opinion about using corrugated shaded roof?

[Srawl]

I'm talking about the clear corrugated roof that is shaded in has UV protection for the roof of a coupe. my fear is that they might get too much Sun or it gets too hot for them. But I've heard the more sun they get the better the egg laying is... so what do you think?

 

[Jakoda]

I have corrugated roofing on my run, it does not throw off heat, chickens need sunlight, but not glaring hot sunlight..

I have used the corrugated roofing from Lowes, I forget the brand, but it's like a rubber.

Here's a pic.


Held a TON of snow on top of it during a blizzard, I did put plywood underneath it tho it isn't reequired

 

[Srawl]

I'm talking about the kind that is plastic and looks like sunglasses.it's a little more expensive but I was thinking if I can get more eggs because they like the sunlight then I'd go with this.it says it has UV protection so I wouldn't think there would be a problem I just want to make sure.

 

[Jakoda]

The Ondura I used, is about 20 bucks a sheet (4 x *8)

It's not about the daylight sunlight they get,,it's the amount of hours of light they get. In the winter when there is less daylight, you might get less or no eggs..

I have a string of lights hanging in my coop so they have 'light', 12 hours a day.

I'm not sure if you already know that, or I'm not understanding you correctly

I have no idea about the UV protection on the clear roofing your talking about..I DO know I used the plastic stuff your referring to on my dog kennel at one point, I got a lightish green color, it didn't hold up that well, cracked easily especially with heavy snow loads..

 

[Srawl]

http://www.homedepot.com/p/t/100062380?catalogId=10053&langId=-1&storeId=10051&N=5yc1v&R=100062380

This is what I was referring to. I didn't realize it was just any lights. I don't have too much snow to worry about, I'm in Central Texas.

thank you for the info though.

 

[aart]

I would think in texas you wouldn't want any light coming in the top of your coop due to possible overheating.

Light for laying in winter is length of daylight. Some folks put a light on a timer to come on early in the morning so that they get 12-14 hours of light by the time the sun goes down.

 

[RelaxGeorgetown]

This is what I was referring to. I didn't realize it was just any lights. I don't have too much snow to worry about, I'm in Central Texas.

thank you for the info though.

I'm in Central TX too. With my new coop I'm going with corrugated metal roofing sheets to reflect the sun (not diffuse it)...

The only light that matters for egg production is the ambient light. if you can see your hand in front of your face- it's light out. Direct sunlight on the hens doesn't factor in to production. I went with metal because it will reflect a little bit. Keeping them cool in TX is what you're better off worrying about. And if they need more light during winter a single bulb hanging in the coop is adequate.

Regards

 

[aart]

Metal roof will absorb heat and transfer it into coop, use some foam sheet insulation with foil towards roof under metal roof to aviod this issue

 

[Mtn Laurel]

We're working on plans for our permanent run [they're now in a temp run] and it includes the clear corrugated roof. I want the clear so that they'll get sunlight in the winter. Our thought is that we'll cover it in the summer with a reflective tarp to make it a shade structure.

 

[Shanty]

Srawl -- I've used both corrugated plastic and corrugated metal roofs on my coops here in the El Paso TX area. Had the plastic panels on a pigeon loft where every other panel was plastic followed by a corrugated metal panel. After four years they literally melted from the heat--really! My main chicken and goose coop, 12' x 16', has the corrugated metal sheets, but I designed the coop with the desert heat in mind. It faces East-West with the door on the West side. There are two large windows covered with hardware cloth on that side as well, always open year round. On the East side I have an even larger window--same covering and always open. That's it on the left in the photo. And that is a standard, full-sized door on that side of the coop, too, for comparison. Both ends are solid siding--no windows--but the North side has lots of ventilation at the top. The roof is 7' 10" on the East side and 6' 6" on the West side, with wire covered vents the full length on both exposures. I've never felt any radiated heat but some ambient heat in that coop. The chickens have free range on 2/3rds of an acre all day but they do retreat INSIDE the coop for shade and to escape the 100 degree days (first one is coming this Wednesday). Here's a photo. Bottom line, IF your coop has a high roof line with lots of dead air space the corrugated metal roofing works well. If 6' high or less--yes, I've seen less--it will not work unless you get afternoon shade. If your coop is UNDER some trees then the corrugated plastic MIGHT work. Any direct sun will tend to bake whatever is underneath--think greenhouse here.

Here are two photos--one with a goose and her goslings in residence; the hens were banished until the goslings were strong enough to meet the goose flock. The other is the West side of the coop.