Coop Roof Option for Best Ventilation

[Drake_D]

Hey Everyone,

New to the group and new to raising chickens.

Just working on building my first coop (5x6). Still working on the structure but as I've been building, I can't decide on a roofing material.
I'm torn between steel or shingles. I'm just wondering which one would offer me the most/best ventilation. I know they offer ridge vents in both metal (with using the vented foam closure strips) and in shingles (vented/louvered plastic peice that is nailed over the ridge and then shingled over).

I appreciate any bit of insight any of you may have to offer!

Thanks!

 

[U_Stormcrow]

First. Make a bigger coop if you can. Preferably multiples of 4 or 8. Less cutting. What you spend in materials you save in time. Less waste, too. Abundance is a social lubricant - more space in a coop is never a problem. 5x6 is 30 sq foot less wall thickness. Good for maybe six birds, depending on your run size. 6x8 is 48 sq foot, 60% larger, fewer cuts, less waste. 8x8 is 64 sq foot - more than twice your starting size - and with enough width that a single roosting bar doesn't take up most of the horizontal space.

Second, and your original question. Metal roofing, Preferably the 5v profile (not the wave). Its both cheaper than shingles and FAR less susceptable to user error in installation. Shingling correctly takes skill. That requires practice. That you are asking this question (no offense) means you haven't had the practice to develop the skill.

FWIW, I've shingled a few roofs. They didn't leak. I STILL chose metal roofing for my hen house, my goat shed, my storage shed, my barn, and later, my bunny breezeway. So much faster. cheaper, will almost certainly last longer.

 

[McChooky]

I have a 8 x 16 ft long run covered top to bottom with 1/2" hardware cloth and a tarp (much like having a hoop coop but better ventilated) Not only is it cheaper than metal roofing or shingles tarps are easier to install and replace (every 5 years)

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I will conceed that "hoop coops", which also rely on tarp roofing are fast to construct, light weight, and very effective - which is why the are so often used as mobile chicken tractors. Considering building one myself.

 

[Sally PB]

@Drake_D, this wasn't part of your question, but also consider what weather your roof will need to withstand. In my case, snow load is a BIG concern. Michigan gets a lot of heavy, wet snow.

Except this year. We got diddly.

And,

 

[Drake_D]

@Drake_D, this wasn't part of your question, but also consider what weather your roof will need to withstand. In my case, snow load is a BIG concern. Michigan gets a lot of heavy, wet snow.

Except this year. We got diddly.

And,

@Sally PB
So what type of roof did you go with?

I am in Canada. So we get hot summers and cold snowy winters (or I should say used to....thanks to global warming lol).

That's why I ruled out Ondura roofing because of the heavy snow we can get in the winter.
With everyone's responses so far (which I greatly appreciate), I'm thinking metal is my best option (price wise and durability wise).

Just wanted to see if the roofing material would effect my ridge vent efficiency but it doesn't seem like that's the case. I'm probably just over thinking this.

 

[aart]

Except this year. We got diddly.

Well, except for the 16" and frigid temps that one week, but I'm in the snow belt.

I'm thinking metal is my best option (price wise and durability wise).

Just wanted to see if the roofing material would effect my ridge vent efficiency but it doesn't seem like that's the case. I'm probably just over thinking this.

Just make sure your roof framing will handle the snow load.
...and that you have other venting other than the ridge(which really isn't much for a chicken coop). Good soffit venting, under large roof overhangs, is the best bet for harsh climates.

 

[Sally PB]

My coop has a metal roof. The run has polycarbonate panels over half, and the "addition" has a heavy duty tarp, the black/silver kind from TSC, that has come through 3 Michigan winters and is still in great shape. It's tied down with zip ties, so it doesn't flap around in the wind.

The polycarbonate panels are 83% light transmission, and it can get hot under there, even with a ridge vent and open sides covered with hardware cloth. I'll be putting up some kind of shade cloth in a few weeks.

Both parts of the run are built on a metal frame that was originally for a neighbor's green house. I used chicken wire to cover the roof of the addition, and put the tarp over that. The chicken wire spreads out the weight of the snow.

In the winter, morning open chores include brooming off the snow. I can reach the peak of the run with a push broom. The roof of the coop is an arch, so it's very strong.

 

[Sally PB]

Well, except for the 16" and frigid temps that one week, but I'm in the snow belt.

"That one week." That's how my husband summed up this winter.

 

[Drake_D]

Well, except for the 16" and frigid temps that one week, but I'm in the snow belt.


Just make sure your roof framing will handle the snow load.
...and that you have other venting other than the ridge(which really isn't much for a chicken coop). Good soffit venting, under large roof overhangs, is the best bet for harsh climates.

@aart

Ya the framing will be built to handle the snow. I plan on putting 1/2" plywood over the framing as well. The soffits are going to be completely open (with hardware cloth covering openings) for additional venting. I have read on here that running open soffit and a ridge vent are the most optimal setup for chicken coop ventilation. Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.