Mine was made of very thin Chinese fir. It came packaged very well but still had MULTIPLE pieces that were broken so bad there was no way to use or modify them to work. These broken pieces were literally in the center of the box surrounded by styrofoam so that meant it was packaged broken. It's poor quality control too say the least.
I too thought it would do, I could seal the wood to make it last. So I spent about as much on quality sealant as I did the coop. I thought I was smart in sealing each piece as I removed it from the box. (Can you see where this is going?). After over an hour of sealing pieces I came to the middle of the box where I found 3 of the broken ones. So, not wanting to waste my money on all the sealant I'd already used, I called the company to ask about replacing the broken parts. They couldn't do that. Each coop kit is made and packaged in China and they didn't keep any extra parts at the warehouse in the states.
Call me a "naysayer" if you will. But my advice to not waste your money is from personal experience. I can tell you that with the rain and humidity and slushy snow we get in the upper part of SC, there is no way this coop would have made it for an entire year WITHOUT extensive help and additional cost.
So ask yourself, what is your personal time worth going in? If you spend a few hours putting it together, then several more hours modifying it to possibly last a year. Now factor in the cost of all the extra materials and sealants you will need as well. So, ultimately, how good does it sound now?
Oh, and I completely agree, unless your chickens are small chickens (young or just bantams) this might hold as many as advertised. But not once they grow to full size. And with the original poster wanting to use it for ducks, I say even more so to not do it.
Ultimately, it's your time and money to do what you want with. I personally think you will regret it in the long run.
