winterizing run, one section doesn't have a hard roof

[junior67]

my run has an 8 x 8 section under the coop (HW cloth around the entire run). Then an 8x8 section that has a shingled roof, then there is a 10x8 section that just has a HWC roof...... I don't want to put anything over the HWC roof since we get a lot of snow so don't want to weight it down. Should I put plastic around the sides of the whole run to try to block some of the snow from coming in the other sections? or just put it on the covered section walls to stop it from those sections and leave the rest open? I don't want to make it that wind gets trapped in there with the other side open. I can put up a pic of the run if needed. Just looking for the best ways to keep some of the snow out of the covered parts (rain does blow in it when we have wind and rain) so they have a choice if they want to go in the snow or not.

 

[My Very First 6 Chickens]

my run has an 8 x 8 section under the coop (HW cloth around the entire run). Then an 8x8 section that has a shingled roof, then there is a 10x8 section that just has a HWC roof...... I don't want to put anything over the HWC roof since we get a lot of snow so don't want to weight it down. Should I put plastic around the sides of the whole run to try to block some of the snow from coming in the other sections? or just put it on the covered section walls to stop it from those sections and leave the rest open? I don't want to make it that wind gets trapped in there with the other side open. I can put up a pic of the run if needed. Just looking for the best ways to keep some of the snow out of the covered parts (rain does blow in it when we have wind and rain) so they have a choice if they want to go in the snow or not.

I too am ready to get the coop and run ready for cold weather here in CT. The whole run is covered with hardware cloth. I will wrap the run in tarp about waist high. We get rain and winds in the run as well and hopefully the tarp will prevent the snow drifts some. (First winter with chickens, so we’ll see). You may have to smaller their winter section. Wrap up an area that you can manage and keep them to that space through the winter season. Maybe we wont get too much snow! A smaller, manageable section without weather is better than a half ass one. Imo of course! Good luck!

 

[aart]

I don't want to put anything over the HWC roof since we get a lot of snow so don't want to weight it down.

The snow will gather on the HC, even my 2x4WW roof can gather snow, and weigh it down anyway. Hopefully you have adequate framing under everything that will hold snow.

I can put up a pic of the run if needed.

That would be good.

 

[junior67]

Here is the coop and run

 

[junior67]

The snow will gather on the HC, even my 2x4WW roof can gather snow, and weigh it down anyway. Hopefully you have adequate framing under everything that will hold snow.

There is framing under the hwc so it will hold it. I don't mind snow getting in that section of run just not sure how to wrap the rest of the run since I don't want to make it a wind tunnel.

 

[Cryss]

I basically have a similar set up but without the area underneath the coop because mine is a walk in type coop.
I wrap the hardware cloth walls of the run with clear(ish) tarps to act as a wind screen. It keeps strong winds from blowing on them, helps keep the waterer from freezing, and blocks strong winds from blowing into the coop pop door. There are still breezes blowing in. The hardware cloth top is not covered with tarp because I still want it to be “outdoors”.

Now as for the hardware cloth top…let me start by saying 4 years ago I went into raising chickens with zero knowledge of what they needed or how to provide it once I was informed. I made every mistake possible. This forum saved my chickens fluffy little butts! Being an old lady ( I’m 70 1/2yo) it has taken me all this time to fix things. I’ve had help but it’s sporadic.
Anyway my point is I (with help) have finally supported the top in time to prevent sagging this winter. I hope to someday have the lean to cover over the entire length.
When I first assembled this run I laid 1x4boards across the top every 4-5 feet or so before applying the hardware cloth top. In my ignorance I thought it would keep the cloth up.
Nope.

Here’s my solution until I can afford to build a full cover. (Black tarp on solid run cover because of a leak.)
The red boards are the originals underneath the cloth. The 2x4s are on top of them and on top of the cloth. Red boards are screwed into the 2x4s from underneath. I know there will be some sagging still but until I can erect a slanted top it will hopefully and prayerfully hold up.


My best recommendation is build a solid well slanted roof so snow/ice (and rain) can slide off.

You can see my white/clear(ish) tarps in the yard waiting to be hung.

Best of everything this winter!

 

[Boise-girls]

my run has an 8 x 8 section under the coop (HW cloth around the entire run). Then an 8x8 section that has a shingled roof, then there is a 10x8 section that just has a HWC roof...... I don't want to put anything over the HWC roof since we get a lot of snow so don't want to weight it down. Should I put plastic around the sides of the whole run to try to block some of the snow from coming in the other sections? or just put it on the covered section walls to stop it from those sections and leave the rest open? I don't want to make it that wind gets trapped in there with the other side open. I can put up a pic of the run if needed. Just looking for the best ways to keep some of the snow out of the covered parts (rain does blow in it when we have wind and rain) so they have a choice if they want to go in the snow or not.

Based on your wind concerns, I'd consider putting clear shower curtain liners or similar around the side walls, leaving a couple feet open at the top, and possibly vertical gaps here and there. You probably wouldn't need to do the fence side. If you think snow would still blow into the covered area, you might try hay bales to build a short wall between the two sections.
If you want the uncovered section to be more open to the elements, then I'd at least cover the wall opposite the coop, so your covered section would have protection from four sides.
Do your prevailing winds come predominately from one direction during winter? If so, you could concentrate on just protecting those walls. Ours come from all over -- 40% from N/NW, the other 60% from other directions, so I've tried to put a little protection on all walls. I also left some vertical spaces open so it doesn't act like a greenhouse on warm days. (Mine is totally covered.) We've only been through wind and rain so far, though, so my suggestions could change!

 

[aart]

Here is the coop and run

I'd cover all the run walls, the open roof will give plenty of ventilation.
I'd cut some props to force fit(between ground and rafter) under each of the 'rafters' in the open area...and maybe figure out how to remove snow from top of HC.

 

[K0k0shka]

Snow is no joke. It will pile up on the HC overhead and weigh it down. That run frame doesn't look sturdy enough to me. It has no pitch so everything will collect on top and weigh down. The rafters are too thin and aren't supported in the middle. The posts are too thin, too. A nice hearty nor'easter and the whole structure can collapse. I would recommend shoring it up generously regardless of what you do with the sides in that section, just so you won't have to rebuild everything next spring.

I use clear polycarbonate panels screwed into the wooden frame of the run as a wind break on the sides. They go all the way up. My run is covered on all sides in the winter and only partially on top (the rest of the top is 2x4 welded wire). And yet, despite all that coverage, nor'easters still manage to blow snow in through every crack and opening there is, and I still have to shovel, even under the covered areas. The wind breaks really do shield the chickens from the wind though, even though about half of the top is open. So they make a noticeable difference, and that's what matters, because it's the wind that's dangerous to chickens, not the snow or the cold itself (the wind breaks their insulation when it ruffles and opens their feathers). Any coverage on the walls that you can give them will help, but it would be best to either put wind breaks on all the walls all the way around (including the uncovered run), or just on the covered section but including the side that connects it to the open section (so close them into the covered run).

 

[junior67]

Snow is no joke. It will pile up on the HC overhead and weigh it down. That run frame doesn't look sturdy enough to me. It has no pitch so everything will collect on top and weigh down. The rafters are too thin and aren't supported in the middle. The posts are too thin, too. A nice hearty nor'easter and the whole structure can collapse. I would recommend shoring it up generously regardless of what you do with the sides in that section, just so you won't have to rebuild everything next spring.

I use clear polycarbonate panels screwed into the wooden frame of the run as a wind break on the sides. They go all the way up. My run is covered on all sides in the winter and only partially on top (the rest of the top is 2x4 welded wire). And yet, despite all that coverage, nor'easters still manage to blow snow in through every crack and opening there is, and I still have to shovel, even under the covered areas. The wind breaks really do shield the chickens from the wind though, even though about half of the top is open. So they make a noticeable difference, and that's what matters, because it's the wind that's dangerous to chickens, not the snow or the cold itself (the wind breaks their insulation when it ruffles and opens their feathers). Any coverage on the walls that you can give them will help, but it would be best to either put wind breaks on all the walls all the way around (including the uncovered run), or just on the covered section but including the side that connects it to the open section (so close them into the covered run).

The posts are 2x4's and corners are doubled up. We can do center beams from top to ground or put a stronger one down the middle. But all sides are 2x4 the only thing not are ones under top of hwc