More improvements to the run

We have solid corrugated plastic roof over the patio area of the run, tarpaulin over the top of the triangular part because it’s an awkward shape and opening panels underneath all the straight parts of the run. However we have been disappointed by how wet the run gets in some parts due to water leaking through.

During recent wet weather I felt the new girls didn’t have enough dry space in their area so I put plastic sheeting under the panels as a temporary measure which has helped a lot. We have been thinking of ways to improve it and decided that we would like to have corrugated plastic over the top of half of the run, length ways, overhanging the end parts to take water out into the garden instead of into the end of the run.

My husband suggested covering the entire run but I want to be able to open half of it during sunny weather to help keep it cool and to give the girls some direct sunlight to sit in. We asked our neighbour, who is an all round handy man, if he could do the job for us and yesterday he got the job done.

We are really pleased with the results. This should keep three quarters of the run properly dry, the newly covered half plus the tarpaulin covered triangular part. With both sides open and half the length with panels being opened it should be cool enough on hot days. It is lighter and brighter and the integrating part for new girls should now stay completely dry.

It’s difficult to show what we have done so I have just taken one photograph from outside.

The run now has solid roof over half length ways

Looking in this direction the left half is covered in solid roof. It doesn’t show up much but the plastic runs out beyond the run into the garden, a few inches beyond the wood at the top. The part that the new girls are in is also roofed like this and again it extends beyond the run into the garden.

We are really pleased with this improvement and hopeful that the run will stay much drier. I am especially pleased that the new girl’s part will stay dry not only for them but for any future integrations.

My husband also had another great idea. While we have been mixing the girls it has been a bit of a problem that the original flock stay mostly in the top part of the run and the new girls stay at the bottom end of the run out of the way thus slowing the integration process.

My husband suggested we could use the screen that I bought a while back. My idea was to use it to contain the seramas to the covered patio area in bad weather, but it didn’t work out at all. He suggested we could use it as a temporary gate to the newer part of the run and close the hatch, then the new girls would have to mix in the top half of the run.

I tried it but with the feet that it had the little girls could squeeze underneath so my husband sawed off the feet. This meant I could push it into the ground so that there is no gap underneath.

New gate closed

New gate open

This will just be in use temporarily while we are integrating and then it can be stored back in the shed for future use. We feel that the new girls won’t fly over it and it will be enough to keep them to this part of the run where they will have to mix and maybe even discover the patio area.

I felt quite pleased that after buying this it will now have a use after all. What a great idea.

After all the works on the run yesterday it was too late to do any mixing but today I will try out the new gate. I am pleased with both these improvements. This run is forever evolving.

At bedtime I now wait for the new girls to go in at about quarter past six and then close the little coop. Last night Cinnamon had mastered the art of jumping on the little coop roof so that’s all three of them now able to do this.

I was just cleaning their feeding station while waiting for them to go in when Apricot jumped on to my shoulder. I was so surprised. I had never expected to have a serama jump on me. She was chatting away in my ear. I offered her the coop roof by tipping my shoulder so that could dismount but she stayed put.

Eventually I stooped down low so that she could jump down and she then went to bed. I have to say I felt quite elated at having a serama on my shoulder. Who would have thought It! They are full of surprises.