Build or Buy?

[Brahma Chicken5000]

$500 in raw lumber will go much farther than spending $500 on a prefab coop.

 

[tripletfeb]

MEANWHILE BACK ON TOPIC, here is the coop my hubby and I built. Spent over $1,000 on it easy. But when my hubby starts something, it will be done right. Completely predator proof and my five girls love it. The nesting box door folds down to get the eggs. The two larger doors on the front open and there is a clean out door under them that folds down to clean out the coop easily. Our gorilla cart fits right underneath to scrape the shavings right in. Can't get any easier! What you can't see is the feeder on the back side, it's a silo made from pvc! Just looks cute and is very functional.

 

[Ribh]

MEANWHILE BACK ON TOPIC, here is the coop my hubby and I built. Spent over $1,000 on it easy. But when my hubby starts something, it will be done right. Completely predator proof and my five girls love it. The nesting box door folds down to get the eggs. The two larger doors on the front open and there is a clean out door under them that folds down to clean out the coop easily. Our gorilla cart fits right underneath to scrape the shavings right in. Can't get any easier! What you can't see is the feeder on the back side, it's a silo made from pvc! Just looks cute and is very functional.

That is a lovely coop!

 

[tripletfeb]

That is a lovely coop!

Thanks, I really love it. It's functional, nice looking in the yard, and the girls love it.

 

[Shamo Hybrid]

Thanks, I really love it. It's functional, nice looking in the yard, and the girls love it.

It's nice, but why didn't you super-size it?!! Considering all that time, money and effort put into it........ I would have gone BIG even if I only have 2 or 3 chickens!

 

[tripletfeb]

It's nice, but why didn't you super-size it?!! Considering all that time, money and effort put into it........ I would have gone BIG even if I only have 2 or 3 chickens!

I'm limited to how many chickens we can have, town says six max. Well, we bought six but one turned out to be a cockerel and we aren't allowed to have roosters so he went to the family farm. The coop is plenty big for the five we have. It would fit up to 12 if we could have them.

 

[Aunt Angus]

@tripletfeb Love that coop!

 

[Rhodeislandsilkie]

I’m not saying this will happen to you so please don’t make my opinion your chioice. I’m just saying my humble view on this topic. When, I built a coop, I got to make and customize how I wanted it for my hens. But, a word of caution. When making the coop, please be sure to collect all the nails and wire clippings! Remember to collect them in a bucket or something then, dispose of them. I forgot to pick up a nail and, one of my hens ate it and sadly died. So, just be VERY cautious when making the coop. Other than that I’m going to for making it. You can customize it to your hen’s needs!

 

[Aunt Angus]

I’m not saying this will happen to you so please don’t make my opinion your chioice. I’m just saying my humble view on this topic. When, I built a coop, I got to make and customize how I wanted it for my hens. But, a word of caution. When making the coop, please be sure to collect all the nails and wire clippings! Remember to collect them in a bucket or something then, dispose of them. I forgot to pick up a nail and, one of my hens ate it and sadly died. So, just be VERY cautious when making the coop. Other than that I’m going to for making it. You can customize it to your hen’s needs!

Ooh! That is excellent advice! I *thought* I was being super careful, but I went over the area with a big magnet, and I found a handful of little things. In fact, I found a nail today that I had missed. No. Bueno.

 

[Rhodeislandsilkie]

Thanks! I learned that the hard way. But after that tragic incident, I vowed to be more careful. So, I had to run a magnet through the ground then, (also if you can’t get all the little pieces I recommend this) I covered their run with sand and I think alfalfa or hay? I don’t know what it is but the pet store says it’s good for them. It was about a half an inch deep. No other accidents have happened since!