Winterizing, vinyl Vs. Poly sheeting

[U_Stormcrow]

Bungee cords... That solves the problem of using screws in the middle of the curtain. Will give that a try next year. Or if I have to do a repair at some point this winter. Thanks

You might also consider nylon straps of the kind used with ratcheting tie downs. Last year I picked up several packs (2 per) of 20' long, 3/4" wide ratchetting straps on the TSC holiday clearance for $7.99 a set. You aren't going to find bungies that cheap, the rathets make em adjustable, and the nylon holds up reasonably well - at least as long (likely longer) than bungie.

 

[Jenni Hen]

My PVC panels would have lasted better had I not piled them up on a warm day in Spring. I can't recall now why I didn't put them away properly but I took them off in a rush because the weather suddenly got warm.
When I went back a couple of days later to stack them properly, those in the middle of the pile had distorted with the heat from the Sun.
I managed to put up the distorted ones on the lee side, with inevitable gaps, but they snapped if I tried too hard to re-shape them. They'd only done one winter and the damage was all from the sunshine.

 

[Ponypoor]

I have some 4 mil vinyl. After I bought it, I started to wonder... can it be reused year after year? Vinyl has a bad habit of going brittle... how many winters cold it take?

Here in Canada - 1 day hahahaha! if it gets to -30C or lower and its windy then it will break/tear very easily.

On the other hand I have had translucent fiberglass paneling (which isn't a thing anymore) at the horse barn for over 30 years and its still going strong.

I have put that hothouse clear paneling at the barn for some windows and I wonder how long that will last! It looks great, but expensive.... sure hope it lasts 30 years!

 

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

If I do something like this, it will be next winter.
I have enough poly and vinyl to do the job.
I know the marine vinyl is way no expensive than the 4 mil window covering vinyl the Frost King sells.
So I think I might go full industrial.
Making wood frames in which to mount the vinyl, making tracks on the outside of the run that these frames can set, and then being able to pop them in and out as I need.
I would only have them up during the winter months. And pop a few out if the weather was going to turn warm.
How thick should the Marine vinyl be? It's measured in Mils on most sites.
I want to to last and yet be see through. It was mentioned about the freezer door fringe and that stuff is NOT see through.
The stuff I have it listed as 4 mil and seems rather thin.
But I know on several other threads, $10 a yard for the good stuff is a good deal. But I am not sure what GAUGE the preferred thickness should be.

In my experience, 4 mil is quite thin and likely not hold up in strong winds or wind-propelled flying objects. As previously mentioned , I prefer at least 8 mil, but 10 is better. Also I like that it lasts a few a few seasons. What is your basic location?and why not winterize this year?

 

[Badchickenpun]

In my experience, 4 mil is quite thin and likely not hold up in strong winds or wind-propelled flying objects. As previously mentioned , I prefer at least 8 mil, but 10 is better. Also I like that it lasts a few a few seasons. What is your basic location?and why not winterize this year?

I am winterizing. I was going to just use poly, 4 mil.
The wife wanted it to be CLEAR... Vinyl sounds like the correct stuff. Buying locally, you get what they have. What they have is 4 mil Frost king. I bough a couple rolls and will use that this winter for part of the run. It will be interesting to see how it holds up, compared to the poly.
Next year, I plan to do something far more industrial. I don't like to make decisions at the last minute. I will use what I have right now and plan for something heavier duty next year.
I am in central Indiana and the coop is on top of a hill. I plan to cover the south, west and north sides of the run, leaving some open towards the top on the west end.
I have the coop locked down pretty good, I have one vent on the east and west side open just a couple inches. They swing upward, so the opening is not letting direct wind blow through and the roosts are a couple feet under the opened vents. No bird would be in direct line. Last night it was in the teens, and when I opened the coop this morning at sunrise the gage said 36+, so it's staying warm enough I think.

 

[Badchickenpun]

P.S. The poly is clearer than floppy plastic sheets (especially at higher mils like what you'd need, they get cloudier). The poly is crystal clear, it's just that the corrugation distorts your view a little. But not enough to be a problem. I can still see the birds just fine, and they get all the sunlight.

Yeah, I could not use shower curtains. I'm at 8 tall on one side and 6 foot tall on the other, or so. I have 18 ft, 12 ft and 12 ft long sides to cover. I would rather each piece be larger than a shower curtain to pull and wrap tight.
I looked into the price of different poly panels (.11"X3'x8') and they were outrageous.
I think I can use 30 gauge clear marine vinyl, 2x2's for frames and keep it under $500.
The poly panels would be 3X or 4X that price.

 

[DickMidnight]

Yeah, I could not use shower curtains. I'm at 8 tall on one side and 6 foot tall on the other, or so. I have 18 ft, 12 ft and 12 ft long sides to cover. I would rather each piece be larger than a shower curtain to pull and wrap tight.
I looked into the price of different poly panels (.11"X3'x8') and they were outrageous.
I think I can use 30 gauge clear marine vinyl, 2x2's for frames and keep it under $500.
The poly panels would be 3X or 4X that price.

you don't have to cover the entire vertical face of the wall, though. covering the bottom two feet of the walls is plenty to keep wind off of your birds.

one panel ripped in half gives you 2'x16' of coverage.

 

[Badchickenpun]

you don't have to cover the entire vertical face of the wall, though. covering the bottom two feet of the walls is plenty to keep wind off of your birds.

one panel ripped in half gives you 2'x16' of coverage.

Yeah, I sort of want to make a partial greenhouse out there... Covering more will keep out some of the snow as well.
I was doing it all on the cheap until my Disney-hearted wife decided to make pets out of them. Now everything is about their potential happiness.

 

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

It’s totally up to what works best for you but the shower curtains are easy to manage. As long as you secure them properly they don’t really billow in the wind unless it’s a very strong nor’easter. Turning your chicken run into a greenhouse is not a great idea. They need ventilation. A greenhouse type setup would cause a lot of humidity to be trapped inside and leave the chickens susceptible to frostbite. It’s a good idea to go with what you have on hand and see how that works before investing in a more costly solution. Chickens can handle cold temperatures but it’s the wind that causes them health issues.

 

[Badchickenpun]

It’s totally up to what works best for you but the shower curtains are easy to manage. As long as you secure them properly they don’t really billow in the wind unless it’s a very strong nor’easter. Turning your chicken run into a greenhouse is not a great idea. They need ventilation. A greenhouse type setup would cause a lot of humidity to be trapped inside and leave the chickens susceptible to frostbite. It’s a good idea to go with what you have on hand and see how that works before investing in a more costly solution. Chickens can handle cold temperatures but it’s the wind that causes them health issues.

Not a full greenhouse, I just mean the warming effect. The peak of the green house will have no covering. The triangle above the top horizontal board will be completely open.
This is not a recent photo. The vents in the coop have three hinged doors that swing up to allow me to control the amount of air flow. This view is facing east, so the winter wind will blow in the direction of the photo. I have roofed most of the run, now. And plan to wrap the south, north and west sides. The door is on the east side, no wrap there.