Roof for Chicken Run

[Henrik Petersson]

We don't have coyotes or raccoons on my continent and the foxes here are too stupid to climb, so ordinary chicken wire has worked fine.

Just make sure it sits on a really sturdy network of planks, our roof caved in at one point this winter due to snow.

 

[springvalley123]

I recently installed a backstop net in my new run:https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LCR67OM/?tag=backy-20
It does hold the snow and sag under it. Perhaps installing it at an angle similar to if you were installing a hard roof, could keep the snow off? Or maybe install it with bungees, since you're talking about hawks, and taking it off when heavy snow is forecast? that way the one bantam could fly most days of the year at least.

 

[feathermania]

We don't have coyotes or raccoons on my continent and the foxes here are too stupid to climb, so ordinary chicken wire has worked fine.

Just make sure it sits on a really sturdy network of planks, our roof caved in at one point this winter due to snow.

We have had over 3 feet of snow in 2 weeks this month. The part of the run that has wire, not a roof on it, has sagged but it's still intact. This is one of the reasons why we will put a roof over the whole run. We have a couple of large box fans to cool it in the summer so the rainy and snow seasons are what we are most worried about.

 

[Sheeba]

What would you recommend that I use for the roof of a chicken run? Would a UV treated netting work well? I have some chicks coming from Cackle Hatchery later this week, and I will be building a coop/run for them soon. I need to use something that can keep flying bantams in, but also keep birds of prey out. Thanks in Advance!

We have our chicks in a chain-linked fence area for when needed, otherwise they get to roam and it's well secured all around so creatures cannot penetrate from ground or top. But our roof is corrugated metal [and red to match our house roof]. This protects them from sun when shade is needed as well as from rain. We had a few holes leak but sealed them up with a dab of caulking. Works great and keeps predators out. Oh, if you go with this, be sure to slant your roof a tad so rain runs off. Just a suggestion

 

[hhouck514]

Thanks for your advice! I think I will be using UV netting.

 

[Henrik Petersson]

A lot of people here advocate putting a solid roof over the whole run. While I certainly can see the advantages, I personally wouldn't do it, for two reasons:

1) I want to give plants at least a sporting chance to grow in the run, and for that I need water, and rain is much preferable to manual watering, for practical reasons.

2) Chickens like sunbathing. Now, most likely, a lot of sun will shine in from the sides even with a solid roof, so the chickens will probably get to sun-bathe anyway, but still. I'd like to maximize their sunbathing options a bit more.

But then, there's another advantage to a solid roof that I haven't seen anyone mention yet: Wild birds can't poop through it --> less chance of your chickens getting a transmittable disease.

As with most things chicken, it's more complicated than it first seems and there is no clear-cut right or wrong.

 

[trumpeting_angel]

I recently installed a backstop net in my new run:https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LCR67OM/?tag=backy-20
It does hold the snow and sag under it. Perhaps installing it at an angle similar to if you were installing a hard roof, could keep the snow off? Or maybe install it with bungees, since you're talking about hawks, and taking it off when heavy snow is forecast? that way the one bantam could fly most days of the year at least.

We get snow pretty often and taking the netting down when snow is forecast wouldn't work. The reason we have pitched roofs is so the snow (and hopefully, ice) will slide off. I don't think it would slide off a net. The backstop net does seem like it must be pretty strong, if one can hit baseballs into it!

 

[FlyWheel]

Regarding plants needing sun and chickens bathing in it I plan to use clear corrugated to roof at least part of my next run to allow just that. I found leaving part of it covered just by wire creates an unholy mud patch.

 

[Mary Chapman]

I would prefer the the metal roof cover like Chick-N-Flick suggested. Stretching the hardware wire over the top isn't as easy as it seems.