Solitary chicken - need advice

[wez]

I'm sure many of you have got your own suppliers or favoured products but just thought I'd share a success story we've had recently. We upgraded our Cube from a 4m run attachment to a 4x3x2m walk in run which has been a treat in itself but the coverage situation was one that needed addressing quite quickly with the weather being as bad as its been and will apparently get. I looked everywhere to try and find quality clear tarpaulins in the right size, accepting that I'd probably have to get a couple or more to make adequate coverage but in the end I managed to find a chap on eBay who sells thick covers in various sizes. None were right in terms of size for us but we messaged him and he made us a 3.6x6.5m glass clear cover to go from one side to the other over the roof with rust proof eyelets and hemmed all the way round. Its thick weatherproof PVC, won't freeze, crack or rip with the wind and its made such a difference. We get a strong wind coming across the garden so this way the girls get complete shelter from side to side and no more rain getting in the Cube as its inside the run. If anyone wants details please pm me but it certainly solved the dilemma of finding something good quality that was made to measure that doesn't offend the neighbours as its a very tidy piece of work. Will try and upload some pics at some point too

[mullethunter]

Yes pics please! My 3x2x1 is now covered by a 3x2.4m Tarpaflex glass clear tarpaulin.

[wez]

Will get some up hopefully tomorrow once I get them transferred from mobile

[izemum]

I'm very interested in seeing pics too! Can I ask how much he charged?

[wez]

It was pricey in the sense that a lot of outlay but the material and eyelets are quality and very heavy so evening this gale force wind, nothing so far has ripped or shown signs of pulling. Will PM you :- however, that said we've had to take it off as the whole blinking run has moved with the force of the wind blowing against it!!! Photos will come but weather been too bad to take pics when I get back form work as it's either dark or pouring down!!!

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Word of advice, make sure you stop any flapping by extra fixings or canes across the middle of the tarps - I had fab homemade tarps fitted to my WIR but they eventually gave out after a year or two and some very bad storms.

[Charlottechicken]

I agree with ANH, eliminate as much movement as you can! I also bought glass clear tarps a few years back. They were perfectly good for a couple of years, then one got very weathered, turned opaque in places and a few holes appeared too. I opted to re-roof the run with corrugated plastic sheeting, which is not expensive and much more stable in bad weather

 

I do still have the tarps and they are in use as a temporary run roof again now I have moved house. They are stabilised with a rather messy looking mesh of wooden batons underneath though.

[Guest]

My Omlet clear cover ripped t'other day that blooming Barney was a very naughty storm.

[Leicester_H]

Hi

we bought some 'heavy duty' clear plastic, attached wooden batons top and bottom (using staple gun), attached top ends using screws and lower ends using elastic bungie cords (standard cover bungie cords bought from Omlet )

 

- these allow blinds to move a little and takes some of the strain off the plastic, so less likely to tear (also, attaching to baton, spread the load, so again, should be less likely to tear).

 

Black tapes (hanging from top), are made of velcro and are used to secure blinds when rolled up in the summer