[Hawthorn Harry]

I think my image has just got better!!!

[scrappydoo]

I worried about using a tarpaulin because our garden gets very windy and I could see it billowing and scaring the hens, if not blowing off altogether and disappearing into the distance!

Hi Beulah59
               These tarpaulins I bought at £5.99 each are obviously only light weight, but plastic & waterproof if they last me thru to spring I'll be happy. They have tying eyelets at the edges which I've attached to the chicken wire then just lashed string in a zig-zag over the top to stop it billowing, certainly doesn't bother the girls at all.

Best Regards

Steve

[LittleRedHen]

My husband and I bought two sheets of the corrigated plastic at B&Q.  We put them over the mesh that covers our run and hold them in place with bricks.  That way they're removable when we need to get in for maintenace.  Works a treat and drains beautifully.   Cheap as chips too!

[susan - happy hens]

Hi Jackie,
We got our hens at the end of June and started with bird netting over the run but after the start of the monsoon summer - first few weeks in July - we got the onduling plastic from b&q to cover it.  It helps but the run still gets soaked but for us it's the best option. Good luck.

[Flowerpower136]

We started off with mesh roof and walls.  I like the idea of open air because I can't let them free range in the garden.
But soon became a mud bath, and they were miserable.  Hens don't like to be wet.
So, added opaque corregated plastic.  Not the prettiest feature in the garden, but it is lovely to be under there when its pouring down, and still nice and airy because of the mesh walls, and still light because it's opaque.
Very glad we did it, though it did cost a bit to roof the whole pen.  But worth it. Happy, dry fluffy, chucks.

[hillbilly]

I worried about using a tarpaulin because our garden gets very windy and I could see it billowing and scaring the hens, if not blowing off altogether and disappearing into the distance!

Our run has a tarp over it and I moved the hens in on the windiest day we've had so far  ! It was OK when we started and we were committed by the time the wind came up.
The tarp is tied really tightly with cable ties but it still made the odd 'thwumping' noise that definately frightened the chooks. Poor girls, I stayed in chatting to them all afternoon and they went to bed fine and seem completely used to it today though it's not quite so windy.