Any thoughts? Looking for a cheap temporary coop to buy

[Painted Calls]

I cannot think of a single pre-fab that would fit 4 LF hens, let alone the number you mentioned. It's just not realistically possible unless you're okay with them being smashed in there like literal sardines.

Your best bet would be to erect a hoop coop, or Jerry-rig something together that will keep them safe and dry/draft free.

 

[AntiqueB]

In addition, few prefabs are under $400, especially after all the mods like better latches, extra ventilation, quality paint, and hardware cloth are factored in. And modifying them to anything approaching something decent takes more than a few hours.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

What breeds, age and sexes are the birds? My 4 polish do great in my prefab, but they also aren't bullies to each other

 

[Krugerrand]

Here's another - potentially crazy - idea. Here is somebody building a coop onto a trailer:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/tractor-trailer-coop-build.1509307/
Crazy being to try this as a cattle panel hoop coop.

It seems potentially feasible to mount cattle panels onto these and use that as the frame work of the coop. Plus, if you have a tow hitch on your minivan, you could move it easily.

Harbor Freight sells this new for $500. So, I would think something used should be less! Having sides would probably make it easier to build and more structurally sound.

https://www.harborfreight.com/autom...x-96-in-heavy-duty-folding-trailer-62648.html

A little bit of hardware cloth, figure out a roof, and something like this could be perfect:
https://florencesc.craigslist.org/grd/d/turbeville-4x8-live-stock-trailer/7455194054.html

(how much does it need to disassemble? - or does the ability to repurpose count?)

 

[LizzzyJo]

Here's another - potentially crazy - idea. Here is somebody building a cattle panel hoop coop onto a trailer:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/tractor-trailer-coop-build.1509307/

It seems potentially feasible to mount cattle panels onto these and use that as the frame work of the coop. Plus, if you have a tow hitch on your minivan, you could move it easily.

Harbor Freight sells this new for $500. So, I would think something used should be less! Having sides would probably make it easier to build and more structurally sound.

https://www.harborfreight.com/autom...x-96-in-heavy-duty-folding-trailer-62648.html

A little bit of hardware cloth, figure out a roof, and something like this could be perfect:
https://florencesc.craigslist.org/grd/d/turbeville-4x8-live-stock-trailer/7455194054.html

(how much does it need to disassemble? - or does the ability to repurpose count?)

Hey that’s a crazy idea that sounds great!

 

[Krugerrand]

I’ve thought about this but have never done it. Are there draw backs?

I only built a hoop run. So, my experience is somewhat different. I used t-posts to secure it to the ground rather than framing it out. Blooie's run was my main guide:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/motel-chix.67240/

Big convenience, I basically built it myself. If you secure the hardware cloth before raising the panels, it's not too hard. I built mine to pretty much stay up ... but I know Blooie added a 3rd panel to her setup and said it was an easy mod.

From a coop standpoint, roofing and ventilation would be the toughest challenges. I don't have to worry too much about those for the run. It's covered in landscape fabric in the summer and plastic in the winter. I keep one end open completely and the other open at the top to prevent a kite-effect.

More traditional coops probably lend to more convenient nesting boxes/ food-water layouts. But, with some creativity, those would not be too hard to account for.

Here is a great place to get some wonderful ideas:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/top-10-hoop-coop-ideas.76490/

Here is a more text-book approach:
http://www2.ca.uky.edu/agcomm/pubs/ASC/ASC189/ASC189.pdf

Here is my run as a work in progress:

 

[Aunt Angus]

I used a 4x6 vinyl shed I got of craigslist for my 8 chickens when I was staying at my mom's house (we had sold our house and were waiting to move into our current one). It worked great and came apart easily. We brought it with us and use it to store firewood now. Here it is new. It's small for 10, but my birds only slept in it, really, since it was during the summer. It was fine.

We live in fire country, so evacuation preparedness is a MUST. We made a 4 x 6 cage for our goats using cattle panels - very similar to the trailer in the post by @Krugerrand. It's great! We could easily retrofit it for chickens. We already had the trailer. The cattle panels cost us $40.

I've also seen folks use tents in a pinch. Just make sure there is a way to get airflow.

Just FYI: We bought collapsible cardboard pet carriers (like the ones you get when you bring pets home from the shelter) for the chickens and ducks. Live them! We had to go through evacuation prep once. Took me just a few minutes to pack them all up. The bantams were all together in one, and I was able to get pairs of hens in a few.

 

[3KillerBs]

This guy did an amazing job with a trailer-coop: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/new-coop-small-street-legal-p.1361077/

 

[linguini]

I have odd circumstances that lead me to needing to assemble it in just a few hours. I would also need to transport it in a minivan.

do you need to transport before or after it's built?

 

[LizzzyJo]

do you need to transport before or after it's built?

I need to transport it with a minivan. So either way as long as it fits but likely unassembled. I can put it together then disassemble for the drive and reassemble