corrugated metal or plastic for coop/run roof?

[Fishybiz]

View attachment 1087236 If you're going to use metal roofing, corrugated, 5V, or classic rib, you really don't need plywood under it unless you need it for insulation for some reason. You'll get better ventilation without using the plywood. Heat rises; it doesn't radiate downward. Not a good picture, but as you can see no plywood under my metal roof on my 5'X5' coop.

wow coop looks awesome!

 

[coopdeville15]

I live in southern Louisiana where I have to worry more with heat than with cold. I used polycarbonate roofing in a "Solar Gray" tint. I was worried that it might get too hot, but there is a vented ridge line and my overall design is very airy, probably too open for northern climes. My coop is about 9x16 with a smaller 9x6 second story "roosting" and nesting area that is covered on three sides with exterior plywood walls and a removable panel on the forth side, but everything else is enclosed with 1/2x2 in. hardware cloth. My chickens decided that they prefer to roost high up in the rafters, rather than on the lower roosting board I provided for them in the enclosed section, using it instead as a "stepping stone" to get onto the higher rafters. As my flock increased in size, I added 2x2 "purlins" between the cross beams to provide more roosting area. I used to allow my chickens out to free range range during the day, when I was off from work, and close them up at night when they went in to roost at night. When I had to work, they stayed in the coop 24/7. At that time, I had only 8 chickens and they had plenty of room to stay in the coop 24/7. After loosing a chicken to a predator during the middle of the day, I stopped letting them out to free range. I then invested in solar powered electric netting from Premeir1and now my coop stays open all the time and I have suffered no more losses. I now have a total of 21 chickens, pretty much maximum capacity for roosting in my coop, it would be too crowded to keep them "cooped up" 24/7, but with the open coop and the electric net, it works out just fine.

 

[coopdeville15]

Not shown in the above pics, taken just after construction, is the deep litter method used inside the coop. That grass inside on the dirt "floor" was gone in a matter of days upon introducing my chicks to their new home. Also not shown is the 200 ft of electric netting that now fences in the surrounding area. The chickens migrate in and out of the coop at will for water, feed and laying.

 

[CrystaBub]

Not shown in the above pics, taken just after construction, is the deep litter method used inside the coop. That grass inside on the dirt "floor" was gone in a matter of days upon introducing my chicks to their new home. Also not shown is the 200 ft of electric netting that now fences in the surrounding area. The chickens migrate in and out of the coop at will for water, feed and laying.

Gosh that's gorgeous! Nice job!

 

[Pork Pie]

Corrugated plastic is not something that I would use for roofing in hot climates. It creates significantly more heat than metal roofing. In addition, the heat will cause damage to plastic more readily than metal (it makes plastic more brittle).