BEGINNER CHICKENS AND COOP FOR EXTREME NE WEATHER

Date sort Score sort
Trish9806

Trish9806

Hatching
5 Years
May 7, 2014
9
0
9
Hello, I am new here and new to the world of backyard chickens. My oldest son is turning 11 this summer and really wants chickens for his birthday. I am ready for this journey as I too really want backyard chickens. I'm having trouble finding a coop that will not cost us a fortune but, something that will hold up with the extreme weather in Southern New England. I have looked at so many coops and I know that I want something made here in the USA, I have sort of zeroed in on a company in Delaware, OH called CC ONLY. However, I am having trouble finding any reviews good or bad. I like how they are 95% made by humans and are preassembled before they are shipped. Not the style wood I was hoping for, but I'm thinking if everything goes well with caring for the chickens we will keep it for 2-3 years and then spend a little more money and upgrade for one that will last is many more years. I would like one that holds 6-8 chickens as we will start with 3-4 and if all goes well next spring we can get 2 more. I love the Round-Top Backyard Chicken Coop from Urban Coop Company, and the food and water system for that but just don't want to spend over $1,000 right now.

Any suggestions on coops and reviews would be awesome!

Also, hoping to get some recommendations on docile, calm, friendly and good layers! I think we will start with 3 good layers and one pretty chicken, since the good layers aren't the prettiest looking. I also want to make sure the different breeds will all get along since they will be spending all winter cooped up together. We also have a 1 1/2 year old and 3 dogs so I don't want any skittish chickens.
Thank you!
jumpy.gif
 
Last edited:
Hello :frow and Welcome To BYC! You can generally make or have made for you a better coop than you can get premade, you might want to check out the BYC Coops section for ideas, a lot of the coops have very detailed plans on how to make them https://www.backyardchickens.com/atype/2/Coops You might want to do a search on CC Only coops here, there are some members who have had them, ie https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/638651/coops-from-cc-only and https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...ns-warranties-with-cc-only-coop-manufacturers There are also some reviews on Amazon etc if you check.

You might also look into Pallet coops, they are usually made from recycled wood like from old pallets and can be any size and as plain or fancy as you want ie https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/550804/pallet-chicken-coop-ideas and check out / post in your state thread, to see if any people near you have suggestions for coops https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/270925/find-your-states-thread and chicken breeds that do well in your climate etc....
As for breeds, Here are a couple of links to some nice chicken breed comparison charts you might like http://www.sagehenfarmlodi.com/chooks/chooks.html and http://www.albc-usa.org/documents/chickenbreedcomparison.pdf when you have narrowed down your choices, don't forget to check the BYC Reviews section for member reviews on the different breeds. https://www.backyardchickens.com/products/category/chicken-breeds for mostly pets, Cochins are a popular breed that does well in a mixed flock, they are not very good egg layers but are very friendly. So far as more layer breeds go, for egg numbers alone, the Red Sex Links (Golden Comet, Red Stars, ISA Browns etc) for brown eggs and the commercial White Leghorns for white eggs are probably the most popular layers around. If you want breeds that don't lay quite as well but will lay for a longer time, Orpingtons (lots of people really like these, great pets though broody), Australorps, Plymouth Rocks, Sussex, Delaware and Wyandottes are some other popular breeds that are usually pretty easy to get along with, they all lay different shades of brown eggs...some of those breeds also come in a wide range of colors or patterns so you can get "pretty" in a good egg layer also (check out Speckled Sussex and the various Laced Wyandottes ie) If you like colorful eggs, the Easter Egger, often sold as Ameraucana by hatcheries, are a fun breed because they usually lay green/blue eggs, and they tend to be very nice birds, and then there are the Welsummer and Marans for those dark brown eggs... have fun deciding!
 
images


Welcome to BYC!

Well Kelsie has really taken care of you here! So I will just welcome you to our flock and hope you really enjoy this new journey you are on!
 
If you were to make it your self then you would get something many more time better but you will have fun and happiness in the accomplishment of it's construction so try looking in the Cops Trend at the top of the page ....
 
@Kelsie2290 Great info and links!

@Trish9806 Welcome to BYC. Glad you joined us!
 
Hello, I live in Central MA and I have our neighbor building us a coop as we speak. What part of NE do you live? We just got our chicks yesterday and they are in our garage in a brooder. We are having a coop built like the picture below. He is doing a 10 foot run instead of this smaller one - price after looking around at pre-fab ones was reasonable since this one is going to be a lot sturdier for NE weather. If you would like his company name and info please let me know. That is if you are not too far from MA.

 

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom