I just don't have the skills and need some advice on purchased coops

[amberlovegrove]

If I had any type of experience building I probably could have built one cheaper, but I didn't feel comfortable attempting to build one alone. My husband is stationed overseas and this is the best one I could find for a temporary coop until he gets home and builds me the coop I really want. I'll probably only use this one for a year or two then sell it on craigslist or something.

 

[ScottandSam]

If I had any type of experience building I probably could have built one cheaper, but I didn't feel comfortable attempting to build one alone. My husband is stationed overseas and this is the best one I could find for a temporary coop until he gets home and builds me the coop I really want. I'll probably only use this one for a year or two then sell it on craigslist or something.

Military?

Scott

 

[amberlovegrove]

Military?

Scott

Yes, he's coming up on 20 years in the Navy. So retirement is coming soon.. or rather his second career is coming soon! haha

 

[ScottandSam]

Quote:
Well from another shellback po3 exited in1993. Be sure in tell him Thank you for his service. It getting harder to find men like him. And because of men like him I can put my son and daughter to be tonight and not have to worry about there future. Also Thank you Every man needs a good women and military women behind there men it what makes them so great.

Thank You
Scott

 

[ChickenCanoe]

If I had any type of experience building I probably could have built one cheaper, but I didn't feel comfortable attempting to build one alone. My husband is stationed overseas and this is the best one I could find for a temporary coop until he gets home and builds me the coop I really want. I'll probably only use this one for a year or two then sell it on craigslist or something.

Keep your small coop when you get the one you want. One always needs emergency secondary housing. It can be used to quarantine new birds, injured, sick and as a broody apartment for hatching and raising chicks.

... or rather his second career is coming soon! haha

Part of that career will be building coops.

.... Also Thank you Every man needs a good women and military women behind there men it what makes them so great.

Thank You
Scott

So true.
That separation is tough.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I'm in the same situation as you! I have absolutely NO experience building things, besides a little things like the kid's beds or entertainment centers.. This is the one I am going to be buying from Tractor Supply. I saw it in person and it's a good size. It says '15 chicken coop' but there's no way I'd put that many in there. I think it will be good for my 5! It looks easy to clean since you can take the bottom out of the coop, it has vents and roosts inside, and the nesting boxes are easy to get to from the outside.. I'm pretty sure I'm going to make a few little improvements though- I noticed there isn't a door where the ramp is and I'm going to attempt to make a bigger run attached to the side.

http://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/pr...n-walk-in-coop-up-to-15-chickens?cm_vc=-10005

WOW! What's depressing about that is that people may believe they could actually cram 15 birds in there. I guess if they rode on each other's backs.
The only thing that makes sense to me is that they take the number of birds that fit into a layer cage on an egg farm and extrapolate from there.
I wish some company would make a coop and be honest about the capacity. There are none so far.

 

[debid]

WOW! What's depressing about that is that people may believe they could actually cram 15 birds in there. I guess if they rode on each other's backs.
The only thing that makes sense to me is that they take the number of birds that fit into a layer cage on an egg farm and extrapolate from there.
I wish some company would make a coop and be honest about the capacity. There are none so far.

That's exactly what they do. They should be figuring based on usable roost length, really, since that's where they'll all need to fit at once​.

They do make decent outdoor brooding grow-outs, though, if you get one with hardware cloth rather than chicken wire. And yes, sized fine for bantams. Never know when you might need mini chickens.

 

[Howard E]

Maybe this isn't written as well as it should have been (I take too long to get to it..........), but below was my effort at explaining coop sizes.

The Pre-Fab coops must be using Cage Layer numbers or are even including the enclosed run area in their SF per bird. Most are entirely out of whack. Best assumption one can make about them is they are NOT made to house chickens. They are made as product to sell..........and a bad product it is.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1149928/chicken-math-made-easy

 

[ChickenCanoe]

That's exactly what they do. They should be figuring based on usable roost length, really, since that's where they'll all need to fit at once.

They do make decent outdoor brooding grow-outs, though, if you get one with hardware cloth rather than chicken wire. And yes, sized fine for bantams. Never know when you might need mini chickens.

I wouldn't mind it so much if they put a warning notice in the advertisement that if someone were to stick 15 birds in there, they would need to debeak the birds so they didn't cannibalize each other. Just like on egg farms.

Maybe this isn't written as well as it should have been (I take too long to get to it..........), but below was my effort at explaining coop sizes.

The Pre-Fab coops must be using Cage Layer numbers or are even including the enclosed run area in their SF per bird. Most are entirely out of whack. Best assumption one can make about them is they are NOT made to house chickens. They are made as product to sell..........and a bad product it is.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1149928/chicken-math-made-easy

So true.

 

[debid]

I saw one set up inside the store at TSC yesterday and was struck by how small the pop door was. I think my bigger girls might get stuck widthwise. It did make me wonder if they ever actually tried using their product with fully grown hens.