Roofing choices for covered run?

[TaylorGlade]

We are in the process of building the run on our second coop. We are completely covering the run with 1/2 inch hardware mesh. On our first coop and run, we did the same thing - but then covered the entire run with metal and tarps.
We are going to remove the tarps and cover the new run either Corrugated metal, Clear Polycarbonate Roof Panel, or just leave the mesh uncovered. We are debating on what is best for us AND our flock. We are going to cover the area over the pop door with metal for shade (about 16 ft by 8ft). And they have a 16ft x 8ft in the other connected run of the same. The combined run footprint will be about 600 sq foot for 34 birds. What should we cover the rest with?

1. Clear Poly
   1. Pros of covering with clear poly:
      • Let sun in, but block UV
      • keep rain out so no puddles (lower coccidiosis chances)
      • leaves won't gather, but will blow off.
      • Can put plants in the run
   2. Cons of covering in clear poly:
      • will have to manually water any plants
      • will have to clean anything that rain cannot clean
      • If the leaves don't blow off, they will be visible through and look unsightly - and harder to blow off if you cannot walk on the poly.
2. Corrugated metal:
   1. Pros
      • Completely shade the run to keep it cooler
      • keep rain out so no puddles (lower coccidiosis chances)
      • leaves won't gather, but will blow off into the woods
      • Fallen leaves are not visible on roof
   2. Cons:
      • cannot plant most plants inside the run (not enough light)
      • will have to clean anything that rain cannot clean
3. Leave the mesh uncovered
   1. Pros
      • Lets sunlight in
      • can plant inside the run
      • lets rain in to clean and water plants
   2. Cons
      • Unshaded parts with no UV protection
      • Leaves may gather on the mesh and need to be blown off
      • increased coccidiosis risk from puddles

I have attached a couple of photos of what we have so far on the new run. We are in the middle of the woods and have lots of leaves, especially in the fall. We are in Florida, so it gets quite hot in the summers, as well. Shade is necessary, but how much? Chickens also need sun, right? Are we over-worried about coccidiosis on this?

 

[TaylorGlade]

I accidentally voted and I can't delete it - so ignore my errant click there please

 

[Sally PB]

Clear poly might turn your run into an oven. I have polycarbonate panels that are 83% transmission, and it is plenty warm in there in the summer, even here in Michigan. The sides are open (just fence and hardware cloth), and I have a ridge vent at the peak. But at least there is light in there in the winter.

Metal is definitely a possibility. Part of my run is covered with an opaque tarp, but it is... gloomy in there in the winter. I will replace the tarp with metal at some point.

I have snow to remove, as well as leaves. I can reach the peak with a push broom, so I can get anything on the roof off easily. It looks like your roof is very high. What's your plan for getting up there to remove leaves?

If you will be getting on the roof, you will need to add support. I don't know enough about this to say how to build a roof.

One other thing you might have to keep in mind is wind. Another thing I don't know enough about. But these people do.

@3KillerBs @U_Stormcrow @aart

 

[TaylorGlade]

Clear poly might turn your run into an oven. I have polycarbonate panels that are 83% transmission, and it is plenty warm in there in the summer, even here in Michigan. The sides are open (just fence and hardware cloth), and I have a ridge vent at the peak. But at least there is light in there in the winter.

Metal is definitely a possibility. Part of my run is covered with an opaque tarp, but it is... gloomy in there in the winter. I will replace the tarp with metal at some point.

I have snow to remove, as well as leaves. I can reach the peak with a push broom, so I can get anything on the roof off easily. It looks like your roof is very high. What's your plan for getting up there to remove leaves?

If you will be getting on the roof, you will need to add support. I don't know enough about this to say how to build a roof.

One other thing you might have to keep in mind is wind. Another thing I don't know enough about. But these people do.

@3KillerBs @U_Stormcrow @aart

Thank you for tagging other people as well. The peak of the roof is about 12 ft high. It is a strong enough to support my husband's weight if he gets up there and walks around. We have a slope so the polycarbonate and metal should make the leaves slide right off. If it doesn't, David can get up there with a ladder with a polycarbonate or on walk on the roof on the metal or on the mesh walking between the frame boards and using a blower.

Would covering the whole thing in metal be a problem with the chickens? They wouldn't have any light at all at that point. I am not sure how much light they need

 

[BDutch]

Leave the mesh uncovered

1. Pros
   • Lets sunlight in
   • can plant inside the run
   • lets rain in to clean and water plants
2. Cons
   • Unshaded parts with no UV protection

you get enough shade if you have plants in the run

1. • Leaves may gather on the mesh and need to be blown off

I never did that. The leaves break down and fall through.

1. • increased coccidiosis risk from puddles

Make deep holes with pepples if water is stagnating. I have no puddles in the run since I made those.

 

[Jenbirdee]

forgive my ignorance but I thought metal was bad (if it contains tin I think? ) for somehow the rain that runs off it will have metal and the birds drink it and it can cause hardware disease or something?

 

[TaylorGlade]

you get enough shade if you have plants in the run

I never did that. The leaves break down and fall through.

Make deep holes with pepples if water is stagnating. I have no puddles in the run since I made those.

How long does it take for leaves to break down and fall through? We live in the middle of the woods so we have a lot of trees. But blowing them off is an option as we have a battery powered blower

 

[Sally PB]

Would covering the whole thing in metal be a problem with the chickens? They wouldn't have any light at all at that point. I am not sure how much light they need

Which direction does your coop/run face? What will you cover the walls with? If they are open, ie, covered with hardware cloth or fence, the chickens will get plenty of light in the morning/afternoon, depending on the orientation of the run.

But blowing them off is an option as we have a battery powered blower

Will the rain plaster them to the roof? That's definitely an issue for me. Your roof has a steeper pitch than mine, though, so maybe not.

 

[aart]

Shade is necessary, but how much?

In FL? Probably as much as possible, especially in the summer.

The peak of the roof is about 12 ft high.

At that height they'll get plenty of light, they don't need direct sun but could probably find some at that height if they wanted it.

forgive my ignorance but I thought metal was bad (if it contains tin I think? ) for somehow the rain that runs off it will have metal and the birds drink it and it can cause hardware disease or something?

Most metal roofing is coated/painted and that would reduce any leaching.
Most galvanized mesh can leach, but not to the extent that it will poison your chickens.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I'm fond of metal roofing. Inexpensive and easy for amateurs to instal correctly - which is no small thing. Sucks to spend a ton of money and a ton of time installing and have it leak. Reflects a lot of heat, too. My coop is ambient air temp just six or eight inches from the metal, and shade cool at a foot from the metal. I do have plenty of ventilation.

If you are concerned about ambient light levels, use the cheaper wave profile metal panels, and use some polycarbonate panels of similar profile. The good news is, with a few clamps, you can temporarily hold things in place on a still day, and get a good sense of how much light the panels allow in or block, depending on your ratio of metal to poly.


When I redo my raised co-op, I'm going to work some poly in. I don't need it for the goat barn. Probably two pieces out of eight - just enough to break the shade, and I won't use clear poly. White probably.