Roof Input Please

[PTFowl]

I’m in the Pacific NW, average temperatures run 40’s in winter and 60’s in summer. It can dip down to the teens and go up to the 80’s on rare occasions. The 12 x 5 coop and covered run are in a shady spot with plenty of ventilation. I’ve read all the archived posts on this list about the pros and cons of clear roofing and decided to put clear roofing on the coop and run. But the builder that’s installing the roof brought over a semi-transparent roofing (even though the label says "clear") that has a blue tint that allows light through but is clearly not 100% clear. It hasn’t been installed yet but will be tomorrow. I don’t like the blue tint and think the clear would look better. Plus I want to be able to see into the coop from my upstairs window (okay maybe this is a little obsessive but it would have advantages--i plan to have a light on in the coop from 4 to 10 pm Oct thru March). But maybe the chickens would be better off with semi-transparency rather than fully clear roof, I don’t know. Any thoughts on this?

 

[mstrrlm]

Your Buying It You Want Clear Demand It And I Use It Too

 

[kevinhannan]

From my reading, a blue tint in light is similar to springtime light
and this might lead your chicks into thinking it's always the start
of the year and so get busy with the eggs! Although to be fair,
I don't know how the mix of yellow-Autmnal light mixed with blue
will work.

I have been down to my local diy store and I can easily recall the
blue tint in their 'clear' plastic roofing material. I wonder if it's just
part of that manufacturers process, or if it's a UV-stabiliser?

Either way, you gets whats you pays for. If you want clear, demand it!

 

[PTFowl]

Major thanks to both of you. 100% clear it is. That’s what I put in the specs and I’ll be a pain in the butt about it if I have to. Will sure be glad when this coop/run build is done.

 

[Frithest]

PTFowl, make sure the roofing is installed with the correct side up. Only one side has the UV coating that keeps the plastic from fogging over time. If it's put on upside down it'll go cloudy.

 

[Pharm Girl]

We had clear corrugated plastic roofing over our arbor and proceeded to cook under it for 10 summers. It created a 'greenhouse' effect by letting in all the sun and holding in the heat. We just replaced it with solid white and have been so much cooler. My chicken coop run has clear still, but I put a surgical drape under it for full summer shade. The clear is nice for our terminally rainy fall/winter/springs though so they can capitalize on whatever light our grey skies have to offer. You say it's in a shady spot, so clear will probably be perfect for you.

 

[PTFowl]

Quote:
Good to know--in this marine climate the chickens don't need any more fog.

Pharm Girl--nice to hear from another chicken person here in Vampire Land.

 

[Frithest]

PTFowl and Pharmgirl, I'm in Seattle too and just waiting to put the roof on my coop. I have been trying to not spend any more $$ on it and am looking for used corrugated zinc roofing, plus a little of the clear for the sun-porch end. If you know of anywhere that has this around please give me a holler. I've gotta get these birds out of my house!

 

[mtnhens4]

I really like my "smoke" colored corrigated roof over our run, but we don't have much shade either. Here is a pic.

 

[PTFowl]

Quote:
Frithest, There's an architectural salvage store in my town called Waste Not Want Not that sometimes has recycled roofing. I know Seattle has several of these types of recycle stores and I bet you could find something there.