Run design - help!

[DoeAndGander]

Well it’s that time of year! Temps dropping and I’m forced to think about winter and building a run to keep my biddies happy through it. This was originally going to be a temp coop but it has turned into a coop I’m keeping for a few years at least.

My original thought for a run was a gable roof off the back but I won’t have clear view from house (and that will drive me batty) so now I’m thinking a run off to the side instead. Height would be just above side window/below eves. I’d like to do the west side (door is facing north, easier to see from house) but nest boxes would be in the run (not a huge deal) and no room for pop door (nest boxes in way) unless I make run deeper and wrap around the back which may not work with my window placement on back. I’ll take pic later.

I’m thinking solid shingled or tin roof. I believe I read minimum of 6 degree slope for snow load (Minnesota). A gable roof won’t work from side and I think a single pitched roof would look silly but need some sort of slant. Yikes!

I hope this makes sense. I’ll post coop layout and photo of back of coop in morning. Any suggestions welcome!!

 

[ValerieJ]

Yikes! How fast can you build it?

 

[cavemanrich]

You pretty well know what you like, Only suggestion I have is to use these clear panels, or colored, but light still comes thru. Solid shingled, or metal is good, but makes the run darker.

WISHING YOU BEST....................................

 

[Ted_Harrell]

You guys are up awfully early in the morning. Good advice on the corrugated panels too.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I don't see where you mention the size of the coop (looks pretty small) or the size of run you want to build. That could help. I certainly would want a run tall enough you can walk in without banging your head. The way your coop roof slopes water will run into the run if you put it on the west or east side unless you do something about that. I understand that was intended to be temporary but it's what you have to work with.

We typically recommend a pop door be about 12" high. I've had full-sized hens use a nest that had a 6" high opening. That would be tight for a pop door but you may have options under those nests. How much room do you have under your nests? How high is you bedding?

How big are those nests? Do you need what is shown? Can you modify them so you can put convert part of that to a pop door? Maybe put another nest somewhere else?

It would help to know what sizes you are working with and want, but maybe build something fairly narrow but long on the west side. Extend it either behind of in front of the coop but along the side.

If you can't work out a pop door on the side, extend this run past the back of the coop, put a pop door out of the back, and build a tunnel to get to the run if you don't want any of the run behind the coop.

Or build a gabled run off the front of the coop to match what you have. Put a human door in the front of that run so you walk through the run door to get to the coop. Maybe you can work a pop door off to the side of the door.

 

[DoeAndGander]

Thanks guys! I really have no choice but to bust tail and get it done.. I just need to find time. I added 3 more pullets to my flock and they need space. My coop/run is full sun all winter long. Summer I have a tree to left and it gets 8 hours or so of full sun. My thought was solid roof with no light filtering so they have shade in summer. I’m ok with them having a break in winter.

I’m thinking my only option for pop door, if I were to put run on West side, is to extend run to the back of the coop. I’m still at a loss for roof options.. at times I wish I wasn’t such a visual person

 

[DoeAndGander]

I don't see where you mention the size of the coop (looks pretty small) or the size of run you want to build. That could help. I certainly would want a run tall enough you can walk in without banging your head. The way your coop roof slopes water will run into the run if you put it on the west or east side unless you do something about that. I understand that was intended to be temporary but it's what you have to work with.

We typically recommend a pop door be about 12" high. I've had full-sized hens use a nest that had a 6" high opening. That would be tight for a pop door but you may have options under those nests. How much room do you have under your nests? How high is you bedding?

How big are those nests? Do you need what is shown? Can you modify them so you can put convert part of that to a pop door? Maybe put another nest somewhere else?

It would help to know what sizes you are working with and want, but maybe build something fairly narrow but long on the west side. Extend it either behind of in front of the coop but along the side.

If you can't work out a pop door on the side, extend this run past the back of the coop, put a pop door out of the back, and build a tunnel to get to the run if you don't want any of the run behind the coop.

Or build a gabled run off the front of the coop to match what you have. Put a human door in the front of that run so you walk through the run door to get to the coop. Maybe you can work a pop door off to the side of the door.

You got me thinking now! Thank you. I love this group.

Size of coop is 5x8 and run I was thinking 7x12ish size for 7 chicks which is 12 sq ft/bird. Yes! To being able to stand in run. Height from ground to bottom of rafter tails 78” so plenty of head space there. I was thinking a rain gutter to catch some of the rain if I can squeeze it in as I’d love a rain barrel some day. I’ve been searching the coop pages for inspiration but the only thing I’m seeing is a flat roof joining this coop style along the side.. which is the most pleasing in my opinion.. but doesn’t help with snow load at all.

Height from floor to bottom of nest box is 14”. Currently my bedding isn’t deep at all but I add extra for winter. Maybe I can build a retaining wall of some sort? The girls have been using half as a communal nesting box and the other half I have been using for storage. I could cut the nesting box in half and put a door there. Or even if 1/4 of it would be plenty for a door. That would be a fun project! But may be my only option if I want along west wall and not hassle with the back side of coop. Which leads me to... if I include run to back of coop, I now cut down my cross breeze being 2 large windows will be under the roof of the run, right?

I’ve been kicking around the idea of panelizing the walls of my run as well. If it comes down to it and I have to relocate run, I’ll want to save as much hardware cloth and materials as I can.

 

[DoeAndGander]

You pretty well know what you like, Only suggestion I have is to use these clear panels, or colored, but light still comes thru. Solid shingled, or metal is good, but makes the run darker.
View attachment 1940900
WISHING YOU BEST....................................

Thanks, Rich! I’ve been kicking around the idea of using clear corrugated for a portion of the run. Any idea how to join it to solid tin?

 

[cavemanrich]

Any idea how to join it to solid tin?

When you are at store purchasing panels,, question the clerk what they have available.
I imagine it as one panel overlapping the other,,, Remember that it is a run roof,,, and if a teeny bit of water blows in,,, it no big deal. Some water will blow in the open sides in a rainstorm.

 

[DoeAndGander]

When you are at store purchasing panels,, question the clerk what they have available.
I imagine it as one panel overlapping the other,,, Remember that it is a run roof,,, and if a teeny bit of water blows in,,, it no big deal. Some water will blow in the open sides in a rainstorm.

True, although I’m a firm believer of doing it right the first time and I don’t trust most box store workers. Thanks again!