stuck for a kennel run roof

[ams4776]

okay I'm making plans to make a kennel run this spring and figured now is the time to start my blueprints and pricing. Im stuck on the roof though, I'm in north west Pa so snow is the issue for me. Im looking for a cheap way to roof it that wont buckle under the snow or get blown away. Im ontop a hill and the wind gets nasty. Im still searching through threads but if anyone has an idea please let me know. BTY the kennel is 'attached' to my shed, so itll smack right up to a concrete builing. Thanks for any input.

 

[Hawkeye95]

I've seen a lot of roofs put on dog runs. There is the PVC plastic pipe that can be bent into a half circle shape and installed with tarp over it, or netting. Then, I've also seen people put 2X4's around the top of the run-- screwed them along the top rail and then used that as their foundation to build trusses over the top of that. BUT, you say your dog run is attached to the side of your building? So I'm assuming the long length runs along your building wall? What about just building out of 2X4's a steep "lean to" type roof. Just bolt them into the side of your building and attach them to the top of your run. Then you could put any kind of roofing on it-- corrugated metal, or even shingles. There are so many possibilities! I've even seen people cut up their trampolines to use the curved metal for building their tops.

 

[georgiagail]

Not sure this would work but this is what we did with ours (we're in Georgia so snow is just about unheard of here)....

Our first coop..

3/4 inch PVC/electrical pipe attached to the top rail of the kennel with brace rail clamps (found in the chain link section of Lowes; under $2 each) at 3 foot intervals. 36" hardware cloth run along the top of each pipe and attached with zip ties.

In the second coop we did the same roof but did not "hoop" the electrical pipe, simply cutting it the the width of the kennel run, attaching it with brace rail clamps and running the hardware cloth lengthwise, again attached with zip ties...

In the case of snow weight, would substituting wire fencing for hardware cloth be an option; allowing the snow to fall through but still providing a roof?

Gail

 

[ams4776]

The steep intp the building may work. Utimatly the kennel is all around the building. Going to split the run in two. One for adults and when i breed block off part for babies (their 'coop' will be in the building through a window.) Thanks for the input.

 

[ams4776]

The hoop wouldn't work to welll unless i had a way to divert water from running into the run. Trying to keep em from getting to drenched and keep snow out so they can use it in winter. We've had some nasty snow falls last few years.

 

[georgiagail]

Sounds like a solid roof would then be the way to go.

Gail

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Around here the snow sticks to whatever is on top, chicken wire, plastic mesh etc. the openings are just not big enough to let the snow through and it collapses.

 

[ams4776]

Yeah that sticky snow sucks. Had my run collapse inward last winter from the pileup. Taking precations this year but need bigger since i finally wore my dh down to let me expand. (Think he was waiting to make sure i could put our extras into camp freezer no prob)

 

[GoldDogsMom]

I added tin roofs to my runs, sloped so snow and rain will run off...

 

[anthrochick]

Does anyone use an all-weather cover like you would get made for a dog kennel? We are thinking of giving our flock some extra dry space and have two 10 foot long galvanized dog kennel panels. We were thinking of adding 6 foot sides and buying a cover from Sam's Club. I know, it can't be a flat cover.

http://www.samsclub.com/sams/shop/p...pid=CSE_Froogle&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=166784