Coop roofing advice...

[MillCreekCoop]

I am currently building a coop for our 5 white leghorns...I was fortunate to aquire much of the lumber for free, but as you'll see from the pic, I did purchase new 1x3's for the framing...
My question is regarding the roofing material...I am leaning towards tin, but I'm open to other suggestions...I want a long-lasting material, but cost is important, as our budget is very small!
Thanks in advance for the help!

 

[Folly's place]

We did a standard 4/12 shingle roof and insulated it later. Metal roofs are good too. Money spent on roofing is never wasted; redoing it isn't fun, and leaks are the pits. Mary

 

[olderoo]

I'm a tin roof man myself.
You can shave a few bucks using roll roofing, and if your really strapped, use felt and tar.
Always give chooks a shed roof, but keep the pitch low if using tar.

 

[MillCreekCoop]

Thank you both!

 

[vehve]

Also remember to make the roof steep enough, the steeper the angle, the quicker water runs off it, and less snow stays on it (If this is a problem in your area). Remember to leave enough overhang, this way it protects the walls from the elements too. You want as little sun and rain hitting the walls as possible.

 

[Davaroo]

Also remember to make the roof steep enough, the steeper the angle, the quicker water runs off it, and less snow stays on it (If this is a problem in your area). Remember to leave enough overhang, this way it protects the walls from the elements too. You want as little sun and rain hitting the walls as possible.

Do be aware that too much overhang catches wind. A bad thing on a bare tin roof. A foot or so is enough.
A gable,10% the length of total roof span, added to the front of a shed roof is a good idea.
Odds are you won't use a tar roof, but if you do, a steep pitch will cause the tar to run.
This won't be seen until the sun shines bright in the spring and summer.

 

[vehve]

Do be aware that too much overhang catches wind. A bad thing on a bare tin roof. A foot or so is enough.
A gable,10% the length of total roof span, added to the front of a shed roof is a good idea.
Odds are you won't use a tar roof, but if you do, a steep pitch will cause the tar to run.
This won't be seen until the sun shines bright in the spring and summer.

Yeah, you don't want to build a huge sail, otherwise you'll be fetching your roof from the neighbors yard every time it gets a bit windy.

I don't really have much experience with just plain tin roofs, since here we usually insulate roofs, but I think it might be a good idea to take into consideration the fact that a roof gets really hot during sunny days. Maybe a plywood ceiling on the inside with breathing space between the ceiling and roof would be good. Unless you want a solar powered chicken roaster. This however is just my opinion, I'm sure you can have a perfectly functioning coop even with just a bare tin roof.

 

[Davaroo]

Yeah, you don't want to build a huge sail, otherwise you'll be fetching your roof from the neighbors yard every time it gets a bit windy.

I don't really have much experience with just plain tin roofs, since here we usually insulate roofs, but I think it might be a good idea to take into consideration the fact that a roof gets really hot during sunny days. Maybe a plywood ceiling on the inside with breathing space between the ceiling and roof would be good. Unless you want a solar powered chicken roaster. This however is just my opinion, I'm sure you can have a perfectly functioning coop even with just a bare tin roof.

Good point. Insulating to prevent heat intrusion is as good an idea as to prevent heat loss.
However, if you build a "fresh air coop" with adequate ventilation, it is less of a problem.
If the chooks are OUT IF THE COOP at sunrise, as they ought to be, it is also reduced as an issue.
Think open, and fresh air ventilated, except in the coldest months.

 

[vehve]

Yeah, in Maryland weather you probably don't really need to worry about insulation. I personally went a bit overboard, I started building a chicken coop and ended up with something resembling a second house...

 

[MillCreekCoop]

I appreciate all of the advice! As I've mentioned before, this is probably the best forum, for any subject matter, that I've ever participated in!
Anyhow...here in Maryland, we have scorching hot/humid summer, and bitter cold winters (ice is usually more of an issue than snow)...we live on the Eastern Shore of Maryland...the Delmarva Peninsula...our farm sits right on the water, just east of the Chesapeake Bay, which influences our weather in some pretty crazy ways!
I realize that raising hens is a hobby for many...I've seen some pretty elaborate "coops" if you can still call them that! lol Although we love our chicks, they are primarily just another step in our family's quest for self-sufficiency! I have very little money to spend on building supplies, and most of my materials have been reclaimed...
As you can see from the pic, it's progressing nicely...I have about 3-4 weeks before they are ready to go to coop, and I should have it completed by then...I home school one of my two children, and this coop has been a great home school project...raising the chicks, designing the coop, and building it, has been worth an entire semester of math, science, and even art lessons!!!
I decided to simply add a 1x3 to the top of my front wall...this provided adequate pitch for the roof...I then installed 3 rafters, and a plywood roof...I still haven't decided on the roof yet, but I will likely go with tin if I can find any, or PVC/rubber if I have to purchase it.
Nearly the entire rear of the coop consists of two large doors to access the nesting area and for clean-out...each side of the coop has a 12"x12" window that will be covered in wire as well as a door which can be opened and closed...we also acquired a large dog kennel which the front door will open in to...it will be covered to protect our flock from the large number of bald eagles and red-tailed hawks that we have here on Mill Creek!