Roosting for winter with a mixed flock

[Mother of Chaos]

I'm also on North Georgia. About half of my flock likes to roost "outside" in the run, which was always fully enclosed (2x4 frame with 1/2" hardware cloth). I ended up adding a corrugated polycarbonate roof and a piece of corrugated plastic on one side to act as a wind break for the roosts.

That’s what my run’s like: a very open 2x4 frame wrapped in HWC, and I want to add a polycarbonate corrugated roof over at least half of it.

How complex did you make the framing for the roof? I don’t feel that the run frame can hold typical roof framing.

 

[MiniFarmMama]

I'm also on North Georgia. About half of my flock likes to roost "outside" in the run, which was always fully enclosed (2x4 frame with 1/2" hardware cloth). I ended up adding a corrugated polycarbonate roof and a piece of corrugated plastic on one side to act as a wind break for the roosts.

The main things you need on winter is for them to stay dry and out of the wind. Also, a 2x4 mounted long side horizontal makes a great outdoor roosting bar. They can sit on on their feet to keep them warm on the cold nights.

The corrugated polycarbonate roof has been so nice & bright- as long as you keep the leaves off. I did just add another piece of wood to enclose 2/3 of the front of the outer roosting area, and they all seemed fine with it so far.

Today my greenhouse plastic sheeting arrives to put around most of the run (where any wind would come from). For roosts (indoor & outdoor), we used small trees we had to take down (average 4" wide).