Run and Rain

[MendonMan]

I have a run attached to my coop that was recently rebuilt (holds 4 hens). In general dimensions it's 4x8'. I rebuilt it so I could stand in it to work. The old one was hip height. Now it's 6' in the back and 6.5' in the front. Being up on timbers it's even higher.

The back of the run is up against a large spruce tree.

What I've noticed is that even with the tree sheltering it, and being fully covered with a roof, rain gets in everywhere. So there doesn't seem to be any shelter anymore. Of course, the old run being hip height and with a roof, very little if any rain actually made it into the run.

There is an area under the coop that is caged in that they go under. Little rain gets into there.

What are my options? Do I put up some plastic panels on some of the walls? Most rain is from the N/NW here and that's the side with the spruce trees. Do I not care?

Thanks.

Charles

 

[7L Farm]

Can you post a picture? All my runs get rained on. Here's a coop I recently built & the run is attached to the coop. The run is wide open.

 

[MendonMan]

 

[MendonMan]

Any ideas?

 

[chfite]

Mine go under the coop inside the run or inside the coop. They don't always go inside during the rain. The soil drains well here, so no mud.

Chris

 

[MendonMan]

Mine do do that. Run is sand so it's quick draining.

 

[Red Barn Farms]

My chickens live in their 'hen house' and go into the run area normally only in the early morning hours then again at dusk about an hour before it's roost time. Plus, they free range in the afternoon most evenings. I used a 70% sun blocking cover (from TSC) for the roof which allow plenty of ventilation . You can always add fiberglass roofing panels.

The ground for my run area will get wet but it has very good drainage and built on a slight incline so I have no problem with standing stagnant water, etc. The runs ground is a mixture of sand/dirt and dries very quickly. The run area I am showing you is 8' x 16' and I use it more for my mixed flock of younger laying hens.

This is the ground two days after a heavy down pour. I also hoe the entire run about once every few weeks to keep the soil loose so they can easily scratch and have their dust bathes.










Here are a few extra ideas when planning your run area that I've found to be extra handy for the chickens as well as myself.


I added some stepping stones for my own personal use for times when the ground is wet and muddy.








I also added an outdoor roost for the chickens and they like using it in the late evening.




Plus they get a very good view of the house.






They always sit on the roost in the late evening. I think it might be because of the afternoon cooler breezes.





This is their view from inside the hen house looking into the run area.






At night I always have everything under lock and key!




I also added another roost and it's located just outside the run area. They will use this one at times during free ranging before they go back into the hen house at night.

 

[Erin~TheChickenLover]

You have an excellent set up RedBarnFarms!

 

[7L Farm]

Only thing I don't use is chicken wire.

 

[Red Barn Farms]

Only thing I don't use is chicken wire.

7L Farm I agree with you on that. Hardware cloth is the best choice for enclosing a chicken coop or enclosed run. The best being 1/2" galvanized hardware cloth which is normally 19 gauge if I remember correctly. It's best to secure it using 3/4" poultry staples and for the corners and every few feet between using screws with washers. Electric fence netting also works wonders for creating a larger free ranging area and is portable.

We spent a lot of time in deciding and researching which wire we would go with. After weighing the pro's and con's of both we decided to go with the chicken wire instead. Cost was not the main factor but because we have no known 'predators' in our area we went with the chicken wire. We live in a large valley along with seven other families who have raised chickens for years and only one of these families have had a chicken die due to a beagle hound pup. We will see the occasional hawk fly over.

Now we did install 1/2" hardware cloth on the windows of the hen house because during the winter months the flocks will be inside more and we feel as if they are better protected in that aspect.