build or buy?

[IdyllwildAcres]

Thank you everyone for your replies.

To clear some things up. We live in southern California so our winters are mild and our summers are warm.

Everyone sort of confirmed what I already thought. the 200 budget was not really a total budget but what I was willing to pay for a pre built one vs when I thought I'd build my own.

With 8 hens I was thinking 4'x8' coop size with a run of about 16x8. We will free range when we are home and can watch them but when we are out at work we will have them in the pen.

Thanks everyone!

Go bigger, just a few more sheets of plywood... Make it twice as big, plan on it costing twice as much and taking twice as long to build. I spent a fortune on mine, no regrets

Gary

 

[Ursuline Chick]

Bigger is always better if you can do it. If not now, build now so you can expand at a later date should you want/need to. Trust me, most people end up with more chickens once they start. Good luck on your project.

 

[Rob Tof]

Thank you everyone for your replies.

To clear some things up. We live in southern California so our winters are mild and our summers are warm.

Everyone sort of confirmed what I already thought. the 200 budget was not really a total budget but what I was willing to pay for a pre built one vs when I thought I'd build my own.

With 8 hens I was thinking 4'x8' coop size with a run of about 16x8. We will free range when we are home and can watch them but when we are out at work we will have them in the pen.

Thanks everyone!

If you have the room and your making the coop your self I wouldn't build it 4x8 I would build it 8x8 or 6x8..
The reason I say go bigger is perches and food and nesting boxes all take up room. My coop is 8x4 and my girls all want the top perch that's 4 ft long. Only 5 or 6 can sit on that one perch. 6 are crammed on the perch. I have 8 hens now and I'll need to build a new coop for next year to house 8 more I want next year. Good part it should be easy to sell the one I have if I offer delivery too. With what I'll make from my coop I'll only need to chip in a few hundred and I'll make my 12x16 coop I wanted in the first place. (Wife made me stick to a budget). Didn't work so well the budget.

 

[barn206]

I am just starting a 7ft x 12 ft shed.
I am mixing the concrete and finishing the floor all by myself.
I have all the framing lumber and roofing material on my pick-up truck.
I will be building the shed all by myself, too.

I wish I was 25 again, too. but I'm not.
in 3 weeks, I will be three times 25.
I enjoy building things.

........jiminwisc.....

Happy birthday!!!