Run cover

[Sophie1959]

Hello. This is my third year with chickens and I decided
to extend their run. I used dog kennel fence and now researching the best way to cover a 11' x 20' open top section without purchasing more fence panels. I would like it to be covered but need it to be affordable. I was thinking of criss-crossing lightweight nylon rope and putting a lightweight tarp over that. Any comments or suggestions on how that would work out?

 

[azygous]

Whatever material you select for the run cover must be able to hold up under wind and subsequent updrafts which could rip it right off. This, sadly, has happened to me.

Picture yourself outside in a sudden summer storm trying to refasten the tarp onto the roof supports with lightening making things even more interesting.

My run has corrugated fiberglass panels which fasten securely to a light weight roofing frame of 1 x 4s and 1 x 2s over 2 x 4s. The panels are not that expensive, are durable, and best of all, go up very, very quickly.

I have some opaque panels for shade, some white to reflect heat and some clear to let winter sun penetrate.

If you factor in the proper pitch, this roof will shed rain and snow like a champ. Most lumber yards carry them. Avoid the metal ones as they heat up too much.

 

[aart]

Ditto azygous^^^

Knowing what your climate/location is might help....or not.
I always think about snowload as being the worst,
but rain is just as bad...not much worse than a tarp full of water.

My run roof (an 8' span) is 14ga 2x4 mesh and if the snow is wet it can be disastrous.
Thought I had a pic but can't find it quick.

 

[Folly's place]

I had 2" chicken wire for many years; it kept the hawks out of the run but was otherwise useless. It did okay in winter, but did have some framing to support it. Three years ago I spent the $$ to have a real roof built, and love it! No rain, no snow, and good security. It's not huge, but works very well. Mary

 

[3riverschick]

Hi,
here's what we did. I went to a neighborhood yard sale and I bought a above ground pool with 5 foot fiberglass sides. .We gave away the pumps ...you could sell them... and everything else ...and kept the fiberglass sides. we cut them to fit and after putting some cross-braces on our run.. roof the run with properly cut to fit fiberglass sides from the pool. it worked great .
Karen

 

[jeria]

FYI, a tarp will not keep predators such as coons out.

 

[3riverschick]

Yes you're right . tarp won't keep them out .we put cross members on our run and a ridge beam down the center .it was a two by four set 4 inches high and 2 inches wide on the cross members . then we put chicken wire across that and zip-tied the chicken wire together real closely .then we went ahead and put the cut to fit fiberglass pool siding on top the chicken wire for rain.
now one thing we did do once we had chicken wire across the extension to the run on the roof .was we took a tarp we put it over the chicken wire .then we went to Walmart and got those bungees with the red ball on the end . okay put them to the grommets on the corner of the tarp all four corners and Midway so we had
6 of them. then we put a screw in the uprights part way down . Looped the bungees through the corner grommets and pull them down over the screw not too tight but tight enough to hold it firm. what that did was when the wind blew the bungees gave the tarp just enough give so that it didn't rip in the wind. we had 30 mile an hour winds come through and those tarps didn't break .they weren't expensive tarps either . was a blue and silver tarp. so that's an idea .
Best ,
Karen