# Ventilate covered run



## Fern (4 mo ago)

We just recently finished building the run for our new chickens. We thought that we were done for awhile, but now we're realizing that we have to do more to get ready for winter. We're planning to entirely enclose the run with thick plastic (mostly clear in color). Our coop is small and located inside the run. The temperature in our area rarely goes down below zero, but it can occasionally.

I know that the run needs to have ventilation, but I'm not exactly sure the best plan. Some advice says it's best for the openings to be at the top of the run on opposite sides. Others say the air needs to flow from the bottom to the top along one side of the run. Should we leave two bare strips to allow air in both at the top and bottom of one side? Or, do we leave two bare strips opposite each other at the top of two of the walls? How wide should these ventilation strips be? Not sure if I'm explaining it well.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

I'm not even sure you have to worry about ventilation. The run won't be as air tight as your coop. I used plastic over my runs for years to keep the winds off my birds and had no issues.

When it comes to questions on how to ventilate. It's a small opening at the bottom of one side and an opening high up on the opposite side. Think about it.

Editing to add: Make sure you lay strips of wood over where the plastic is attached so it doesn't pull away in the wind.


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