One of the best materials to use for a chicken run cover is corrugated polycarbonate panels. They are highly versatile and come in many different tints and sizes.
So it doesn’t matter if you want a transparent roof or a fully opaque roof; you can get both using corrugated polycarbonate panels.
If you’re looking for ground cover, your best choices are wood chips, grass, and straw. They are practical to clean and keep the ground super dry so the chickens can live in the coup without any discomfort.
What To Use For A Chicken Run Cover?
If you are raising chickens, you probably know how important it is to provide them with proper living conditions to live a healthy and happy life.
The best materials to use when making a chicken run cover is waterproof or weatherproof materials like plastic or metal. Likewise, for ground cover, it is recommended that you add concrete, wood chips, grass, or sand or a combination of these items.
Why is ground cover important in a chicken run?
Since chickens like to scratch the floor and dog holes, it is recommended that you use materials that are easy for them to dig into.
They also want to search for worms and bugs, so a natural floor would be ideal, which you can cover with wood chipping sand, straw, or grass.
The objective is to keep the ground cover as clean as possible, so you want to add a roof for weatherproofing and a mixture of different materials like sand and wood chips to cover the floor so it’s easy to clean and keeps the feet dry.
Why is roof cover important in a chicken run?
It is best to use highly durable materials so that even if there is scorching heat or heavy rainfall, it won’t affect the chicken inside the coup.
Many people use plywood as their chicken run cover, but this is not a practical choice because it tends to wrap over time with exposure to sun and rain.
Instead, you can cover your plywood with more resistant materials like shingles, metal, and plastic.
Fully transparent plastic sheets are also a good choice because they allow enough sunlight for the flock, and it is also weather-resistant.
However, you have to consider your weather conditions before deciding on your roof cover. For example, using metal sheets in a cold climate will retain a lot of condensation, which is not ideal living conditions for your flock. Whereas, if you use metal in climates where it is humid or warm, it can create an enjoyable environment for your chickens.
Tips for building the best chicken run
Consider the size of your flock
You cannot have a mini chicken run for a community of 30-40 chickens, and they need the space to roam around and run. If you pack too many chickens in a small coup, they may get aggressive and start fighting or even have many health problems.
Use durable and resilient materials that are not easy to break into
Chickens have a lot of natural predators, so you need to make sure that no one can get inside the coup lest you lose your chickens to a predator.
Add proper ventilation even with a fully covered chicken run
You want to give your chickens the most protected environment and enough air to breathe. So you must look for the best ventilation spots in the coup so your chickens can live easily.
Make sure you use easily cleanable materials when building the coup
Everything should be easily maintainable, from the ground covering to the outside of the coup. Cleanliness is where healthy chickens thrive, so you have to consider the ease of cleaning the coup once you have constructed it.
Proper ground cover
Chickens like to dig and take dust baths, so it is apt for a good chicken run filled with sawdust or grass and hay, sometimes even sand to help with this.
Conclusion
There are many factors you need to consider before you build a chicken coup. Starting from the structure to the roof and the ground of the chicken run, specific materials can provide the best living conditions to rear perfectly healthy chickens. It takes a lot of trial and error to develop the perfect chicken coop for your flock. As long as you remember to keep the essential tips in mind, you’ll have a happy flock of chickens who love their stay.
