After reading on here a bunch, we (I) decided that painting the interior was a good idea for 4 reasons...
1. Poop cleaning looks like its less of a chore on the slick surface provided by a high gloss paint. The experts here advise against flat or eggshell finish.
2. It seals the wood providing less hiding spots for mites and other harmful bugs
3. It preserves the wood which means the coop should last a little longer.
4. I had cans of old paint in the basement to use up, that were completely useless to me.
The only downside to painting the interior is the time investment. So far there has been no extra cost associated with it, but I do see a 1 gallon can of exterior paint on the horizon to do the outside of the coop in a uniform colour. I plan on a beige exterior with blue trim. Subject to change depending on what is in the mistint bin.
I like the snowfence idea. I was considering the same thing myself. I will likely also wrap the coop in tyvek or similar for the winter to cut drafts. Really though, I'll wait for the girls to tell me they need it before I seal up their house too much. We also have a bunch of old 30 X 50 tarps around from covering our boat. Since they are no longer useful as boat covers, I see them as winter windbreak to use on the fence for the run.
The tin roof is a great idea, and the suggestion below to carry it out over the run is a good one too. I priced used roofing tin at $0.90 per square foot (in Canada) so that could give you an estimating tool if you need to buy more. Don't forget to budget for fasteners, and count on at least a 3:12 pitch (1 foot up for every 4 feet across). If you have heavy snow loading you may have different pitch requirements or need a stronger frame to handle the load. Contact your local building department and ask if they have a minimum pitch for steel roofs.
1. Poop cleaning looks like its less of a chore on the slick surface provided by a high gloss paint. The experts here advise against flat or eggshell finish.
2. It seals the wood providing less hiding spots for mites and other harmful bugs
3. It preserves the wood which means the coop should last a little longer.
4. I had cans of old paint in the basement to use up, that were completely useless to me.
The only downside to painting the interior is the time investment. So far there has been no extra cost associated with it, but I do see a 1 gallon can of exterior paint on the horizon to do the outside of the coop in a uniform colour. I plan on a beige exterior with blue trim. Subject to change depending on what is in the mistint bin.
I like the snowfence idea. I was considering the same thing myself. I will likely also wrap the coop in tyvek or similar for the winter to cut drafts. Really though, I'll wait for the girls to tell me they need it before I seal up their house too much. We also have a bunch of old 30 X 50 tarps around from covering our boat. Since they are no longer useful as boat covers, I see them as winter windbreak to use on the fence for the run.
The tin roof is a great idea, and the suggestion below to carry it out over the run is a good one too. I priced used roofing tin at $0.90 per square foot (in Canada) so that could give you an estimating tool if you need to buy more. Don't forget to budget for fasteners, and count on at least a 3:12 pitch (1 foot up for every 4 feet across). If you have heavy snow loading you may have different pitch requirements or need a stronger frame to handle the load. Contact your local building department and ask if they have a minimum pitch for steel roofs.
