Store Bought vs. Built DIY

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PullumAmans19

PullumAmans19

In the Brooder
Feb 21, 2017
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Okay, so as you may know I am 'new' to the idea of chickens (having researched for 2 months) but I am researching some coop ideas. One of the ones that have stuck out to my family and myself is the idea of buying a middle road coop and building a run. Is this better than buying the coop and run together? Or is DIYing the best option?​
 
From an economic standpoint if you are at all able it is most efficient to build your own -- not only will you generally end up with more structure for less money, the materials you use will be superior to those used for most of the "prefab" jobs (unless you are looking at purchasing a shed and doing a conversion) and you will be able to build exactly the coop you want.
 
PullumAmans19 said:
So even if the coop is good quality, building our own would be best?
Click to expand...

Depends on your DIY skills too. If you're not good with tools and building things (no idea if you are, or aren't), it could end up costing you more. But generally yeah you can build a coop and a run for a pretty big discount compared to purchasing one from a store. Like previously stated the materials will be superior and will last longer. Some of the better coops I've seen in the stores I can't imagine lasting very many years outdoors exposed to the weather. That being said, there are some really well made ones available at the big ag supply companies near me, but they're verrrrrry expensive. A really good option is a shed kit from a lumber yard. They usually include all the materials you need and plans to build them and cost less than buying a shed. While you build the kit you can easily add lots of ventilation and other necessary changes, chicken doors etc. Let us know what you end up doing!
 
It might be more helpful if you post a link to what you're considering purchasing and get feedback. An experienced eye might be able to point out things about a "good quality" coop that you haven't yet considered.

I think the majority of folks around here will (rightly) encourage you to build your own as the prefab coops are generally built with subpar materials, aren't big enough, don't incorporate enough ventilation, aren't sturdy enough to ward off a predator attack, etc.

Good luck!
 
Most pre-fab coops I have seen are tiny- and usually will only house half the birds stated. Most the ones I have seen are very awkward to clean out also! There may be a few coops that are well built, but then the prices are very high!

The pre-fab shed is a good option if you are going to have more than a handful of birds and want something you can stand up in to clean. It will require some handiness skills, but is a lot less time/work than from scratch.

If you are very handy and have the time, building one from Scratch is the most economical, and completely customized!
 







Here are pictures of the coop that we ended up buying, it is pressure treated wood all around $400. All in all, very sturdy.
 

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