I had a BIG case of "coop envy," especially after I built my first one, an A-Frame. Folks tend to call 'em tractors, but this one is so heavy and ummmm... un-level all around... that I cannot move it. It's THERE, in the run. The chickens love to lay their eggs in it, upstairs. They make themselves dust baths in the bottom section. Two of the girls have chosen to sleep in it, and not with the rest of the chickens.
Coop number 2 was a kit I bought on
eBay for an exorbitant amount (directly caused by coop envy) and that's what I actually put the chickens into once they were out of the brooder. Putting IT together and living with it since gave me good ideas to think about and bad ones to avoid.
Just finished coop #3. Seven of the nine adult chickens, plus the two ducks, sleep in it. The two who prefer the A-frame still sleep there. The other girls go there to lay their eggs; only one has accepted the new coop's rollaway nest box.
The adolescent chicks, six of them, are housed in the
eBay kit coop with its attached run until they are bigger and ready to be integrated into the flock.
I am MUCH happier with my third coop, because of the experience(s) I garnered building the first, putting the second together, and doing much more planning. I also know how to fix mistakes better, too.
Oh, and I built a small duck house. The ducks prefer to sleep in the chicken coop. But Carl the rooster LOVES to get on top of it to crow!
But do I still peruse the coop section of BYC? You betcha!! DANG! I wish I'd thought of doing that.... and... Oh, my goodness, isn't that one gorgeous!
