[lamina]

Hi,
My plans for our incoming Welsummers run are proceeding well and I am now planning/designing the coop.  I would like to use as much material in my store room (garage) as possible and I intend to use 5mm clear polycarbonate sheet for the roof.  This will be covered in strips of adhesive lead flashing creased to look like tiles (there is simply no end to my creativity :-)) .
Everything that I have read goes on about the coop being light and airy - my question is - should my roof have gaps in the lead to allow light in, much like a loft window?  Or would this be frightening for the roosting chickens during storms etc?
The nest box will of course, be totally dark and have a solid wooden roof.

Any comments would be greatly appreciated.

Richard

[cathangirl]

If you mean the roof of the run, then it needs to be light and airy.
If you mean the roof of the hen-house, then no light needs to be in there, as they generally only go in to lay or sleep.  There would be enough light through the doorway for what they need to see.
It needs to be airy though, but not draughty.
Hope this helps.
cathangirl

[poultrygeist]

Never, ever have any windows/clear material in the house roof.

If you think how hot a greenhouse gets, a hen-house gets warm enough with a solid roof, but you'll end up with roast chicken if you leave windows in.

Most people use plywood, frame and cladding, onduline or clear corrugated over ply. You also need ventialtion holes just below roof level to allow a flow of air across teh roof space but above the heads of the roosting birds.

If you have a quick read through this, you can get an idea of some of the ways of doing it.

http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=32947.0

Good luck and keep asking these questions !

Rob

[GrannieAnnie]

And don't have your ventilation holes larger than half an inch or you'll get visiting mices in!!

In our large henhouse, which had 2 windows because it was a goat house.  I had painted the windows with emulsion to keep out the light, but I wanted more ventilation in there becuase it gets very hot with 200 chicks in it.

So Brian has taken one of the windows out and made a frame to fit it with louvres in, so plenty of ventilation, but its quite dark, and we've just bought some weld mesh to fit onto the front to prevent anything climbing in.  Now he's going to do the other one for me.

See, he does have his uses!!!! lol