Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Poultry and Pets => The Hen House => Topic started by: Andrew4613 on October 11, 2011, 12:33

Title: Run cover
Post by: Andrew4613 on October 11, 2011, 12:33
What's the best material for covering a run with?? And do I cover all of the run over these winter months?
Title: Re: Run cover
Post by: helens-hens on October 11, 2011, 13:19
For a temporary cover I bought a couple of tarpaulins from B&Q. They are relatively cheap and have plenty of eyelets to secure them with.

I only use it in wet weather in the winter.
Title: Re: Run cover
Post by: JaK on October 11, 2011, 17:21
Ours is covered with  corrugated plastic sheeting.
Title: Re: Run cover
Post by: aggers on October 11, 2011, 19:59
The best roofing material is a product called onduline or coroline which is what we use on all of our runs and houses.Its a corrugated sheet available from most major DIY outlets which comes in three colours,red,green and black.Its also affordable and will last for years and looks the part.Just remember to put a slight incline when fitting to allow water run off.
Title: Re: Run cover
Post by: Lindeggs on October 12, 2011, 00:01
The best run cover is one you get for free off Freecycle!  :D

Personally I would go with a clear corrugated material as first preference (if you can get it cheap or free) and cover at least part of the run permanently so the chickens always have a dry place to dust bathe.  A clear product means you maximise their exposure to natural daylight, even on the gloomiest winter day.

If using a tarpaulin make sure you secure it well.  I have a tarp covering an area of the yard and it flaps loudly in the wind.  One of these days I will go out and re-secure it better.  ::)
Title: Re: Run cover
Post by: emmaellis on October 12, 2011, 09:02
After my run roof collapse I weighed up the options and although corrugated plastic would have been my preference I couldn't afford the cost. So I brought a heavy duty polytunnel at a fab price off eb*y that fitted within their fixed run and set about it with a stanley knife!

I completely took off one of the sides panels to allow plenty of ventilation along with one end panels and Hey presto!
It doesn't get hot (even in our recent heatwave), keeps everything dry, lets in light but does provide a degree of shade and has held up in high winds.
I can also hand feeders or treats from the cross bars.  :)
Title: Re: Run cover
Post by: Dominic on October 12, 2011, 10:59
I use a thick PVC my partners dad had in his garage,
http://www.rubbermattinguk.co.uk/rubbermattingdetail.asp?p=15
Nearest I can find is the top right of the pile.

I'd rather like a supplier who can send me metre or more wide rolls.
Title: Re: Run cover
Post by: Skywise on October 12, 2011, 11:35
We've only just completed our run and bought clear corrugated plastic from B&Q for £6.50 (ish) per sheet.  The run is 3m wide and needed 5 sheets so all in all it cost us about £32 for the sheets and about a fiver for the fixings.

The sheets are about 1.5m long so we've got half the run completely roofed for under 40 quid.  I thought that was quite good value and the girls seem to be happy to go under cover when it rains.
Title: Re: Run cover
Post by: JaK on October 12, 2011, 13:57
We've only just completed our run and bought clear corrugated plastic from B&Q for £6.50 (ish) per sheet.  The run is 3m wide and needed 5 sheets so all in all it cost us about £32 for the sheets and about a fiver for the fixings.

The sheets are about 1.5m long so we've got half the run completely roofed for under 40 quid.  I thought that was quite good value and the girls seem to be happy to go under cover when it rains.

This soundsl ike a great price for the plastic sheeting. If money is tight though you could buy one sheet every other week until you feel you chickens have enough cover.