Plexiglass walls in run?

[21hens-incharge]

A thought.....on the side the sun hits....maybe shade cloth would provide some shade but still allow air movement....

https://www.homedepot.com/b/Shade-Cloth/N-5yc1vZ1z0voip

 

[3KillerBs]

Awesome! I'd wondered about cobs too! I eat corn plain, so that should be even better.
Thank you!

They'll take a while to break down, but will help keep the structure of the bedding open for free drainage. The mix of coarser and finer material keeps it well-aerated.

 

[khind]

Yes, do not use anything wet or green.
Are the pine needles long and soft?
Raking up some dry ones might be a good addition.
Don't put too much of anything in there until you fix the wet ground problem.
Have you looked at drainage issues around the coop and run?
What about those pics?

Woah, I missed a few comments in here somehow, including yours! Here you are answering my question about wet and green material.
Pics are coming today! I was looking through some on my phone laaate last night, looking for useful ones.
Thankfully right now the run is dry, and has been for a while. It's hot here (90) & it hasn't rained in a while, plus it gets windy here (Oklahoma), so the dirt by itself in the run gets dusty . Not that dustiness itself is rare in a coop, but I was concerned about the birds, especially the chicks. (All the birds get to dust bathe daily, mainly outside, but some inside too.) That's why I have started to add to the floor in the past couple days. By the way, what I'd been doing is simply scooping droppings out in the summer when I using just dirt, litter box style (I use pine shavings in the other seasons).
The pics should give a much better understanding of what's going on.

 

[khind]

A thought.....on the side the sun hits....maybe shade cloth would provide some shade but still allow air movement....

https://www.homedepot.com/b/Shade-Cloth/N-5yc1vZ1z0voip

I've thought of using some kind of cloth, or maybe tarp! My only concern is whether it would attract mice, and whether they'd be able to chew into it. We have a Sunbrella-type fabric on outdoor drapes 50 yds or so from the coop, and mice have chewed it. :[ However, I do have this same fabric on a small coop window with no problems yet!

 

[khind]

Yes, do not use anything wet or green.
Are the pine needles long and soft?
Raking up some dry ones might be a good addition.

I'll see if there are any dry pine needles out there today!

 

[khind]

Dried grass clippings are a quick-decomposing material, but the chickens will love them.

Dead leaves, that have fallen and dried. Green, wet leaves will pack, mat, and stink.

Oak is fine. I know the trials and tribulations of trying to compost oak leaves and the chicken run is the absolute best place you'll find to be able to convince them to break down. But use a mix of materials along with the leaves.

Also, when you get the leaves, be sure to rake up some of the underlayer that has started to break down so as to seed your deep litter with the good composting bacteria, etc.

Yes, a chick started nibbling on some of the dried grass right after I added it!

Sounds like oak and chickens are a good match! Great news!
Sometimes during the year I do just that: grab dry and semi-dry leaves and the stuff under them and throw them into the run, for a little warmth in winter, and to have fun with in general (those are the same leaves they'd been digging under in their yard outside the run). Right now, with our heat and dryness, I don't know if there's much of anything under the leaves out there, but I'll see.

 

[21hens-incharge]

I've thought of using some kind of cloth, or maybe tarp! My only concern is whether it would attract mice, and whether they'd be able to chew into it. We have a Sunbrella-type fabric on outdoor drapes 50 yds or so from the coop, and mice have chewed it. :[ However, I do have this same fabric on a small coop window with no problems yet!

If you use the shade cloth you don't need to put it over 100% of the wall. Leaving it raised off the ground 8-12" will keep mice from chewing it.

A tarp won't let air through. The sun shade will as it is woven.
I have had mine 8+ years and it is almost like new still.

Might want to trap those mice.

 

[khind]

If you use the shade cloth you don't need to put it over 100% of the wall. Leaving it raised off the ground 8-12" will keep mice from chewing it.

A tarp won't let air through. The sun shade will as it is woven.
I have had mine 8+ years and it is almost like new still.

Might want to trap those mice.

That's good to know about 8 - 12". I like the idea. We live in woods & prairie, so mice come now and then. I use snap traps, and rat snakes help sometimes too.
So, maybe using the fabric slanted and then staked to the ground, like a tent is staked?
We'd have to stake it in maybe 3 places, not just corners. Strong winds are common here. Winds will gust to 24 mph & sometimes up to 50, just because; and during rain storms, 60 - 70+ .

 

[21hens-incharge]

That's good to know about 8 - 12". I like the idea. We live in woods & prairie, so mice come now and then. I use snap traps, and rat snakes help sometimes too.
So, maybe using the fabric slanted and then staked to the ground, like a tent is staked?
We'd have to stake it in maybe 3 places, not just corners. Strong winds are common here. Winds will gust to 24 mph & sometimes up to 50, just because; and during rain storms, 60 - 70+ .

We get strong winds here too.
It doesn't catch the wind like a tarp does.

Recently we had 80-90 mph winds and the big piece I have on my hoop run is only held on with clips. It did not budge.

 

[aart]

the big piece I have on my hoop run is only held on with clips.

Nice!
What are all the other horizontal pieces of PVC for?