Worth the effort to use recycled tin/ metal roofing in Texas heat?

[Wink]

I've got potential access to an old barn in which I could snag up some of the tin/metal roof. I have no idea what the condition is like, haven't seen pictures, etc.

I love FREE and I love recycling materials. I also don't want a literal hot bed of chicken death for our first coop!

I have read that it needs a foam board or plywood underneath the metal roof even just for condensation purposes. I get that, but if I'm adding plywood (for instance) in conjunction with a metal roof, won't that still be the same stifling effect as 3-tab/ tar paper/plywood roof?

Would 3/8 plywood be thin enough to do the job?

My other choice I had in mind were those Ondura corrugated roofing plastic pieces at lowes, etc.... Wasn't sure if those give off condensation, so I'd be right back to plywood on the underside?

Man, everytime I feel like I GOT this, I really don't! ;-)

 

[bywaterdog]

Get the metal, if you don't use it for the roof then bury it 1/2 up around the edge of your run. This will keep the peeps from digging out and critters from digging in. I have it as the roof on my Coop here in New Orleans and have never had condensation problems nor have I had any roasted chicks from the heat.
Good luck with both the coop and chickens.

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

Have you considered insulating under the metal if you were to use it as roofing material? I did that with mine and it works better than I could have thought at keeping the heat out (we get very hot here where I live). I got the idea of insulating under the corrugated roofing material from someone here on BYC from TX that insulated under their metal roof and they said it was the best thing they did when constructing their coop. I'd definitely find a way to use the free materials. Good luck!

 

[Wink]

I guess I'm not sure what insulating would entail.... My husband is really not supportive of too detailed efforts.... As in, coop yes, cute yes, hardware cloth yes, medium coop no, fan no, heater, no.... He just wants to keep it simple and do-able. So I'm putting forth best efforts to make it safe and comfortable for the ladies, but no electricity for either heat or cooling. But if insulating is too expensive.... I'm sure he'd gripe about that, too!

 

[elmo]

First thing, look for the shadiest part of your yard to site your coop, particularly in the mid to late afternoon. That makes a huge difference.

The first two coops I built get morning shade but afternoon sun. Even though one of the coops has open walls (only hardware cloth), the afternoon sun makes it terribly hot.

I just finished having a shed size coop built for me. It's well ventilated, but the key thing is it's location. It is shaded nearly all the day, and gets no afternoon sun because the sun is blocked by our garage. Bingo! I've got a temperature gauge in the new coop, and the combination of shade and ventilation keeps the inside of the coop no warmer than the ambient temperature outside.

Another thing to look into is radiant insulation. My new coop has a conventional shingle roof but I used radiant sheathing underneath.

 

[Judy]

I have a metal coop with metal rood out in the sun in south Georgia, because the metal was here and already paid for (long story.) Yikes!

I keep a box fan running during the hot months. On really bad days I hose the roof. They pant and lift their wings some days, but never really seem in distress; they still run around, eat, etc.

Once in two years I got condensation inside the roof. There is a good breeze through the coop. We seem to be in some sort of geographic wind tunnel here, and built the coop to catch it.

One day my coop will be shaded.....

 

[Wink]

The coop itself will face the east, and get morning sun..... But the run and part of the coop will be extending back into the shaded woods. Once the sun is high in the sky, the coop will be fully shaded. Guess I'm just concerned about the amount that WILL be in the sun. I'll probably use 3/8 plywood and the metal roof over that! Hoping Im making the right choice!

 

[NonnasBabies]

There is some stuff that you can get at Home Depot and paint it on the metal. It's white and it helps reflect the sun off!! My coops not enclosed so I can't really say if it makes that much of a difference. But at the time we did all that our plans were to completly enclose it.

Missi

 

[wpalmisano]

Absolutely. i have an old fish camp with a mobile home and i use rubberized roof coating which reflects heat. As for free, I built many things with old roofing plywood and such. I just remove the nails and primer it. Then cut to size. Old dog houses make great coops. Its all good.

 

[Judy]

Quote:
Sounds ideal to me. Obviously they need access to some sunlight, and morning sun is certainly better than afternoon sun in a hot climate. And in winter the morning sun will warm them. Wish I had a way to put the coop where it got afternoon shade.

Good luck!!