I have a cube, this is my third year.
I have eight hens.
I live in NY on Long Island.
They've made it down to zero on winter nites
and I don't close the coop door.
Every time I have to clean it I fall in love with it again.
Cleaning out the poop is under 15 minutes.
(the poop part is probably under 5 minutes, wiping down the perch bars
and relining the trays with newspaper-like a birdcage-takes about 10)
A full fledged bucket and shamwow cleaning
when I have the energy (and the weather is nice)
is a bit over 30 minutes.
I can't imagine cleaning out a conventional coop.
It's watertight through pouring rain, including the
occasional hurricane. (make sure you keep the drainage holes
in the top sliding channel clear, a twig works for poking debris through the hole)
It is very well thought out. How it opens up and comes apart for cleaning,
how it is insulated, how it is ventilated.
It's plastic and like anything exposed to the sun and elements will fade over time.
Mine is not as bright a red as when I got it but it still is attractive.
Being plastic I think that after 8 to 12 years is will start to get brittle and eventually
start to crack.
But consider that there is no maintenance, no weather proofing or caulking or painting,
nothing to splinter, no bug-friendly material.
It's not cheap but I think long term it is very durable and economical in time and materials.
