Plexiglass wall?

[chookchick]

I basically did that on my baby coop, and will be doing plexiglass on the big coop vents soon. I just have a piece of plexiglass cut so it is just a bit bigger than my vents (like 1" bigger all around), and drill holes about 6" apart all the way around. Then just screw the plexiglass into your siding. Cuts the ventilation down for winter, and keeps the extra light. If your vents are not too big, you don't have to buy the really thick expensive stuff.

 

[mightieskeeper]

how about 1/2 acrylic. Way better for view and insulating. Plastic companies sell scrapes for a good price. Just in idea.

 

[Fiestysushi]

Ill have to look into the plastic scraps thing, money is an object, of course. I have also noticed it is really hard to get my hands on just a few chicks, everybody wants to sell you 25+ and Im looking for 5, heh.

 

[phore]

Check out greenhouse coverings at http://www.farmwholesale.com/panels.php3

 

[HEChicken]

Quote:
Trying looking on Craigslist for local people selling chicks. Usually you can get as few as you want to then.

 

[mike12]

great post . thanks for sharing such useful info

 

[GreenGoddess]

I agree.. This is a great post and I never thought of having a "see through" coop... The one thing that came to my mind that no one seems to be mentioning is predators.. A plexiglass half wall (only top half of wall) wouldn't be an issue but having a full wall that is plexiglass would entice predators to SEE what's may be on the dinner plate for that evening.. Even if the coop and attached run is predator proof, it would stress the chickens out... If my chickens even hear a strange sound at night that they aren't used to, they start sounding the alarm.. But, if they can see what is preying on them, they would freak out! Could potentially cause stress related diseases to rear their ugly heads or even bring down egg production.. Am I missing something here? Just erring on the side of caution here...

Goddess

 

[Dhkoenig]

Curious about this subject too because my husband just covered almost our entire run with plexiglass. He 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't tell from the outside of the run who is who but I can tell a buff from a leghorn. 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. I also left the top half of the run 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!

 

[U_Stormcrow]

The Simpson things are called strong ties. There is a whole line of them, designed to make Roofing framing much easier, and to bring structures, particularly light frame structures or "stick-built" structures up to the various hurricane codes. A bit pricey, but I love them too.

Due to the price, many people use Clear polycrylic panels rather than plexiglass or gas the much more expensive Lexan. As it turns out, the more opaque the plastic is, the greater its UV resistance, and thus the longer it will last. Plexiglass and the truly clear but cheap polycarbonate panels are prone to glazing and cracking over time, particularly at penetrations for screws and the like, before finally becoming brittle and falling away after some number of years. You should also remember that they expand thermally far more than the wood to which they are attached. And contract as well. So take a little Insurance out, and use roofing screws with the rubber grommets just tight enough to hold the panel in place. With slightly oversized pre-drilled holes. That way the panel can move with much less stress, will extend the life somewhat. Or, bite the bullet and pay good money for the polycrylic panels designed specifically for Greenhouse use. They have additional UV stabilizers.

 

[Dhkoenig]

The Simpson things are called strong ties. There is a whole line of them, designed to make Roofing framing much easier, and to bring structures, particularly light frame structures or "stick-built" structures up to the various hurricane codes. A bit pricey, but I love them too.

Due to the price, many people use Clear polycrylic panels rather than plexiglass or gas the much more expensive Lexan. As it turns out, the more opaque the plastic is, the greater its UV resistance, and thus the longer it will last. Plexiglass and the truly clear but cheap polycarbonate panels are prone to glazing and cracking over time, particularly at penetrations for screws and the like, before finally becoming brittle and falling away after some number of years. You should also remember that they expand thermally far more than the wood to which they are attached. And contract as well. So take a little Insurance out, and use roofing screws with the rubber grommets just tight enough to hold the panel in place. With slightly oversized pre-drilled holes. That way the panel can move with much less stress, will extend the life somewhat. Or, bite the bullet and pay good money for the polycrylic panels designed specifically for Greenhouse use. They have additional UV stabilizers.

Okay my husband corrected me - they are 6mm twin wall polycarbonate panels, 4x8 panels. From what you are saying that is good! I was worried that their blurred view of the world would make them feel trapped or confined. We plan on building a "Free Range" area this spring with some wire above only for supervised outside time because we have two tough hounds and lots of raccoons, foxes and hawks. You sound like you really know your stuff, so one more question - should I take them off in spring/summer or leave them on to keep the floor dry in rains??