Covered chicken run and water collection.
Whether or not you should keep a covered chicken run seems to be a conversation that occurs in a lot of the chicken-keeping groups I am in online. Regardless of whether you allow your chickens to free range, or if they are kept in a run daily, keeping a covered chicken run is important and beneficial for several reasons.
1. Predator protection: A covered run provides protection against predators such as hawks, owls, raccoons, and foxes, to name a few. The overhead cover prevents them from accessing the chickens, reducing the risk of attacks.
2. Disease prevention: A covered run prevents wild birds from mingling with your chickens and reduces the chances of transmission of diseases like avian influenza. It also minimizes contact with wild bird droppings, which can harbor pathogens.
3. Cleaner eggs and reduced cleaning: With a covered run, eggs tend to stay cleaner, as do your chickens! Chickens kept out of the rain and a run that stays dry makes for cleaner eggs. You can also train your chickens to only use their nesting boxes for egg laying and you can read about that HERE.
4. Weather protection: A covered run protects from adverse weather conditions such as rain, snow, and excessive sun. It keeps the chickens dry and shaded during rainstorms and prevents overheating during hot summers.
5. Chicken welfare and behavior: Keeping a covered run creates a more secure and comfortable environment for chickens. They have a sense of protection as they scratch around, dust bathe, and forage without the fear of predators.
Not only does covering your run work out for your chickens, but you can take a self-reliance approach with this as well. When we decided, we were going to cover our run I wanted to get more practical use from it. I spent time researching if I could collect rainwater from my home roof and soon realized that was very unsafe. I thought, why not collect from the chicken coop? I’ll put a sheet metal roof on. Matt agreed and he covered our run with metal for safer water collection. We have not fully finished putting rain barrels in, but that is on our summer to-do list. Ensure you get food-grade barrels for collection only. Below are some of the most obvious reasons for getting a metal roof and collecting rainwater on your chicken coop.
Rainwater collection: The sheet metal roof provides a smooth surface that efficiently channels rainwater into gutters or collection systems. This collected water can be used for various purposes, such as watering plants or providing drinking water for the chickens. It can even be further filtered for your family if you needed water in an emergency.
Reduced reliance on other water sources: Collecting rainwater reduces dependence on other water sources, especially during dry periods or in areas with water scarcity. If you live in an area where you have to pay for water, like we do, this can also save you precious dollars during the summer!
It is crucial to note that there are concerns with collecting water from home roof shingles as I briefly mentioned above. Collecting water from home roof shingles may not be ideal for several reasons:
Contamination: Roof shingles can accumulate dust, debris, bird droppings, and other pollutants. Collecting water from such surfaces may introduce contaminants into the collected water, making it unsuitable for consumption or use.
Chemicals: Most roofs are treated with chemicals like pesticides or fire retardants, which can leach into the rainwater and contaminate it.
Health risks: If the roof shingles are old or damaged, they may contain harmful substances like lead or asbestos, which can contaminate the collected water and pose health risks.
We hope this has helped you if you’re on the fence about covering your chicken run, as you can see it offers many benefits from predator protection, disease prevention, cleaner eggs, weather protection, and improved chicken welfare. A sheet metal roof can facilitate efficient rainwater collection, while collecting water from home roof shingles may pose contamination and health risks.
-Sarah
