Trish Posted December 4, 2005 Share Posted December 4, 2005 Sorry if this is an old topic but I coulldn't find it. I've just found a comletely transparent Tarp big enough to cover the run. Not as cheap as a shower curtain but completley clear, has eyelets at the edges so should be able to stop it blowing away and should be hard wearing as it's meant for market traders to cover their stock etc. I'll let you know what it's like once it arrives The website is www.allplaz.co.uk/acatalog/Clear_Tarps.html Can anyone make that a link I've forgoten how I think I'll just put it under the winter cover and tie the edges down. Let you know later [/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trish Posted December 4, 2005 Author Share Posted December 4, 2005 Oh I did make it a link I think Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted December 4, 2005 Share Posted December 4, 2005 That looks good Trish. Try the bungee hooks from B&Q, they're great Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trish Posted December 4, 2005 Author Share Posted December 4, 2005 Thank sfor that, I'll look out for them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chunkin Posted December 4, 2005 Share Posted December 4, 2005 I wonder if having a clear cover (other than the green one I bought with the eglu) might be better for the girls (i.e. encourage tham to lay SOON )?? They do free range every day for at least a couple of hours - what do you think? We want some eggs!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted December 4, 2005 Share Posted December 4, 2005 Might be a good idea Carol, I made my clear run cover from an Ikea shower curtain so that they would have shelter in the winter, but plenty of light if they are in the run. My girls are out while it is daylight, but go in the run as it gets dusk, I reckon that they need all the light they can get at this time of the year, plus it keeps the run nice and dry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 4, 2005 Share Posted December 4, 2005 I got a HUGE clear tarp from B&Q for about a fiver, after giving up on Ikea ever getting clear shower curtains back in. I was too lazy to cut it to size, so it is doubled over, then doubled back on itself at the end. It's not exactly clear, because of all the layers you can't see in, but it certainly lets in the light better than the Omlet winter shade, and laying seems to have perked up again since I put it on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted December 5, 2005 Share Posted December 5, 2005 That's good news Shona Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lavinia Posted December 5, 2005 Share Posted December 5, 2005 As a winter cover I have placed a clear plastic mattress cover over the run, put the summer shade over the top in order to hold it and hold it down at the front by tying some garden twine over the top. Warm, dry and bright - perfect. Hettie lays an egg most days, but has wet, windy, miserable days off and I understand completely! Coco has yet to deliver. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 5, 2005 Share Posted December 5, 2005 I used two IKEA shower curtains and used the winter shade as a template cutting two then joined them - overlapping them. I used the bungees out of the summer and winter shade to secure it - works perfectly and I can return the bungies to the other shades in the spring and summer and hopefully the shower curtains will be in good enough shape to re-use - unless the boys have a new and better invention for the job! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel (& Paul) Posted December 7, 2005 Share Posted December 7, 2005 Do you know, I think that Blue Peter would be proud of us Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PurpleHen Posted February 19, 2006 Share Posted February 19, 2006 (edited) Think I'm going to get one of these to go over the new run extension Omlet are about to come up with (more hints here for a hurry up ). Thought it would be useful to others looking for similar solutions to bring this to the top of the topic list again...... Unless of course Trish's has fallen apart Edited February 19, 2006 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aunty e Posted February 19, 2006 Share Posted February 19, 2006 I'm going to use eyelets in mine (a heavy duty plastic dust sheet) I think, as I have a few kicking around. Did somebody mention bungee hooks??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cookie Posted February 19, 2006 Share Posted February 19, 2006 I made mine today - from Clare's top instructions, ta muchly Clare - and am very proud of it! I used a shower curtain from B&Q becasue IKEA at Edmonton had no clear shower curtains in at all. The one I got is clear with large funky blue spots on it - looks fab! And I bought up all of the small size bungy hooks in our local B&Q. OH's twin brother was over this monring, while I was making it, and looked on with what can only be described as awe as I sauntered out to the garden, made a few measurements, snipped a few holes, tied a couple of knots adn then fixed a very funky, professional looking cover over the run . He now thinks I do this sort of practical thing all the time when actually he couldn't be more wrong!! Had to come inside and paint my toenails after such a non-me display of practicality Love, Cookie. xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linda Posted February 19, 2006 Share Posted February 19, 2006 Good on you Cookie. Sounds like BIL was very impressed!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted February 20, 2006 Share Posted February 20, 2006 Well done Cookie, it sounds fab - any pictures? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cookie Posted February 20, 2006 Share Posted February 20, 2006 Hmmmm....pictures.... Our digital camera still has gremlins but will have another try later this week. I still don't have any decent pics of Betsy & Gloria themselves. My success was all down to your instructions and tips Clare. Both my OH and BIL admitted afterwards that they thought I was going to bodge something together with dreary old tarpaulin - as if!! A funky blue spotted cover with nice neat bungee hooks is much more in keepnig with the eglu Love, Cookie. xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley-Jean Posted February 20, 2006 Share Posted February 20, 2006 Aren't we doning well I'm off to B&Q today Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted February 20, 2006 Share Posted February 20, 2006 You're welcome Cookie, i found it easy peasy too, had to get an adult to help with the scissors though Methinks that there will be a national shortage of shower curtains soon! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cookie Posted February 21, 2006 Share Posted February 21, 2006 Methinks that there will be a national shortage of shower curtains soon! Well there weren't any shower curtains like the one you used in IKEA when I went!! B&Q will be running out before you know it Cookie. xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PurpleHen Posted February 21, 2006 Share Posted February 21, 2006 I have just posted this in the Eglu section, but thought I'd add it here as well... I have just ordered from this site http://www.allplaz.co.uk/acatalog/Clear_Tarps.html - with a little help. They were very helpful on the phone. The covers listed on the page are too wide, but I happened to look on their "specials" page (near bottom on left hand side) and they do offer other dimensions. They are slower to come as they get these made up. So - I have put my name down for a run extension from Omlet, which will make a 3m run (I think), so I have ordered a 3m x 0.85m cover. the bonus is that it is completely clear and I can always fold it back to use on the run without the extension. They also sell little bungies like the ones that come with the Omlet covers. More expensive than a shower curtain - but I don't want to go to B&Q etc - and I hope as this is heavy duty it will last a lifetime Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nic_78 Posted January 24, 2008 Share Posted January 24, 2008 I'm totally brand new to this (so I'll say my initial 'hi' here). I've got my very first Eglu on order so have been scouring the forum pages to pick up hints and tips about what I need to go buying in advance, including people's comments on rain covers (hence why I stumbled across this post). Anyway, I know this is an older thread, but I'm really quite keen on getting a clear tarpaulin made up to size to keep the chickens protected from all this nasty rain we have to endure at this time of year, and noticed comments here about getting custom made sizes. So in the absence of actually having an Eglu to go measuring up (since it hasn't arrived yet), I was hoping that somebody on here would be kind enough to give me a hint as to the best size for a cover? It's the standard Eglu without the run extension that I've ordered, so I'm really looking for the best length and width measurements for the cover - the website only shows the length including the skirt, and doesn't give any clue as to the height/diameter of the curved bit. I'm conscious that I'd like something to protect them from the wind and rain, but I don't want to stop the air circulating around the pen, so I probably don't want something wide enough that it'd cover the whole entire pen from floor to floor on either side. So an idea of the best length/width measurements to allow some, but not complete coverage would be perfect! Fingers crossed that somebody can help me with this! And I'd just like to say thank you to everybody here on the forums...without all the hints and tips I really wouldn't have a clue where to start, but I now feel thoroughly educated and set to go (although it has zapped literally days of my life reading through everything and trying to get myself up to speed...how addictive is this? Heh). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted January 24, 2008 Share Posted January 24, 2008 Hi Nic - clear shower curtains, especially the IKEA ones are the business. I threw one over the run and cut a slight taper at the eglu end to accommodate the run, then used some plastic eyelets that i got from Millets, and some bungee hooks fro B&G. The whole thing cost under a tenner. If you look at my album link in the signature, you can see my first attempt before I discovered the eyelets Both my eglu and the rablu now have clear covers, which keep out the rain and the worst of the wind, but let plenty of light and fresh air in. Takes under 10 minutes to make. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nic_78 Posted January 24, 2008 Share Posted January 24, 2008 Ahh, thank you! I'd read a bit about the shower curtains, but I was worried about how durable they'd be and if they'd rip where I'd had to put holes in them...but the eyelet thing looks like it would solve that problem - did you need to reinforce it with any tape along the bottom? And if the Ikea ones are the right size, then that solves my problem about getting the right dimensions too. I was also a bit concerned that it'd be a bit difficult to do it myself, but if you've managed it in ten minutes, it's maybe not as difficult as I expected it to be. I anticipate another Ikea trip coming on... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted January 24, 2008 Share Posted January 24, 2008 The IKEA ones are the right length - I found Tesco shower curtains to be shorter and not as supple and durable, not to mention more expensive! The eyelets made my day - i used to reinforce the corners with tape, which wasn't ideal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
