IT'S HAPPENING SOON!!!

[PVILLAGO]

After reading everything I can I finally decided I can no longer wait.
I found a "starter" coop for "The Ladies" Rose,Blanche,Sofia and Dorothy
That will be there names when I finally get the girls.
BUT FIRST, I have to get my coop put together. I want to paint it yellow just because I can't stand the dark green it is.
My coop will only be home to 4 until I consider myself schooled as a chick mom.
Then I am progressing to a bigger coop using a playhouse.
I can't hardly wait to get their house together but I am right in the middle of painting and staining my new office library and the weather is yucky right now.
By Spring I will have the girls and their coop ready for them.
EXCITED to learn, share and ask on this forum.
Here is the

picture of the coop before I paint it and get it fixed for my girls. I also want to reinforce the run and windows with the hardware cloth just to make sure I have eliminated most of the possibilities of predators.
Wish me luck

 

[JacinLarkwell]

What are the dimensions? All prefab coops grossly exaggerate their capacities for grown birds

 

[nuthatched]

Cute names, I can't remember the last time I watched golden girls.
You can build a much better coop for the price of that thing, prefab coops are a joke! guessing the size, you can maybe fit 2 chickens in there. you need at least 4 square feet in the coop and at least 8 square feet per chicken in the run.
To completely reinforce that thing, you also need to add strong locks the the doors, more hardware cloth on the sides and flaps so predators can't dig underneath, and add more wood the nest boxes so raccoons can't bust through the bottom (Which I've personaly seen) To "eliminate the possibility of predators " with that coop, you can't with that thing.
I would suggest that you hold off getting the golden girls until you build a proper coop. :]
If you value the safety and well being of your chickens, please don't buy a prefab.

 

[allgr8dogs]

I finally found someone to build a coop and attached run so as to make sure my girls have adequate room. I spent a lot of time reading about the chickens needs before determining what I wanted in a coop.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Have you already purchased this unit? If not, things to consider: What are the measurements of the coop section minus the nest boxes? Ideally you want around 4 sq ft per chicken in the coop. Are you adding a run? Ideally you want a minimum of 10 sq ft per bird in run. You will also need to add more ventilation to a coop like that - recommended minimum of 1 sq ft per bird.

 

[PVILLAGO]

Cute names, I can't remember the last time I watched golden girls.
You can build a much better coop for the price of that thing, prefab coops are a joke! guessing the size, you can maybe fit 2 chickens in there. you need at least 4 square feet in the coop and at least 8 square feet per chicken in the run.
To completely reinforce that thing, you also need to add strong locks the the doors, more hardware cloth on the sides and flaps so predators can't dig underneath, and add more wood the nest boxes so raccoons can't bust through the bottom (Which I've personaly seen) To "eliminate the possibility of predators " with that coop, you can't with that thing.
I would suggest that you hold off getting the golden girls until you build a proper coop. :]
If you value the safety and well being of your chickens, please don't buy a prefab.

WOW and Thank you. But my dream coop will cost more than I paid for this "thing"
I guess you didn't read my post all the way through. I don't intend to build one as we aren't crafty in a lumber kind of way. I won't be bringing home the girls until we've reinforced the run and coop and shored it up with hardwire cloth all around the run and windows and yes the hardware will be replaced as this is cheap. I am repainting it too so the purchase of chicks is still in the distance. This is fir wood and it will do for my first time starter coop especially since I am tweaking it BEFORE I get my chickens. I got it for $250. Again, can't build my dream coop for that. The coop size is 48 inches high x 83.25 inches wide x 35.5 inches deep. I'm only getting 4 and no more until I get the hang of it.

 

[PVILLAGO]

Have you already purchased this unit? If not, things to consider: What are the measurements of the coop section minus the nest boxes? Ideally you want around 4 sq ft per chicken in the coop. Are you adding a run? Ideally you want a minimum of 10 sq ft per bird in run. You will also need to add more ventilation to a coop like that - recommended minimum of 1 sq ft per bird.

Coop measurements are 48 inches high x 83.25 inches wide x 35.5 inches deep The run is about 35sf
yes there is a run but we will build onto this run if we feel they are too cramped running around.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Coop measurements are 48 inches high x 83.25 inches wide x 35.5 inches deep
yes there is a run but we will build onto this run if we feel they are too cramped running around.

I doubt that's the coop measurement - the coop is the enclosed unit up top, minus the nest boxes. By my best guess the coop is maybe 9 sq ft? 4 might fit if you get all bantams, but you still need to add ventilation and improve the overall security, like the latches.

The run is the wire mesh part below. You WILL need to expand the run for sure, even if you're talking about bantams, unless you already have another run space available for use?

 

[PVILLAGO]

I finally found someone to build a coop and attached run so as to make sure my girls have adequate room. I spent a lot of time reading about the chickens needs before determining what I wanted in a coop.

yes. me too. The coop I want is a bit pricey but I am taking baby steps first before I go full on with all the money. I've been reading and researching for a little over a year now and now I am slowly moving forward. Below is my next step up coop I will build in my backyard. We have neighborhood guidelines I have to follow too

 

[PVILLAGO]

I doubt that's the coop measurement - the coop is the enclosed unit up top, minus the nest boxes. By my best guess the coop is maybe 9 sq ft? 4 might fit if you get all bantams, but you still need to add ventilation and improve the overall security, like the latches.

The run is the wire mesh part below. You WILL need to expand the run for sure, even if you're talking about bantams, unless you already have another run space available for use?

I do know what a run and a coop are. We have already talked about adding on to the run but don't want to spend much on this one except for security. I might start with 2 instead of 4 if space will be a issue for them.