Winterizing and redesigning Runs--any suggestions?

[LavendarFeather]

I have my birds in two chain link dog runs, reinforced 2-3' up all around with 1/2" hardware cloth or roofing panels, There are platforms halfway up, and roosting poles a foot above the platforms. One has a solid top, the other has a chicken wire top but we will be making that at least partially solid.

We're in Southern California and our climate is mild. It's gotten very hot this summer (well over 100) but doesn't get much colder than the 40s in winter. We could get a lot of rain, or not, you never know.

The birds free range most days, but are in their runs for part of each day and at night. My plan is to take out the platforms and current roosts, put sand down throughout the coop, add roosting ladders, hanging nesting boxes with wood shavings for bedding, and put up some wind-blocking material on the sides around the roosting area. There is not a real "house." Does this sound like it will work? Thanks for any input at all!

 

[fried green eggs]

Sounds like for your climate you should be pretty good with what you have planned but, I would suggest that nesting boxes are lower than the roost so, they don't sleep in boxes. Under roosting ladder will need to be easy to clean as that will be where the majority of poop area is.

 

[LavendarFeather]

Sounds like for your climate you should be pretty good with what you have planned but, I would suggest that nesting boxes are lower than the roost so, they don't sleep in boxes. Under roosting ladder will need to be easy to clean as that will be where the majority of poop area is.

Thanks! Okay, I do plan the nesting boxes to be lower than the roosts, I will arrange the roosting ladders so it's easy to get under them with a pooper scooper rake. Yay! I'm eggcited!

 

[fried green eggs]

Great! This website is great and if you need more information you can go to which-ever forum and type in a short question in the Search Nav and it will bring up related threads with hours of reading and tons of information.