Windbocking my Runs?

[bantiebabe1200]

I've been thinking about this a lot. I'm getting ready to build my breeding coop and runs this summer, but I need to keep the birds I'll be getting for out of the wind (it will twist and break there feathers up too much). Here's the challenge for me. We live in a valley that's known as a wind tunnel. It almost never stops blowing here and it's hardly ever under 10mph and will exceed 45mph, depending on the season. The good thing is that it blows from the south most of the time, so I've planned my runs to be on the North side of the coop. The wind does, swirel around buildings and comes from all other directions too though, just not as often. My dear hubby doesn't want me to plant bushes either

(I've already OD'd that one around the place

).

So here's the question: How can I keep my birds from being in the wind with out putting up unsightly boards along the sides of the runs (not mention the birds won't be able to see out). Is there another type of material that I could put up along the sides of the runs that will be see through but still block the wind? Any help would be appreciated and pictures are good too. Thanks!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I was going to say plant a windbreak till you said you can't.
You won't be able to rely on the wind always coming from one direction.
Plexiglass is probably the only thing that you can see through and stop wind.

 

[GiddyMoon]

Will he let you plant edible vines? Like beans, grapes, etc..that is the most economical, and attractive option. Here in Tucson we can get those crazy winds too and this is what I am doing.

 

[loubapache]

Quote:
There are two other materials that I can think of.

1) Clear plastic or better yet, polycarbonate corrugated panels. The corrugation will distort the view a bit but the chickens and you can still see through it. I used in my run and you can see a few pictures here.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=55498

2) Clear vinyl sheets. These are usually sold in fabric stores or Wal-Mart. They are 54" wide and come in several different thicknesses. The thick ones can be used as windows if you frame it around with wood. They are more durable than many of the poly films (that are not transparent, anyway).

 

[wsmith]

Ahh Lovely Ennis, MT. My wife is from Three Forks, and when we lived in SE Idaho and Northern Utah, we would drive through Ennis several times each year. Got stuck trying to drive north during the 4th of July parade one year. We had to wait until it was done, because there was only one road that we knew of at the time that continued north......

We are facing similar problems at our home here in Colorado. We can plant, but things dehydrate too fast at 6000 ft with the sun beating down and the wind blowing constantly. We routinely get winds in excess of 60 MPH. We have decided to build our coops and runs against our backyard fence (6 ft high slats) which will give us good wind protection from the north winds. About 1/2 of the remaining run fence will be 3 ft high recycled cedar fencing boards, with 3 ft of wire fencing above that. The south and westerly fences will be 6 ft boards as well. All the posts are 4 x 4 x 8 cemented in, with reinforcing braces every third post. Our "chicken compound" will be quite large; about 48' x 96'-ish. We don't have the issues some have with racoons or possums. Too dry and too far away from cover. Our wildlife issues are prairie dogs, rattlesnakes, rabbits, coyotes, hawks, and owls. We even have a badger, but his den is about 1 mile away.

 

[DinosRBirds]

Plexiglass

 

[teach1rusl]

I went with the polycarb. panels loubapache mentioned for my bantam coop. You can see them partially covering my bantam coop's run. I wanted them so my run will stay snow free in winter, but put up a few "test" panels to keep wind out because my bantams are just chicks now. I predrilled holes and used sheetmetal screws to apply them. We've had horrible thunderstorms and tornado watches for about a week straight here, and they hold like champs

 

[patandchickens]

A very important thing to remember about blocking the wind:

Wind gotta go SOMEWHERE.

If you put up a totally solid barrier, it catches ALL that wind. Which is a whole big lot of force on it. In real windy areas, this can make the solid panels tend to leave, or your fenceposts keel over even if very deep and well set (especially if it's a long straight fenceline, as opposed to shorter with angles).

Whereas a permeable barrier, by letting some of the wind thru in a controlled fashion, is much less apt to experience destruction.

Also, a solid barrier creates a small area of dead airspace behind it, beyond which is a large are of very swirly gusty sharp winds as the wind roils over the top of the solid barrier.

Whereas a permeable barrier does not give you any totally-dead area but gives you a much larger area of low-wind-velocity air with little swirling or gusting.

For those reasons, a permeable barrier is often much preferable to a solid one, ESPECIALLY in very windy areas.

A thick hedge would be the best solution in many ways but apparently isn't an option and in any case would take time to grow in. So I would suggest one or more of the following (ie. you can use them individually or in some sensibly-chosen combinations): landscape burlap, shadecloth, privacy lattice, or willow or bamboo fencing. For the fabric-y type materials you will need to prevent flapping by either putting boards across them (sandwiching material against fence), or sandwiching material between some sort of wire mesh and fence, or crisscrossing a whole lotta rope/twine across, with zipties or whatever anchoring a number of points across the surface.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[lorihadams]

What about lattice? It would block out most of the wind....be attractive....provide some shade....and not cost too much.

 

[perchie.girl]

Quote:

I am in a high wind area as well. How about shade cloth. You can still see through it but it has a dampening effect on the wind. It doesnt have to be right up against the run either. You do a blocking barrier like a fence with shade cloth stretched against it. Very much like a snow fence. The beauty of it is the cloth will allow air through without being torn up. The idea is to create a tortuous path for the air that disappates its energy before flowing on. You can also angle the fence to push the air up and over the coop too by using solid fencing and a burm to lead up to it. Providing you have the space. be aware the turbulence at the top may lift the roof of your coop a little.

Where I am I cant put solid gates up They get hammered unless there is a bar across to hold both sides of the gate. Every storage shed I have has had its doors blown off so I dont bother now till I can do it right. In order to keep doors on I have to provide adequate ventilation so the air pressure can stay equalized.

even the out house.... LOL. But then I like that al Fresco view.... ahem. (the view is across BLM and on to Mexico. Besides I figure if someone want to look they wont look for long

)