roofs on runs

[ellent]

I am planning for my first hens. I have been looking at coop designs and have a question about runs. It seems some are fully covered with a roof, and others have wire tops. I live in mid-Missouri, where it is hot in the summer and cold in the winter, and plan to place my coop/run where it will be mostly shaded by a large oak tree. I like the look of a full roof, but I am wondering if the hens will get enough sun in that situation. I also plan to use a mobile run several days a week, when I can put them on grass or garden beds, both of which will be primarily sunny.

 

[4-H chicken mom]

Try to get a happy medium. My pen is wired covered only because of hawks. Good luck on your search.

 

[kmoranjr1]

roofed runs stay alot drier, muddy runs are a real pain

 

[Manok-Tao]

All up to you, your birds will appreciate the biggest space you can give them.
They do love to soak up the sun. And they do like to be cooled in the extreme heat.
Everything I've read on this great message board leads me to say that the bigger the better. Protect from predators above, below, and from the flank.
I'm building a new coop/run; the run will be enclosed with wire on the top only (lots of afternoon shade trees in the afternoon hot sun). My coop is fixed and raised about 2' above the ground, the underneathe is enclosed and part of the run. This provides them shelter from sun, weather and gives me a place to put a dust bath bowl that won't get drenched by rain.

 

[usschicago1]

mine is covered. SO easy to push of snow from top instead of shoveling out runs. plus alot of rain stays out of the run, annd keeps my hay dry!

 

[ginaseven]

I also live in mid-mo. I lost a brown leghorn pullet to a hawk the first day I let them out in the run! I was only inside for a few minutes! So needless to say my run is fully covered and I can never let them free range. I have chainlink fence panels over part of it and a tarp over the rest. They are locked in the coop securely at night as this is not predator proof, only hawk proof. Good Luck

 

[TexasVet]

Pros of a covered roof... helps keep predators out, provides shade.
Cons... keeps the sun out too.

I had to uncover my run because we had a long rainy period and mold and mildew sprouted on everything. And I mean everything! It was actually turning the chain link fencing white and black where the mold was. The uncovered run, on the other hand, dried out nicely.

Kathy, Bellville TX
www.ChickenTrackin.com

 

[Manok-Tao]

Quote:
as you cruise through this message board you will gain bukoo knowledge on so many aspects of the hobby. When you post a question like yours giving details like where your location is will help the pros on this board answer better. Not trying to be picky, I'm a newbie to, I've just leraned that the more specific we are in our posting the quicker we get the answer(s) we seek
That way you will be able to weigh the pros and cons of the replied posts.

there are a lot of recent posts on managing flooded, snowed, iced runs going on recently because of the messy winter were having. Click on the "coop & run" segment of the message board and look through it.

 

[Chieftain]

I went with a roofed run simply from reading the horror stories here about muddy and flooded runs. I boxed mine in, and backfilled with gravel and sand, so it drains immediately and completely. The coop is in the backyard and is also somewhat shaded by a pair of cherry trees, but it does get lots of light in spite of that.

 

[sherrydeanne]

Consider a wire top during the summer and covering with a tarp (I like clear plastic) during the winter to keep the snow out and make a greenhouse. Just build it sturdy enough so it can take a snow load.