We are buying chain link panels and making a run and coop that will be 28' x 7' Over the chain link at one end we are putting three walls. The back wall will be solid and have our nesting boxes open to us from outside the coop and run. The two side walls will have storm shutter style windows that will open to the chain link so air can flow in hot weather. I'm still seriously considering planting a tree in part of this run so roofing may not cover the entire run... however we do want roofing over a large portion of the run and coop for shade. I had thought of the corregated metal for roofing but I'm concerned it will heat the run and coop up too much. My husband suggested we paint it white which I'm sure will help but I'm wondering do any of you have suggestions for other roofing material for such a large run/coop area that will mostly be chain link panels.
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Thanks for the suggestions I definately think I will look in to the acrylic roofing material. Anyone who has used it how does it weather the heat out here? I know plastic tends to get destroyed by the sun out here, and that freak hail storm broke my plastic workshed I used for storing chicken feed and supplies.
We used red acrylic roofing, to match the coop, which is much cooler than the corregated metal. I think we got it at Home Depot. We used to have the sides of the coop made out of chain link panels, but the birds would get in and eat lots of food. It was frustrating! So we re-did the whole thing with black vinyl chicken wire that we purchased online, but some of the little birds still get in. The guy I was ordering it from said it was diamond shaped and no bird could get in. I was so desperate to get the wire, that I didn't ask for a picture! Big mistake! It was chicken wire! I wouldn't suggest chicken wire either. We are learning as we go and it's best to ask lots of questions before you do it wrong, like we have. I reinforced the chicken wire with some heavier duty wire, as we have coyotes around here.
I like your idea about the tree. We used to have part of a tree (just a big branch) in their area until my husband didn't include it in the re do. So I begged him to extend the coop to the block wall where the tree hung down (as it was their favorite place to hang out) and he did. But we put screen up top in that area for the roof and decided to hang some fake plant fronds from the top, and they seem to like it just as much. I realized it was also a good area for the chickens to get some sun as their coop and run are completely covered. I do notice the chickens love the roof as they feel more secure. They used to look up at every flying bird, when we just had a sun screen up top. Now my girls have fans and a nice misting system too and they seem very happy..........so am I! Good luck!
The acrylic Bryan mentioned is a good choice for the coop itself - light. Also I would go with planting the tree also. Take a look at some of the very light frost/sun cloth - not shade cloth for consideration over the rest of the run. If you can share a picture when you get it done :-)
We converted a 6'x6'x12' dog kennel into my coop. It came with a roof of shade cloth that covers the entirety of the kennel/coop, and over 1/2 of the roof area, I've secured some corrugated metal sheeting. Metal sheeting also around 1/2 of one long side and 1/2 of one short side, on the south and west sides. Nest boxes are high in the enclosed area. During the hottest hours of the day, I run a single personal mister near the middle of the area. So far, for the past two years, this has worked for us.
We used clear acrylic panels 12' lengths, with a seasonally applied reed screen (fencing) for the summer shade ... the acrylic panels are only 10.00 per panel more than the same sized galvanized corrugated panel ...
We used galvanized corrugated panels at the night house - 8' high with an 1.5" thickness of rigid insulation under the corrugated panels (out of the chickens reach) ...
Replies
Thanks for the suggestions I definately think I will look in to the acrylic roofing material. Anyone who has used it how does it weather the heat out here? I know plastic tends to get destroyed by the sun out here, and that freak hail storm broke my plastic workshed I used for storing chicken feed and supplies.
We used red acrylic roofing, to match the coop, which is much cooler than the corregated metal. I think we got it at Home Depot. We used to have the sides of the coop made out of chain link panels, but the birds would get in and eat lots of food. It was frustrating! So we re-did the whole thing with black vinyl chicken wire that we purchased online, but some of the little birds still get in. The guy I was ordering it from said it was diamond shaped and no bird could get in. I was so desperate to get the wire, that I didn't ask for a picture! Big mistake! It was chicken wire! I wouldn't suggest chicken wire either. We are learning as we go and it's best to ask lots of questions before you do it wrong, like we have. I reinforced the chicken wire with some heavier duty wire, as we have coyotes around here.
I like your idea about the tree. We used to have part of a tree (just a big branch) in their area until my husband didn't include it in the re do. So I begged him to extend the coop to the block wall where the tree hung down (as it was their favorite place to hang out) and he did. But we put screen up top in that area for the roof and decided to hang some fake plant fronds from the top, and they seem to like it just as much. I realized it was also a good area for the chickens to get some sun as their coop and run are completely covered. I do notice the chickens love the roof as they feel more secure. They used to look up at every flying bird, when we just had a sun screen up top. Now my girls have fans and a nice misting system too and they seem very happy..........so am I! Good luck!
Linda
www.bitoheavenfarm.com
Hi Erica,
The acrylic Bryan mentioned is a good choice for the coop itself - light. Also I would go with planting the tree also. Take a look at some of the very light frost/sun cloth - not shade cloth for consideration over the rest of the run. If you can share a picture when you get it done :-)
We converted a 6'x6'x12' dog kennel into my coop. It came with a roof of shade cloth that covers the entirety of the kennel/coop, and over 1/2 of the roof area, I've secured some corrugated metal sheeting. Metal sheeting also around 1/2 of one long side and 1/2 of one short side, on the south and west sides. Nest boxes are high in the enclosed area. During the hottest hours of the day, I run a single personal mister near the middle of the area. So far, for the past two years, this has worked for us.
We used clear acrylic panels 12' lengths, with a seasonally applied reed screen (fencing) for the summer shade ... the acrylic panels are only 10.00 per panel more than the same sized galvanized corrugated panel ...
We used galvanized corrugated panels at the night house - 8' high with an 1.5" thickness of rigid insulation under the corrugated panels (out of the chickens reach) ...
bryan
www.thegreenhousefarm.com