[Raven81]

We are in the morning going to cover the hen run with clear (ish) corrugated plastic.  We already have all the bits but still can't agree on how much of the run to cover.  They have a large coop that they always have access to for shelter, so to be honest covering it is more for our benefit to make it easier to clean!

I have said that we should only cover half of the run as it isn't easy to do and will have to stay all year round even in the summer (we have to go into our neighbours garden on a ladder to put it up) and am concerned that they will not enough sunlight if we cover it all. 

However Mr Raven has a very good point that it will be far easier to fit if we cover it all and solve a drainage problem we will encounter by only covering part of it.

[Pudding cloth]

 I'd say, cover it all. As long as it wont make the run too hot in summer. Run's are rotten things to clean when thy're wet and muddy, so keep it as dry as you can. Do't forget to have a good overhang as well, or rain will just seep in at the bottom.

[Nutty]

I covered my run completely with corrigated plastic after it became a mudbath and now its so much better and the eggs are nice and clean again! If all the sides of the run are mesh there will be no overheating problems in summer if its completely covered.

[Raven81]

For now we have covered two thirds of it, the budget didn't stretch to covering it all now as it would have cost twice as much.  The positioning of it means that although the sides are aviary wire we have the coop at one at end and two of the sides have fences about two inches away, so I was concerned about air flow, however we are looking to re-cover the ground under the not covered part.

If need be we can cover the rest of it in a few weeks time!!