OMG prices just keep going UPPPPPPP!

[raingarden]

That's how it is here too. The 1x1 and 1x2 wire has not been available for two full years now.

 

[Callender Girl]

I couldn't get the wire fencing for MONTHS, ending up snagging a couple of rolls at a household auction.

 

[drdoct]

OK We ripped everything out and poured a concrete slab and I've been obsessively planning and drawing and redrawing and pricing and repricing materials for our new coop for week and the new chicks arrive this week...

Every time I reprice things it's more expensive! I HAVE GOT to go to the lumber yard tomorrow and just firm things up. I wish I could build something beautiful, but it's gonna be a 8x10 shed with LP Smartside panels (yuck). Or????? Even that is gonna cost like $1,500 here in Los Angeles after all is said and done. Maybe I should just build something lovely? Argh. Meanwhile, those chicks are about to get dropped in the mail!

I understand this fully. We're moving from our TSC starter coop to a larger one to add chix. I was going to just build out a basic 4x8 coop and had the 4x4 and studs in the cart. Then I got to the T-111 and the sticker shock just got to me. We're going to just repurpose a tin shed we have instead. I'll be posting questions soon. You could also search used playhouses on the book of faces marketplace. I saw some that would work great, but they're too far from me.

 

[Acre4Me]

I understand this fully. We're moving from our TSC starter coop to a larger one to add chix. I was going to just build out a basic 4x8 coop and had the 4x4 and studs in the cart. Then I got to the T-111 and the sticker shock just got to me. We're going to just repurpose a tin shed we have instead. I'll be posting questions soon. You could also search used playhouses on the book of faces marketplace. I saw some that would work great, but they're too far from me.

I’m not sure where you are located. However, in certain environments, a metal roof, without an underlayment can cause moisture problems. Water will condense on the underside of the tin roof and drip in the coop. But, if you place wood underneath (like plywood), it prevents that. But, maybe you are in a climate that won’t have this problem. I mention this bc usually much easier to fix before chickens are residing in the coop.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Practical > Pretty.

Have you looked at Hardieboard instead of SmartSide? Its harder on tools, but has greater moisture resistance.

 

[chfriedmam]

I’m not sure where you are located. However, in certain environments, a metal roof, without an underlayment can cause moisture problems. Water will condense on the underside of the tin roof and drip in the coop. But, if you place wood underneath (like plywood), it prevents that. But, maybe you are in a climate that won’t have this problem. I mention this bc usually much easier to fix before chickens are residing in the coop.

Yes, it's my understanding that actually metal is great at reflecting heat back out into the environment if that is a concern, but you need to have really good ventilation. I wanted to put a ton of corrugated metal, but alas, that is expensive too.

 

[chfriedmam]

Practical > Pretty.

Have you looked at Hardieboard instead of SmartSide? Its harder on tools, but has greater moisture resistance.

Good idea, I looked at it. Honestly I think Hardiboard might be beyond the installation abilities of me and my sons. I mean, we could bang it on, but not well. That is another thing with these engineered products, they all have pretty specific ways they have to be applied.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Good idea, I looked at it. Honestly I think Hardiboard might be beyond the installation abilities of me and my sons. I mean, we could bang it on, but not well. That is another thing with these engineered products, they all have pretty specific ways they have to be applied.

Deck Screws. Its the cutting that sucks. But don't jump into it if you aren't confident, its not a particularly forgiving product

 

[3KillerBs]

However, in certain environments, a metal roof, without an underlayment can cause moisture problems. Water will condense on the underside of the tin roof and drip in the coop. But, if you place wood underneath (like plywood), it prevents that. But, maybe you are in a climate that won’t have this problem.

but you need to have really good ventilation.

Yes, while there are *some* places where some kind of thermal break is necessary for metal, for the most part the key is excellent ventilation at the top and bottom of the roof slope so that air flows along the full underside surface of the roof -- carrying warm, moist air up and out plus enough overhang that any condensation that does form to run down along the roof to drip outside the coop instead of inside.

A *little* moisture inside an Open Air coop isn't necessarily a terrible thing if it's not dripping into the nests or onto the birds when they're perching. I got a little snow in Neuchickenstein from our storms. It melted and was absorbed into my Deep Litter system to help with the composting.

We're going to just repurpose a tin shed we have instead.

Post photos and we can help you with the conversion.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I’m not sure where you are located. However, in certain environments, a metal roof, without an underlayment can cause moisture problems. Water will condense on the underside of the tin roof and drip in the coop. But, if you place wood underneath (like plywood), it prevents that. But, maybe you are in a climate that won’t have this problem. I mention this bc usually much easier to fix before chickens are residing in the coop.

Putting a wood deck under metal roofing increases costs, creates a more substantial thermal break (and thus, more condensation), then hides it from view until the damage is more substantial. It **IS** an appropriate method (plus insulation) when you are trying to keep dry, conditioned air inside the building envelope, such as with a home. Our chickens, generally speaking, don't get such consideration.

I would not recommend except in certain very unique environments. Better exposed metal, with a significant overhang beyond the footprint of the walls, so that any condensation which does form will, in the main, roll down and outside the structure, along the inner edge of the fascia (or metal drip edge, which is what I use. when I don't need to hang gutters (and sometimes, even then, by hanging the gutters off the rafter ends - which is admittedly poor practice, but functional).

Good airflow should ensure that the top of the roof surface and the bottom are similar temps, and that any water damage is readily visible.