Will chickens peck at Smartside? How weather resistant is smartside?

[trailrider330]

I am planning on using Smartside to reside our coop this fall. In fact, it has already been purchased and is in the barn waiting to be used. However, I now find myself having second thoughts about using it. Hence, I am hoping someone can answer any, or all, of these questions for me:

1.) For those of you who have Smartside on the outside of your coop, have you ever had issues with chickens pecking or damaging the backside of the Smartside while they are in the coop?

2.) How well does the backside of the Smartside hold up to moisture? For example, if rain were to get in along a top wall vent, or through a window, would it ruin the Smartside?

3.) If I hose down the coop from the inside, will it damage the Smartside?

4.) Has anyone ever had any issues with a predator getting through Smartside?

Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[Egghead_Jr]

1) Chickens don't peck thinks for the sake of it unless there are bugs on the surface.

2&3) Looking up Smartside I see it's engineered for weather.

4) I've never touched this stuff with my hands. Does it scratch super easy? The info on it says it's impact resistent so would assume it's hard. Not easily pawed through. If that's not the case then don't use it. Take a nail to the back side and test how easily claws can get through.

This is what I use for coops due to relative light weight, 0.322 thick Plytanium:

http://www.lowes.com/pd_19345-44903-719950___?productId=50371878&pl=1&Ntt=4x8+siding