Wooden vs Plastic coop

[Steph4chickens]

I am almost ready to start with my backyard chickens, and regardless of how much research I do, it is better to get advice from those who know! Which is the best route to take when getting a coop? I am only going to have 3-4 chickens and have a fairly large back yard for them to roam free during the day when I am home. I have no idea if it will be better for me to get a wood or plastic coop however. I live in Houston, TX so it get's extremely hot down here, which would allow a wood coop to breathing better, however we do get a significant amount of rain which I would assume would have a plastic coop lasting longer.
Any help and advice will be greatly appreciated!

 

[junebuggena]

I have a plastic shed, converted into a coop. I'm right on the coast so a wooden coop would have to be made entirely out of pressure treated materials. That adds a lot of expense to building a coop. A plastic/vinyl/resin shed was the most economical choice. The issue for you, being near the gulf, would be ventilation. Wood is much easier to modify for ventilation.

 

[AllynTal]

If you're talking about the pre-made dollhouse coops like you get at Tractor Supply or similar, they don't have enough ventilation imo to house more than a couple of birds. Whatever the claimed capacity is of the premade coop you're looking at, cut that number in half (and round down) to get a more accurate idea of capacity. Where you are in Texas, you'll want to put a roof-over on the coop to keep it from heating up like an oven in the summer. It shouldn't take more than a few purlins and a sheet of corrugated metal to roof-over those small roofs. If you paint it thoroughly inside and out before you put it together, you might get three or four years out of it.

I can't speak to the plastic coop. I have no experience with them. I've lived in cold regions (New England) and warm regions (Mississippi Gulf Coast) so I can speak to heat and cold, but I've always had wooden coops.

If I could make a suggestion, I'd consider looking at small pre-made storage sheds instead of those dollhouse coops. The sheds are built much more sturdy (though I'd still put a roof-over on it considering what your summers are like) and they're easy to convert to a coop by adding a pop door, roosting bars and nest boxes (and honestly, the nest box can be a 10-gallon Sterlite container laid on its side with nesting material in it.).

 

[Lazy Farmer]

In a shaded area the plastic would be advantageous. In direct Sunlight of ever, the UV Rays with deteriorate the plastic very quickly. Food for thought. Now there are different grades of PVC that are more UV resistant. Plastic can also become brittle in extreme cold and flimsy in heat. Do your homework. I wish you good fortune on whatever you decide to construct with.

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

There are real nice coops made in TX made out of cedar wood. They look nice and well built, but are pricey

 

[ChocolateMouse]

Remember that even in warm climates, plastic becomes sunbleached, brittle, and cracks. If you go plastic, make sure it's made out of a recyclable kind and you have somewhere to recycle it. Make sure the hinges on doors aren't going to just wear out fast.
4sqft per bird inside the coop is a good estimate for floor space.

I use a wood coop here in Ohio. A 4'x8' sheet of OSB with a tarp over it will last as a roof for 3-4 years for $12. We get 40inches of rain a year. 6 years on and I haven't touched the plywood walls. Wood's not so bad in the rain if you treat it right.

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

I've got a vinyl shed that is at least 20 years old. Still looks good. I don't think vinyl shed makers would be in business too long if their sheds didn't hold up.

 

[horselove]

I got a very nice 2-3 chicken coop at The Christmas Tree Shop, it's cedar and while it does have it's flaws, I think it would be better suited to a hot climate than NY where I live. I really think that whether or not it is rain proof depends on the roofing, also, in a hot and rainy climate, a plastic coop will turn into a combination of sauna and hot tub. I suggest a wood coop with a waterproof roof, maybe plexiglass or rubber pebbling?

 

[horselove]

even here not many people use plastic coops because steam and overheating in summer, as well as cracking in winter, are concerns.

 

[igorsMistress]

I live in Phoenix and we have a three sided coop made from wood. It will need a fresh coat of paint by Spring, a year, but works great. We decided against plastic because it degrades so quickly in the heat and sun.