Transitioning from roofed to roofless run

[aart]

A more to-the-point update: it rained all day yesterday, and I mean real hard rain, not the drizzle that sent the chickens inside sulking before. It seems that they have figured out where the dry areas are, and they remained outside all day! So, we have a lot of progress. I'm feeling hopeful for the winter.

Excellent!
Did you observe water flow off the umbrellas and where it went on the ground?
I often go out with wellies, raincoat, and golf umbrella to check my drain trenches.

 

[K0k0shka]

Excellent!
Did you observe water flow off the umbrellas and where it went on the ground?
I often go out with wellies, raincoat, and golf umbrella to check my drain trenches.

Water is dripping between the umbrellas (so in the middle of the dry area) and down along the wall of the coop where one of the umbrellas meets the coop, so that's not good. I wasn't able to do much about it while it rained, but now that we have a 4-day weekend coming and I'll have more free time, I'll figure out a way to lift the edge flap and attach it to the coop to prevent water from dripping down along that side, and maybe sew the flaps of the two umbrellas together where they meet in the middle, to prevent water from dripping into the dry zone. I also ordered some umbrella/tent spray, to improve their water repellency and extend their life.

 

[aart]

Water is dripping between the umbrellas (so in the middle of the dry area) and down along the wall of the coop where one of the umbrellas meets the coop, so that's not good. I wasn't able to do much about it while it rained, but now that we have a 4-day weekend coming and I'll have more free time, I'll figure out a way to lift the edge flap and attach it to the coop to prevent water from dripping down along that side, and maybe sew the flaps of the two umbrellas together where they meet in the middle, to prevent water from dripping into the dry zone. I also ordered some umbrella/tent spray, to improve their water repellency and extend their life.

Gonna be hard to fix that, and it might not need to be 'fixed'.
Not sure attaching in any way would be good once there's snow on them,
so you can still drop them down to clear the snow?

 

[K0k0shka]

Gonna be hard to fix that, and it might not need to be 'fixed'.
Not sure attaching in any way would be good once there's snow on them,
so you can still drop them down to clear the snow?

True, I probably want to be able to fold them down every once in a while. I'm just worried about water dripping down the side of the coop and damaging the OSB. I want to figure something out for that, at least.

 

[aart]

True, I probably want to be able to fold them down every once in a while. I'm just worried about water dripping down the side of the coop and damaging the OSB. I want to figure something out for that, at least.

Maybe move them away from side of coop?
Or put an expendable piece of something against coop siding?

 

[countryladyNH]

Meanwhile I'm doing an emergency winter hatch, if anybody wants to check it out and follow along - it's over here:

Emergency winter hatch thread (Partridge Orpington x Easter Egger)

Oh how I wish I could see the look on my neighbor's face if he found out there would be MORE chickens coming, and sooner than we thought, too!

LOL!! Count me in!

 

[K0k0shka]

Maybe move them away from side of coop?
Or put an expendable piece of something against coop siding?

I'll find something else to put against the side of the coop, some kind of awning to extend out and overlap the umbrella. I don't want to just move the umbrella out, because then the water will dump right in front of the pop door like a curtain and they are not gonna want to come out into that

The good news is that the coop is fully legal where it is right now, so I can even extend its roof if I wanted to, and nobody would be able to say a thing about it!

 

[Windrider]

The good news is that the coop is fully legal where it is right now, so I can even extend its roof if I wanted to, and nobody would be able to say a thing about it!

Then I think in the spring, there should be a covered "porch" extension built on the coop!

Trying to figure out how a Carolina style coop and covered run all-in-one would count with your community's weird ordinances.

 

[countryladyNH]

I'll find something else to put against the side of the coop, some kind of awning to extend out and overlap the umbrella. I don't want to just move the umbrella out, because then the water will dump right in front of the pop door like a curtain and they are not gonna want to come out into that

The good news is that the coop is fully legal where it is right now, so I can even extend its roof if I wanted to, and nobody would be able to say a thing about it!

Does that neighbor know about the decision about chickens being legal yet???

 

[K0k0shka]

Does that neighbor know about the decision about chickens being legal yet???

I'm dying to know, but I have no idea. He would've had to read about it in the paper (assuming he knows to look for it there or that he reads the paper at all, or knows it even exists), or call specifically and ask. He was following the case and participating very actively (to oppose), so I imagine he was eager to know the outcome and probably called to ask. So my bet would be that he knows. Might be why I haven't heard from him since then - he has either given up, or is regrouping and planning a new line of attack from a different angle