Anyone have experience with Urban Chicken Coop Company?

[prayerwheel]

I'm looking at getting the large walk in version, does anyone here have one? If so can you share pros & cons? Please n thanks

 

[reindeermama]

I don't have the walk in version, but since I have two round tops and a run, I would say go for it. They are pretty easy to put together. They are sturdy and well made. The hardware is sturdy. The wire on them is very good, also. On our first one they accidentally left out a part, and they had one shipped the next day. In fact, if I had known I would end up having so many chickens that is what I would have ordered in the first place. I would say you are probably looking at 2 or 3 days to put together.Depending on where you are I would order the storm panels. My coops I ordered have plenty of ventilation which is wonderful for the summer heat we have in Texas. I think this helps with the smell not getting out of hand. However if you get cold weather or snow, I would buy the storm panels. Their feed and waterer are great. In fact, I think they have a special package that includes everything, including the storm panels. Boy, do I wish I would have gotten the walk in. I bought one of the cheap coops you buy online...I use that one for a grow out pen now. There is no comparison. The urban coops are well built. We put ours up on bricks so that the wood doesn't touch the ground just for a little extra protection, and so we can have sand as the coop flooring. Get on Chicken Chick to see her blog on sand floors. Hope this helps.

 

[prayerwheel]

Great info Reindeermama, thank you! I am in So Cal so we don't get snow, or rain

. This is the first coop I've really felt ok about purchasing quality wise, all the others do look like they will fall apart in two weeks! I've tried to hire 3 people to build me a custom one but they all flaked for one reason or another= very frustrating! I do feel confidant that a handyman I have, who does good woodworking as well, will be able to easily put this together with his helper in a day or two.
Thanks again for the reply, it's good to get feedback from those who actually own them. I'll post pix when it's up. I guess the company is backlogged so I can't even get one til late Sept.

Cheers!
Ann

 

[reindeermama]

My husband and I spent about 3 hours putting the coop and run together. They have a plastic box with dividers with all the hardware and screws etc. nicely packed and easy to find. It is usually about a month wait time while they build it. The only tool we needed was a cordless drill. The coop came with a bit for the drill and wrenches to put it together. I would say about two days...ours was a lot smaller and I am not handy. You also would probably need a tape measure to square things up. Hope you do get rain soon.

 

[relizabethcole]

Hi Prayerwheel, Actually one of the things I would change is that you can't walk into it, so I think the walk in option would be great. I had a walk in where I used to live and it was much easier to clean out. With the regular round top and run sometimes they lay an egg in a weird spot or kick a water dish to the back and then I have to take the run off and kind of crawl back to get it. When I clean it out I have to take the run off to rake it out. not so bad, because I can drag the run back and forth by myself, but walk in is easier. It's also kind of hard to get to the chickens on the roost, which also looks like it would be solved by the walk in.

Other things I don't love are that the bedding falls out of the nesting box and that the spot where the food and water are has a wire top, so if it's raining they get wet eating. Not the worst problems - we put plastic over the eating area and are working on the nesting box. these might not be a problem in the walk in, or you can modify yourself.

 

[reindeermama]

On top of your run...unscrew one of the top panels and replace hardware with hinges and put another latch to hold it closed on one side. Then you can just fold a panel back to get something. We are going to try and see if this will work on both top panels as well, instead of just one.. As far as the nest box goes...either buy cheap thin luann panels and cut to fit or cheap linoleum is even easier to cut. You can also put linoleum on the area above the feeders and anchor it down with planted pots of herbs, it will also help with the rain issue somewhat. Not if it blowing sideways through. You can also if you want buy a cheap shade canopy just get auger stakes to hold it down. and that will keep off the rain. I really agree with you on the round top. ( a pain to clean) It is built well, if you can afford the walk in I would said go for it to anyone. I kept telling my hubby that. Now he says we should have just bought the walk in. My husband is also working on a larger door for the run and for the one side of the coop where the food is. There are also plastic nesting pads you can buy. You can wash them off with water. I am going to buy some from Randall Burkey online. They are $4.99 each. These might help you too.

 

[reindeermama]

By the way, Fleming outdoors is having the nesting pads on sale for $3.25 and there is a coupon for save10 that will get you 10% off.

 

[RVAFanfarmer]

We bought the Urban Chicken Starter Coop. Tonight was the first night they chickens are staying out there. Enticed them all up the board and into the brooder box with cheese so they would explore. We did get the extension, winter boards and feeders option. Since the extension run is permanent for us since we used block around the outside of our coop and run you can't unlock it and pull it away to clean. He took out the top nails and attached two movable latches so we can pull it up and hook it to get in and clean it and access the chickens. We added locks so it can't be opened by raccoons. I am still nervous about my babies learning how to use the perch and being comfortable in it. I know it's very predator proof I just don't want them getting harrassed by a raccoon trying to get at them with all the open areas. We live in the city with a fenced yard so nightime issues would be coons, possums, and rats. I am also nervous about the bottom being dirt and no wire. Nothing can dig in from the sides as stones go out 2 plus feet all the way around and are cemented in. I do worry something is going to dig in from a hole though. I put down heavy sand and some lighter sand on top with DE sprinkled on and I am using some hemp bedding on top of that. Hoping all this works well.

Will see how it goes in winter. I am worried about water getting in when I don't have the sides on which are for severe weather. I don't want my girls to get wet. So we will see. Wish I had been the one doing the ordering when he ordered this one. Would absolutely have gone bigger just for peace of mind. Also have to figure out what to put over the holes where plants are and feeders come out. Worried about food getting wet. Oh and our chickens don't like nipple waterers so have converted to the trough type and plugged the bottom just a small conversion.

It was easy to put together and is very solid btw!

Oh and I put the liners you put in kitchen shelves that are rubbery but grip into the nesting box before adding some hemp bedding and a little bit of DE. Seems to work good unless they try to chew on it. I can just replace it if it gets really grody.

Best,

Michele

 

[goldie1234]

Hi RubyNala97,

I just ordered the 6x8 coop from pine creek structures. Here is a link: http://www.storageshedspa.com/content/chicken-condos

The quality is very good and I was told they last a long time. What is great about it is all of the windows to let in light. I plan on predator proofing it when I get it and putting linoleum squares to cover the floor. I am also a single lady and don't have the skills or strength to build one. 

I have also heard Horizon Structures are good quality coops. 

Also, how many chickens do you plan on having? I would allow for 4sq ft per chicken in the coop, not 2 like some coop sellers advise. Especially with a winter we just had, there were days my hens were stuck in the small urban coop. What's nice about the walk in ones is that it is easier to clean out - There are areas in the Urban Coop I just cannot reach unless I take it apart! Good luck! Barbara

I know this is older, but do you have a picture?

 

[ChihuahuaChels]

Has anyone purchased one of these and added their own run to it instead of purchasing one? I was thinking of purchasing the starter coop, and I'm not sure if I should buy their run or make my own.