Coop Roofing Materials

[LAguy]

I have pretty much everything designed for my coop and run except for the roofing materials so advice is requested please -

I live in southern Louisiana - warm, rainy summers - cold, rainy winters. The roof will be a flat slanted roof, slanting to the rear of the coop - facing north.

Available materials -

Roof shingles

Corrugated Tin

Corrugated colored plastic / ?

What are your thoughts and suggestions.

Thanks

Adrian

 

[CSWolffe]

Corrugated tin will be a much cheaper(and better) choice in the long run. Exposed ply, even sealed, WILL de-laminate, leak, and grow mold. Ply is NOT meant to be exposed to the weather, it is engineered to be covered by a weather proof product. If you try to cheap out now, you will just end up replacing the roof in a few months, maybe a year.
Believe me, I understand now money can be tight, but please, try to find a way to justify the tin. You will be much happier in the long run.
If hot summer sun is an issue, you can do what I did. I started with a ply roof, then built up an airway with 1x2s before I installed the tin. This gives space for air to flow underneath and cool the tin, rather than directly heating the coop below.

 

[crumptz]

Hey, I just called a roofing company and asked if they had shingles available for a kids project. I told them I only needed enough for 4X5 area and they are giving them to us for free! Can't beat that price!

 

[FireTigeris]

I have a corrugated metal roof, whatever was cheapest.

Good at preventing sunlight and shedding water

 

[gapeach717]

My husband wants to do tin, but it is pricey for us, I think we will do sealer rolled plywood. For now and add shingles later.

 

[speedy2020]

I would go with white plastic sheet (not clear) that let light enter through the roof. I bought and use for patio for 10 years and no sign of damage. It works great. Your chickens will lay more eggs during the winter month. It also save $ without buying plywood for the roof. The water also safe for chicken if you wish to run to your automatic nipple water system. The water from shingle roof material is toxic for chicken.

 

[conny63malies]

if you use metal or plastic roof use light color roofing. How cold does it really get in the winter. Cold winter is relative. For me cold is -25F with several foot of snow and winds blowing , but for you it might be 32F and flurries. If you are concerned about your chickens getting cold you could build a soda can (yes, beer cans work too lol) solar heater.

 

[FireTigeris]

If you are doing plywood you need the shingles now.

I'm in North FL it snows every approx 100 years -

I'm worried about heat but with the metal roof reflective up- and 8 feet high heat transfer is not an issue

here's mine:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/gallery/album/view/id/6177963/user_id/44847

that's 1/4 inch welded wire (as thick as I could afford) and on the covered part metal.

 

[wilbilt]

I like the corrugated, galvanized metal roofing. It is inexpensive and maintenance free. It also has a look that goes well with "chicken coop".

 

[wilbilt]

Free is always good.