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build your own or pre-fab?

Discussion in 'Coop & Run - Design, Construction, & Maintenance' started by rynanne, Oct 29, 2011.

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  1. Oct 29, 2011 #1
    rynanne

    rynanne Out Of The Brooder

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    Ok, I'm looking at web pages and catalogs and reading every book my library has on building coops. I'm not very handy, so I worry about the safety/security/etc of the coop should I build it. Am I over thinking it? or do people find that pre-fab work really well?

    thanks!

    I will have 4-6 bantams and have a VERY small back yard.
     
  3. Oct 30, 2011 #2
    nivtup

    nivtup Chillin' With My Peeps

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    Build your own.

    You can do it.
     
  5. Oct 30, 2011 #3
    Ole rooster

    Ole rooster Chillin' With My Peeps

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    Yes I agree. The bought coops never have enough space for the run.
     
  7. Oct 30, 2011 #4
    simplynewt

    simplynewt Chillin' With My Peeps

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    My Coop
    Yes I third that - Build your own. There are many designs you can get many ideas from. Take some time to browse through them and I am sure something will start to take shape in your thoughts.

    Thats what I did and I built my own for the very first time and I am very pleased at what I constructed. You can view the steps and the fiished product on my BYC Page.

    Good Luck and if you ever need more advice, you are in the right place.
     
  9. Oct 30, 2011 #5
    aoxa

    aoxa Overrun With Chickens

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    My Coop
    You'll still have to put it together. Just make your own [​IMG] I never did anything like that before, and it wasn't all that difficult.
     
  11. Oct 30, 2011 #6
    rynanne

    rynanne Out Of The Brooder

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    Thanks for all the encouragement!

    I've got all winter, I'll just have to put my head to it and go at it!

    [​IMG]
     
  13. Oct 30, 2011 #7
    jeepguy982001

    jeepguy982001 Chillin' With My Peeps

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    yup build your own plus it will be way cheaper too.
     
  15. Oct 30, 2011 #8
    ChickenCanoe

    ChickenCanoe Chicken Obsessed

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    Quote:First thoughts should be size (how many birds will I ultimately have?),
    location (no low spots, is exposure to sun/wind important)
    foundation (slab, dirt, stilts and if stilts does it float or below frost line)
     
    Last edited: Oct 30, 2011
  17. Oct 30, 2011 #9
    simplynewt

    simplynewt Chillin' With My Peeps

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    Be sure to have a solid plan together before you start building. You can easily get sidetracked once work begins. Take everything into consideration. How many chickens, the winter months, the summer months, what type of bedding, ventilation, egg collecting, etc.
     
  19. Oct 30, 2011 #10
    Life is Good!

    Life is Good! Chillin' With My Peeps

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    Another item to add to the list of needed thoughts -

    How tall am I?! I build my coop for my height. My husband is taller and the times he has to go into the coop, he invariably hits his head on a rafter - as I built it for ME to go into! And now, we're looking at the deep litter method for litter management, which means the rafters will be 6-12" CLOSER to MY head too! Whoops!
     
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