Any reviews here for this Pawhut coop?

[Hypertay]

Well! We finally got the coop together. It took a few days because of weather and Walmart's inventory problems. They change tools and equipment around every few years so you have to buy new things, ie stapler guns. They stopped carrying the model and staple type we got a few years ago and we couldn't find staples anywhere, so we ended up getting a new gun.

I stapled up every bit of wire because it was only secured with tiny staples and had large gaps where determined chicken eating monsters could have gotten through. Some of it is only stuck together with hot glue, so I will be looking for those parts to fall off in the summer.

The coop parts came in 2 boxes, way heavier than the 44# they quoted. I unboxed it and took pictures, and left it to air out a day. Then it rained, and I had to run out and cover up everything with the cardboard. I was so confused with the crappy directions and it took 3 of us to figure it all out. The wheels do not work, and the ramp into the house will break if you don't have someone hold it which is very awkward and dangerous to fingers to do(ours is already broken at the connection and will have to be fixed). Some of the parts did not have any pre-drilled holes and when we went to screw them down they split. I ended up taking finishing nails to a few parts of the coop and house roofs. The poop tray was galvanized metal and was bent on 2 sides. It had to be bent back and it does not fit properly in the grooves.

It is not water tight, as it rained again last night, and there was water in the poop tray this morning. It was only a small amount and when it rains again I will be finding out where the water comes in and sealing it if possible. In the pictures on the sales site it shows 2 roosts and a solid bottom in the nest box, and we only got 1 roost and the nest box bottom is slatted. I will be making that more secure and also changing the roost for 2 in a flat style like advised here.

All in all I got what I paid for, a small coop that I didn't have to design and shop for parts for, and it will do until someone else buys or builds me another!

Here is my photo album on photobucket: http://s214.beta.photobucket.com/user/irrilyn/library/Coop

 

[wahmommy]

Well! We finally got the coop together. It took a few days because of weather and Walmart's inventory problems. They change tools and equipment around every few years so you have to buy new things, ie stapler guns. They stopped carrying the model and staple type we got a few years ago and we couldn't find staples anywhere, so we ended up getting a new gun.

I stapled up every bit of wire because it was only secured with tiny staples and had large gaps where determined chicken eating monsters could have gotten through. Some of it is only stuck together with hot glue, so I will be looking for those parts to fall off in the summer.

The coop parts came in 2 boxes, way heavier than the 44# they quoted. I unboxed it and took pictures, and left it to air out a day. Then it rained, and I had to run out and cover up everything with the cardboard. I was so confused with the crappy directions and it took 3 of us to figure it all out. The wheels do not work, and the ramp into the house will break if you don't have someone hold it which is very awkward and dangerous to fingers to do(ours is already broken at the connection and will have to be fixed). Some of the parts did not have any pre-drilled holes and when we went to screw them down they split. I ended up taking finishing nails to a few parts of the coop and house roofs. The poop tray was galvanized metal and was bent on 2 sides. It had to be bent back and it does not fit properly in the grooves.

It is not water tight, as it rained again last night, and there was water in the poop tray this morning. It was only a small amount and when it rains again I will be finding out where the water comes in and sealing it if possible. In the pictures on the sales site it shows 2 roosts and a solid bottom in the nest box, and we only got 1 roost and the nest box bottom is slatted. I will be making that more secure and also changing the roost for 2 in a flat style like advised here.

All in all I got what I paid for, a small coop that I didn't have to design and shop for parts for, and it will do until someone else buys or builds me another!

Here is my photo album on photobucket: http://s214.beta.photobucket.com/user/irrilyn/library/Coop

its good to buy an inexpensive starter coop, as in a couple of years when it should probably be replaced you will know exactly what you would change about it in your next coop (at least that's been my experience). However our starter coop was $400 and was only good for 2 hens so I think you got a deal

 

[bruceha2000]

Thanks for the replies. I went ahead and ordered it and will post pics when it comes!

The site says:
- Holds up to 6 - 8 Bantams or 3 - 5 standard hens

It has wheels which really look flimsy but could be easily replaced.

I do not know if the bottom is covered with wire, I suspect not. But that could be fixed also.

I will have a permanent spot for night time with cinder block all around the perimeter to deter digging predators. I know there are some feral cats around here and some hawks, among other things.

I added a latch to the doors. I didn't want to trust to a small bolt type latch.

It is small. Like I would not have more than 2-3 large birds in it. I feel like my 6-8 bantam Silkies are crowded, especially innthe run when i have a feeder and waterer in there.
But I can move it by myself; the version I have came with wheels. They don't work, but I can easily pick up one end and slide it over to fresh grass.

Re: latches. You want something that takes an animal with opposable thumbs to open. Coons are very clever. And PERSISTENT.

this is not big enough if the chickens are regular size and not bantams. my chicken house for my three americaunas is 10 ft X 3 ft just in the outside part and they can tear the ground up in about 4 days. 4 ft by three ft in the inside part. another thing the food and water MUST be out from under the roosting stick. I guess my chickens poop at night and that was one thing I learned first about chickens. The nesting box MUST also be out from under the roosting stick for the same reason. poop.

Near as I can tell, chickens poop ALL THE TIME! And yes, especially noticeable under the roost. Plan on cleaning the ramp with some frequency.

Well! We finally got the coop together. It took a few days because of weather and Walmart's inventory problems. They change tools and equipment around every few years so you have to buy new things, ie stapler guns. They stopped carrying the model and staple type we got a few years ago and we couldn't find staples anywhere, so we ended up getting a new gun.

I stapled up every bit of wire because it was only secured with tiny staples and had large gaps where determined chicken eating monsters could have gotten through. Some of it is only stuck together with hot glue, so I will be looking for those parts to fall off in the summer.

I was so confused with the crappy directions and it took 3 of us to figure it all out. The wheels do not work, and the ramp into the house will break if you don't have someone hold it which is very awkward and dangerous to fingers to do(ours is already broken at the connection and will have to be fixed). Some of the parts did not have any pre-drilled holes and when we went to screw them down they split. I ended up taking finishing nails to a few parts of the coop and house roofs. The poop tray was galvanized metal and was bent on 2 sides. It had to be bent back and it does not fit properly in the grooves.

It is not water tight, as it rained again last night, and there was water in the poop tray this morning. It was only a small amount and when it rains again I will be finding out where the water comes in and sealing it if possible. In the pictures on the sales site it shows 2 roosts and a solid bottom in the nest box, and we only got 1 roost and the nest box bottom is slatted. I will be making that more secure and also changing the roost for 2 in a flat style like advised here.

Sounds like typical "Made in China" stuff.
- Always pre-drill holes if the kit doesn't have them done right.
- Definitely want to fix that rain problem. Wet birds may not be happy birds. Especially if they are wet and frozen.


It is very nice looking but I'm going to be a little direct here with what I see as potential problems.

1) I wouldn't put more than 3 standard chickens in there (and that may be a stretch), just too small.

2) Looks like besides only having 1 roost bar (you don't need more in a coop this size unless you are keeping a bunch of parakeets in it) they may have lowered the nest box area? That is good, chickens like to be high when they sleep. And they will sleep in or on the highest thing around. A single 2x4 on the flat will do. If you have more than one, you need to have them far enough apart that the birds in the back can't pick on the ones in the front, i.e. a foot from any parallel wall and ~18" apart. I'm not sure there is space for that in this coop.

3) The wheels look worthless unless you keep it on a cement slab. If you want it to roll, put decent sized "flip up" wheels on it. You'll find some BYCers designs on the site.

4) The slatted nest area bottom is fine because you'll need to put something in there that will keep the nesting material in anyway. Most "self contained" nest boxes have a solid bottom and an entry area that is at least several inches high. I've seen several posts showing plastic tubs, 5 gallon buckets on their side with part of the top cut out, etc. However, if it is really open to the outside world as shown in your fifth picture, screw a piece of plywood under it. Otherwise you'll have a serious draft problem if not a predator entry space. Drafts are not ventilation and ventilation is important.

5) The web site doesn't say it is cedar and it probably isn't. Cedar is expensive wood.

6) Staples/staple gun. As in Arrow type staples? Easy to rip out just by pulling on the wire. When people talk about staples and predator proofing, they are talking poultry staples, not Arrow staples.

This:

Not this:



I would consider screwing battens over the edges of the hardware cloth wherever you can.

7) Does the hardware cloth extend under the coop? If not, you'll get rodents in there looking for food and after the rodents tunnel in, the weasels can easily follow.

8) Where do you live? (you can put that in your profile) If in a place where it doesn't freeze (or not often) consider a nipple water pipe system with the source (like a 2-5 gallon bucket) on the outside and the pipe on the inside. You'll likely get birds sitting on a "regular" waterer, pooping in the water, etc and they take up valuable space in a coop this small. Besides that, it is easy to get water to the birds without slopping it in the coop, the birds won't spill it and you won't need to change it every day like you do when they poop in it. If you don't have freezing temps, you won't need to deal with figuring out how to keep the nipples from freezing.

If you don't do the nipple water pipe, see if you can make a platform in the corner of the coop high enough up that the birds heads are just above the waterer rather than having it on the floor. Then put something above it that will ensure they CAN'T sit on it.


Bruce

 

[SunnySkies]

Exactly....I just spent two days, ignoring all my other chores, letting my kids fend for themselves, to build another coop from scratch. And it's still not done! I'm starting to think there isn't a lot wrong with a prefab coop, lol. Granted, what I built is bigger, but it's also heavier -- I can't move it by myself, despite doing all sorts of things to lighten the weight, and being able to move myself was the goal -- and I'm not happy with some aspects to it. All the things I didn't like about this prefab coop, other than size, I was able to rectify fairly easily. I have another day of work on the coop I'm building before I can move birds in. Ugh.

 

[bruceha2000]

Granted, what I built is bigger, but it's also heavier -- I can't move it by myself, despite doing all sorts of things to lighten the weight, and being able to move myself was the goal

Pics? How big is it? Sometimes you can do a lot with mechanical advantage, like having the wheels just behind the center of balance. Then you don't need to pick up much weight at all. Think about pulling a boat, cargo, travel trailer; no one puts the wheels at the way back, right?

And if the wheels are big enough (think garden cart, not luggage cart) it can roll easily over grass.

Bruce

 

[Time-Out]

We got the same one, but I knew what I was getting into. I knew it would be bad quality and need loads of work, but it was still cheaper than building our own from scratch. Materials are very expensive in the UK. It underwent a number of modifications before being put together and then I further modified it this autumn. I'm now happy with it.

A note on the leaking: mine drew water up between the tongue and grove. I had put two coats of wood preserver before putting it together, but the roof slats still absorbed water and started to go green. I painted it with exterior paint, which has stopped the incoming water.

I don't use the run for anything other than a rain shelter. The door is permanently open and the free-range around the garden. It is far too small to keep birds in there all the time. I have three hens in there and I find it a bit tight. They were better off with two (a friesian and a sebright), but I needed to add the other friesian for the first one's sanity.

I can tell you what I did with mine, if you're interested in ideas. Don't want to bore you if you're not

 

[bruceha2000]

I can tell you what I did with mine, if you're interested in ideas. Don't want to bore you if you're not

Pics, pics!

 

[Darrell72223]

I'm going to check this coop out as well.

 

[Darrell72223]

Out of stock....

 

[bruceha2000]

Out of stock....

Google "chicken coops". There are lots of similar coops for similar money. I have no knowledge of any of them. But, since those here that bought the subject coop then modified it with hardware cloth, etc you might find one the costs more but doesn't need modification, thus costing the same or less.

This one, for example, seems to have wire trapped between two pieces of wood.
http://www.wayfair.com/Precision-Pet-Products-Cape-Cod-Chicken-Coop-2921-29112-PNP1196.html

This looks like the same as the OPs, more money though:
http://www.wayfair.com/Aosom-LLC-Large-Pawhut-Chicken-Coop-5663-1319-XAO1103.html

And there are "run kits" as well if you want to expand their outdoor area.

Probably not bad options for those that do not have the tools and/or skills to build their own.

Bruce