Roofing Material To Use? Please Help!!!!

[briter30]

I am uncertain of what type of roofing material to use on my run. My run will have 2 x 4's at top with a slight slope. I would like something that looks nice, easy to install, and is reasonable in price. I went to my local Home Depot and saw Ondura roofing, but it says a high slope is needed. Does anyone have any suggestions? PVC roofing? PLEASE HELP!

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

Metal roofing is the best deal

 

[Capvin]

I have Ondura roofing on my run and the slope is only gentle and it has worked fine. Ondura is not very expensive and is extremely easy to install.

 

[tsiecz]

Quote:
I have ondura also on my roof and have had no problems.I also have a small pitch on my coop.The manufactures recomendations are to protect them from liability; if you have it on your house. For a chicken coop I would say "go for it." I got a deal on mine from craigs list $20.00 for two sheets. It is also easy to install, light weight , and the price is right.

 

[teach1rusl]

I have metal on one run roof, and the ondura on the other. Neither roof is steep, and both work just fine. The ondura is easier to cut/work with. Price-wise they're pretty close...the ondura may be a little cheaper???

 

[simplynewt]

I didnt know the run had to have a cieling installed on it. This changes my whole gameplan now as I am about to begin the final leg of my chicken coop plan. I thought the run could be opened on top with the exception a wire to prevent preditors from coming in from above.

How much of a run would be enough for 4 RIR's?

 

[Hawkeye95]

I vote for Ondura, too! It is so much cheaper than anything else you can buy. I have seen others use it with a gentle slope. I am using it on my coop roof and again, I'm using it on the roof for my run. The run won't be a very high slope, and I'm sure mine will be fine. I think they are worried about snow load, and it sliding off easily. We don't get much snow here-- but wind, ice and rain, we do.

 

[weeders n feeders]

Quote:
It doesn't have to have a dry roof as long as they can get to dry space when they need to. Depends on your situation.

 

[Hawkeye95]

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You don't have to have a roof over your run. Although.. the reasons for having a roof are MANY. In winter, when the weather is bad it will give the chickens time to get outside without being snowed or rained on. It keeps your run from getting really muddy. Wet conditions --mud and muck and just a damp run will promote disease and other problems with the health of your chickens. Not saying they can't handle a wet day or too- no biggie. But if your run ends up being consistently wet and damp and doesn't dry out well; you will have sick chickens. My run is going to be quite a large- planning on at least 40 feet or more in length (for 10 chickens) and I'm going to going to roof the first 12 feet of the run and leave the rest "open". Which means I'll be using welded wire on the top, but no covered roof. The 12 X 9ft roof over the run, combined with another 8.5 X 8.5 of covered area that the chickens can get to UNDER the coop- will give them some decent space to get out of the elements in the spring and winter. We're usually pretty dry here- and our land drys out really fast! So I'm not concerned with needing much more covered space than that. It will just depend on your area and what you think is best knowing your weather patterns.

As for 4 hens- they are supposed to have 10 sq feet of run space per bird. That can be configured out any way you'd like and always err on the larger side.

 

[simplynewt]

Quote:
It doesn't have to have a dry roof as long as they can get to dry space when they need to. Depends on your situation.

Thanks H and W for your answer. I do have space under the coop which is 4' x 4' x 22" that will provide a good place to go when the elements get bad. I wasnt planning on roofing any part of the run but will now incorperate that into the plan. Im researching the ondura you all are speaking of. Do they sell this at Lowes?