Keeping chickens undercover

There are various reasons to keep your chicken’s run undercover:

To keep them safe from predators

The chickens should have a safe and secure coop that you keep them in at night so they are safe from predators but during the day you may wish to keep them undercover as a deterrent from unwanted predators straying into their enclosure.

To keep them dry

Each chicken has it’s own personality. Some like getting wet and others don’t. Read our recent blog ‘Do chickens like the rain?‘ for more insight.

To keep them separated from wild birds

This is of particularly importance during an outbreak of bird flu. Read our recent blog ‘Chickens in lockdown – how to cope with birdflu‘ for a more in-depth view of just how essential this is.

To stop them escaping

We’ve all seen the film chicken run right? Although i’m sure my girls aren’t plotting against me, i’m sure they wonder if the grass really is greener on the other side of the fence!

Whatever the reason is for wanting to keep your chickens undercover, I’ve explored and reviewed some of the most popular solutions below.

Best large and value for money – EUGAD Extra Large Run

• Dimensions: 220x103x103 cm; This run has a large space, ideal for rooster and chickens to safely scratch.
• High quality, stable and durable iron fence that guarantees their safety. The sunshade cover gives the chickens a comfortable place in the shade.
• Excellent and heavy the structure with four openings of which one is upper in the roof.
• Easy assembly and disassembly. Can be folded away when not needed to save space.
• Fence with door to facilitate the entry and exit of chickens. The door is equipped with a lock to ensure safety and protection.

Best large and easy to erect– When in Home Chicken Run

• Comes in various sizes:
  • WIH3-2. Size: 3m x 2m x 1.95m (Imperial: 9ft 10in x 6ft 7in x 6ft 5in)
  • WIH3-4. Size: 3m x 4m x 1.95m (Imperial: 9ft 10in x 13ft 2in x 6ft 5in)
  • WIH3-6. Size: 3m x 6m x 1.95m (Imperial: 9ft 10in x 19ft 8in x 6ft 5in)
  • WIH3-8. Size: 3m x 8m x 1.95m (Imperial: 9ft 10in x 26ft 3in x 6ft 5in)
• Heavy duty, galvanised steel frame construction with easy fit spring loaded button clip connectors. This makes erecting fast, easy and secure.
• Chicken wire is pvc coated 25mm hexagonal wire mesh with a wire diameter of 1.1mm (18 Guage)
• Outdoor weatherproof grey roof cover with silver lined coating.
• **Galvanised steel has been upgraded to 32mm tube – Most others use 25mm tube**

Best budget solution – Waterproof Heavy Duty Tarpaulin

• Comes in various sizes:
  • 1.5m x 6m = 9m² (5ft x 20ft = 100sq ft)
  • 2m x 2m = 4m² (6.5ft x 6.5ft = 42sq ft)
  • 2m x 3m = 6m² (6.5ft x 10ft = 65sq ft)
  • 3m x 3m = 9m² (10ft x 10ft = 100sq ft)
  • 3m x 4m = 12m² (10ft x 13ft = 130sq ft)
  • 3m x 6m = 18m² (10ft x 20ft = 200sq ft)
  • 4m x 5m = 20m² (13ft x 16ft = 208sq ft)
  • 5m x 6m = 30m² (16ft x 20ft = 320sq ft)
• Perfect addition if you already have a run in place and just need to cover it.
• Premium quality PP/PE tarpaulin 140g/m² – Rubber reinforced corners – All edges stitched with double material
• Coated on both sides – UV-stabilised – Waterproof – Mould resistant – Washable – Eco-friendly – Groundwater-neutral
• Works really well with ECENCE Bungee Cords that have a strong tension force and reliably hold the tarpaulin in place.

Best polytunnel – Outsunny Galvanized Steel Frame Outdoor Poly Tunnel

• Comes in various sizes:
  • 2.5m x 2m x 2m
  • 3.5m x 2m x 2m
  • 4.5m x 2m x 2m
• Features a durable polyethylene covering with grid threading and a sturdy galvanized metal frame for long-lasting use
• PE cloth is ventilated, anti-UV, age-resistant
• A large double zippered door makes for very easy getting in and out
• It comes with ventilation windows – essential to stop your chickens overheating
• Connected with screws between metal poles, which makes it more sturdy
• 4 pull ropes and 4 ground nails for stable fixation

Best DIY Solution

Well this is where I have to be a little bias! We chose to utilise the space we had and built our extended chicken run underneath our trampoline! Read our blog ‘How to create a chicken enclosure underneath your trampoline‘ to see how we did it and how recently we made it waterproof to withstand the great British winter weather!