Tin or plywood?

[Luke74]

This is basicly for those of us who live in the south SW more particular. But would the use of a corragated tin coop be advisable? Would the heat inside be an issue even if you allowed for extra ventalation?

First time user long time reader!!

 

[unionwirewoman]

I live in Mt. and ours is made of plywood . It still gets very warm in there , so I would think tin in the south , even ventilated would be extremely hot . Just my thoughts though .

 

[nccountrygirl]

I have tin on mine but it's under the trees in the back yard. So far so good.

 

[Dogginfox]

My coop is a modified metal storage shed like the ones in the parking lot of home depot or lowes. In the middle of summer it gets very hot. I think my girls only went inside to get food and sleep this past summer. I will be building a new coop this summer out of plywood, the only metal will be on the roof.

 

[picklespickles]

my shed that was a three sided wood shed and now is half filled in on fourth wall has a corrugated roof. i live in new mexico so heat is a major concern here. there is tons of vent on mine obviously, just old wood scraps. so fine here. but i wouldn't do one with all metal. don't think it would be safe here. the roof is fine though.

unless, metal shed under shade tree. but where you gonna find shade tree in sw?

 

[arlee453]

Just wanted to say WELCOME! Don't let your first post be your last

I'll leave the advice to others who have been there-done that.

 

[Yonaton]

We've always had tin coops - all walls and roof - floor wood.

To help cut the heat down in summer and keep heat in better in winter, just put cardboard where a normal plywood/sheetrock wall would be. Get boxes and just open them or cut them to fit the 2x4's in the walls and ceiling joists. It takes a bunch of boxes, but it works well. Remember to keep your ventilation open though.

 

[TaconChicks]

I'm in Austin, TX. We got chickens in May 2007. I am currently using a modified metal shed from Lowe's, but the chickens really don't like it. It does have a plywood floor. It did get really hot last summer. The chickens go in for food & to lay eggs & that's about it. We do make them sleep in there when its below freezing (to stay out of the wind). The coop does have a nesting area and plenty of perch room, and it is 8 x 10, but they prefer to sleep perched on the yard furniture. Fortunately, we do not have any predators, so I don't have to lock them up.

I've noticed the metal shed can be quite noisy when we get a good breeze. We've decided to build a wood coop before summer. At that time, I will convert their sleeping patterns to be in the coop instead of on the furniture. (Cleaning poop off of my lawn furniture gets old.)

 

[HenHaven]

My coop is a wood frame with small chicken wire, a tin roof. I have their roost in a 3-sided plywood "hutch" to block drafts. If I had to do it over again, I would make the hutch in such a way that the back could be easily removed for summer, and replaced in the winter. In the fall, I cover all the sides of the coop with plastic sheeting and remove it when it warms up in the spring. The chicken wire ceiling and tin roof allow for ventilation.

The summer heat is what you will really need to address. They will need shade and good airflow. We have hot, dry summers here, and I have shade for the coop, but on one side, I drape shade cloth to keep things cooler. Depending on how much shade you have, you may even want to use misters in the summer.

Lynn

 

[allen wranch]

I am also in a hot region and have not had any problems with my metal coops.

The one below is closed up for the winter. However, the flaps open on the windows, nest boxes and above the doors. The metal on the doors can also be completed taken off if necessary, and there is welded wire with hardware cloth underneath. The side of the coop you cannot see has a 4ft wide door and long windows on the walls covered with hardware cloth.

With this coop the runs are shaded and there are large windows in the coop.

The key is lots of ventilation. I also have exhaust fans in the long coop and misters under the eaves of both coops for when it is REALLY hot.