top and I also left the top half of the door uncovered but still all they can really see is the tree tops through that. Our run is 10x16 and we have four hens. I guess a couple of questions 1) is this inhumane to keep them like this for the winter when i cannot free range them here for numerous reasons YET...and 2) when we take them down on the sides in the spring, how do you prevent a covered run with open sides from getting mucky and moldy in driving spring rains? Thanks!

 

[woodworm]

From your description you have 40sq ft per hen (160 \ 4). I.m in the UK so we don't have as harsh a winter as you peeps, but it doesn't sound like you're doing anything wrong?

I don't think my chooks would give a hoot about clear vs opaque plexi glass as long as they are getting a few treats ...

Pic's would help

 

[RobertaD1]

Pics would be great! But to me, it sounds absolutely fine.
As for spring... put down wood chips, and continue to block the sides the prevailing weather comes from. You can take the other sides down.

 

[Dhkoenig]

From your description you have 40sq ft per hen (160 \ 4). I.m in the UK so we don't have as harsh a winter as you peeps, but it doesn't sound like you're doing anything wrong?

I don't think my chooks would give a hoot about clear vs opaque plexi glass as long as they are getting a few treats ...

Pic's would help

Thanks - yep I just went out and snapped a few pix. I just feel bad that they can't really see out clearly but you make me feel better. I keep wondering if I should just keep them up all year round for hard rains and then make a free-range area that is covered for supervised outside time. We have a couple of hounds that would love some fluffy McNuggets and tons of hawks and foxes and raccoons here

 

[drinkoj]

They're chickens, don't over think it. That was the best horse sense advice I got on this forum when I started chicken raising this year. So, to your questions:

1) I feel that you are doing great things for you chickens by providing them a safe and well ventilated run. You have areas that allow direct views to the yard without the covering and so that air can flow through and they/you can see each other.

2) Proper drainage and the correct materials in the run.
a) Thick wood chips as a base layer on the ground, so that water can easily run-off and leave your run. Then layer a deep layer of pine shavings on top of that. From what I can see, you have only about an inch of wood chips/plant debris on as the flooring. That's got to change. Get a good 3 to 6 inch base of matter in there to allow your girls to dig, water to flow, and let the poop and chips create a composite situation so that you get good clean compost and don't need to clean the run. This will almost eliminate any mud.
b) Be sure to look at the slope of your property and ensure that water flowing down from you house to the run/coop is not flooding them, as the coop/run seems to be at a low point of the property.

 

[Dhkoenig]

They're chickens, don't over think it. That was the best horse sense advice I got on this forum when I started chicken raising this year. So, to your questions:

1) I feel that you are doing great things for you chickens by providing them a safe and well ventilated run. You have areas that allow direct views to the yard without the covering and so that air can flow through and they/you can see each other.

2) Proper drainage and the correct materials in the run.
a) Thick wood chips as a base layer on the ground, so that water can easily run-off and leave your run. Then layer a deep layer of pine shavings on top of that. From what I can see, you have only about an inch of wood chips/plant debris on as the flooring. That's got to change. Get a good 3 to 6 inch base of matter in there to allow your girls to dig, water to flow, and let the poop and chips create a composite situation so that you get good clean compost and don't need to clean the run. This will almost eliminate any mud.
b) Be sure to look at the slope of your property and ensure that water flowing down from you house to the run/coop is not flooding them, as the coop/run seems to be at a low point of the property.

You are so nice to spend so much time answering my question, I really appreciate it. Yes we are downstream of the house, I have to figure out a dam or some way to make sure it is not coming into the run on rainy days. I ordered a bunch - I think 80 square feet - of wood chips to put down on the dirt. Yesterday i raked out old bark that previous owner had in there and stunk. So there is virtually nothing there right now except dirt. As soon as I get the chips I am going to put them down and order more if i need it and i have a bunch of pine and aspen shavings to put on top of that, so from your advice sounds like I am on the right track! Thanks again so much!