Top of run

[m_shuman]

Have any of you used the lattice panels for the top of your coop? We are wanting to use something that is pleasing to look at yet secure. We figured we could nail these to the top with chicken wire underneath and the if a racoonclimbed on top he wouldn't be able to get in for sure. They are 4x8 so 3 would be a perfect fit for our run which is 12x8. Plus they will help provide shade for the chickens. If you have used these could you please post pictures and tell me how they are working out for you?

 

[Kaitie09]

we used lattice for our top too. It held up really well in the blizzard last year. We did put support beams to help it, and this spring we covered half the run so that it did not get wet. We also stapled bird netting to the top so that the small birds could not get in.

 

[Schwartzfarmnc]

Don't under estimate a racoon, I'd prefer using hardware cloth rather than chicken wire. I wanted a dry run area for ours so we ended up using the clear roofing panels to keep the rain/leaves/weather out but allows the sun in.

 

[m_shuman]

Quote:
We are using hardware cloth everywhere else on the coop except the top of the run and burying it 12" deep. As I said for the top we are thinking about chickenwire covered with lattice that we will nail down. I am looking at the privacy lattice with a 1" opening. We are also going to be locking our chickens up at night so there is less fear of night time predators. I don't care much about keeping the run dry as we live in Georgia and the area we have out the run in has great drainage (the dirt under our grass is sandy) and we will be putting additional sand in the run.

Edited to add: We need something that will provide some shade but not as much shade as shade cloth or a tarp.