coops

[eldiablo]

I've looked everywhere for coops to build for my girls. Unfortunately at this time money is a factor. I want to build a good sized coop but can't decide on what kind. I've looked at the website and all are great. If I didn't have to run the idea past the wife then I would build the biggest i could.

 

[hypnojessi]

Coop building depends on how many birds you have and personal choice. Generally, standard sized chickens need 4 square foot per bird inside. If you only have a few birds, you might want to look at the chicken tractors because they are the cheapest and easiest to build. The chickens also will need roosts to sleep on and nesting boxes for laying eggs and brooding. If you need more info, then we need more info from you, like how many birds you have and what are the deciding factors in coop construction. Is cost the only thing you're looking at? Do you need something mobile? Do you already have a fenced run in mind? What kind of chickens are you getting/do you have and what will they be used for (eggs, meat, brooding, pets)? Chickens tend to be comfortable as long as they are warm, dry, have something to eat and scratch and there's nothing trying to eat them.

 

[allen wranch]

Depending on where you live, a hoop coop made of cattle panels might work until the wife falls in love with your birds and wants them to live in more luxurious accommodations. They can be pretty roomy, depending on the number of panels you use.

 

[eldiablo]

Well right now I own two Shaver reds, living in a converted 7x13 dog kennel. I wrapped a tarp thats 13x20 around it to provide cover and capped the rest of the kennel off with chicken wire. My girls are very happy(I think). But I was looking for a more permenant structure. The money issue is only because I am paying for a wedding ceremony after that leftover bills. I think the wife gets jealous cuz I'm pay more attention to my hens than her which is quite funny. I was looking to even my backyard flock to four or maybe six total for eggs. Any ideas?

 

[BeckyLa]

This is a homemade 4x4 two-story coop dh and I built out of wood collected from scrape piles from a new neighborhood going up. So the wood was free except for some 2x4's we had laying around. The top has the roosts and a nest box added on the back. There is a ramp going down to the bottom that has a wire floor. Something like this would fit well into your dog kennel and it houses my 6 EE's very comfortably.

 

[Backyard rancher]

as someone new to chickens and loving every mininute of it so far. I am concerned about the size of the coop I am setting up for my soon to arrive pullets. My wife and I bought a 12X16 shed with a 4 foot porch on the front we are converting to house my Rabbits and soon to be our little girls. I have devided it up with a wall and bunny area. The pullets will have about a 6X8 area inside with a 12X8 outside run. We are getting 8 Pullets in March. Think this is enough room?

 

[SandraChick]

backyard rancher....sounds good (you got over 4sqft per bird). ALso, many people have had success having bunnies and chickens housed togehter!


For cheap lumber supplies....
1. Check your local freecycle
2. Check your local quad runner, hot tub, snowmobile, newspaper, etc.....they all have excellent crates/pallets with perfectly good lumber on them that they give away for free!
3. Check where they're building lots of homes....sometimes they let you have what is is the bin--IF YOU ASK NICELY

Sandra

 

[SandraChick]

OK...I went and found Judy McKinns posts from a while back on EZbyc.......

She built her FREE coop from pallets (you'd never know it from looking at it)

the thread:
http://p072.ezboard.com/fbackyardchickensfrm5.showMessageRange?topicID=2343.topic&start=1&stop=20

THE CORRECT link to the pics of her progress building the coop
http://s25.photobucket.com/albums/c67/JudyMcKinn/Building Chicken house/

Just goes to show what you can do with a little time, effort, and imagination
Sandra

 

[Backyard rancher]

So the 4 square foot includes the run as well?????? We really are looking forward to their arrival.....The bunnies are netherland dwarfs....they will both have their own space secure from each other but in the same building.

 

[cindydj]

I have a rabbit in our coop and on nice days I let the chickens and rabbit out and they all come back in the evening. It is so funny when the rabbit and chickens are side by side eating and drinking....