Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat
Poultry and Pets => The Hen House => Topic started by: Prod on August 31, 2015, 15:40
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Hi....just some advice or opinions really. I used to keep miniature ducks which I have now sold in favour of keeping/breeding bantam chickens. I made a couple of houses for the ducks which, although I say it myself, looked & worked pretty good, they look like little gypsy caravans as I made wooden sides and then folded over some corrugated sheeting to form a curved arch then traced round the edge and used a jig saw to cut some wood to form each end, one with a pop hole. I can adapt them for use with my chickens but wondered if a metal roof is suitable, it looks like onduline roofing only it is metal....... Any thoughts??? :wub:
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Not an expert but would have thought it would be fine as long as they are not in full sun, as the metal will radiate heat. I'm sure someone with proper knowledge will be along soon. :tongue2:
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That would be my concern too, metal roofs can get so very hot, unless you liked baked chicken! And they can also be very cold in the winter.
Even our onduline roofing gets very hot at times with the sun on it!
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I have an all metal coop (13'x10') and I've lined the sides with plywood and the roof I have felted. It's in partial shade - a very large copper beech and I've kept them through last years hot summer with no noticeable problems, but they are out early morning and in late at night so are not stuck in the shed during the day. The only problem I did come across was condensation and lots of it, cured by placing extra vents under the eaves and layering the inside with breathable membrane. Oh and metal can't be chewed which is why I went for it.
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Just keep an eye on the felting as red mite will love it. :(
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Just keep an eye on the felting as red mite will love it. :(
It was all dusted with DE prior to putting it up - I'm wise to them now! :D