I previously wrote about metal siding on chicken coops. It lasts forever, is easy to install, and it's fairly cheap. Just one downside...

When I do the morning egg collection, every nest in the nest house has one or two hens in it, and they're clucking up a storm. "Cluck" doesn't give any idea of the actual volume of sound we're talking about. In metal-sided house, this can be very, very loud.

In the afternoon egg collection, most of the hens have wandered off, and everything's all peaceful. But it's pandemonium in the morning.

People in the autistic spectrum (which includes both my kids) may find the noise to be more than they can bear. For most people, it's just a nuisance. In either case, hearing protectors will restore peace and quiet and let you hear your iPod.

I'm going to use more metal siding as I repair old pasture houses, but the noise issue, if manageable, is real. Thought you'd like to know.