Buy? Or Build? Heeeeellllllppppp!!

[HennyPie]

Hi! Let me start by saying, I have 4 chickens in a pre-built house, and 5 ducks in a pre-built house. My advice is just make sure you build an awesome fence, and give them a roof (even if it’s a tarp, over the prebuilt. They’ll last for many years. My fence is dug down 9” below the dirt line & backfilled with stone. It completely encloses the girls area, top too. It’s both coated 14gauge wire& lined with chicken wire. I sank the the 8” x 8’ poles with 100# of concrete each, down 24” (our frost line is 18”) I lined the inside bottom with landscaping timber’s and bolted them to the main posts. My cage/ fence is my first line of defense against predators. I then put the tarps over the two housing areas and used 84” long x 6” wide, capped pvc pipes to push the tarps up in the middle (like a circus tent). My prebuilts stay safe & dry. Nothing warped them at all (very common complaint for prebuilts) This is just what I did, and my recommendation if you want to go that route.

 

[Araucana Nest]

How do you “snake proof”?

Using 1/2 inch hardware cloth over all the gaps (like the doors) and on the ground. I’ll change all the hardware on the cage because they use the cheapest, smallest kind.

 

[CluckerFamily]

I built my own coop and run and am planning on doubling it soon due to Chicken Math. I want more chickens!
I purchased all my coop supplies at a local hardware store, my sister and cousin found some items on Craigslist or Facebook that people were giving away: old metal roofing panels, pallets, concrete blocks, etc. You may want to look there for items or inspiration. You may even find an old playhouse or two.
Even though I built my own coop I purchased a prefab coop about 2 years after building my coop. I couldn't pass up the price! In the fall, the coops seem to go on sale or clearance if they are the last ones on the shelf. The prefab coop is left in my detached garage as a chicken hospital if I should ever need it. My sister also bought one and uses hers as an integration coop for the new members.

 

[Iheartbirds]

As I am sure you are aware, I am such a newby to the chicken arena that I haven’t even gotten my first chicken yet! I have been studying coops. Now, since I am just beginning, isn’t it okay if I purchase a cute little coop, or do you really have to build one?? Honestly, I would much rather buy one! A builder I ain’t!! And, I would like to the the beginning of this new adventure as simple as possible for me! Now, since I have all that outta the way, which brand is best?
I hope I am not becoming a bother! I want to be successful when I do actually get a chicken! And thank you for all of your help!

I was a newbie 2 years ago and, like you, did a lot of research first. I was renting, so I had no choice but to get a portable coop. I ordered a PawHut 83" portable coop. They have a nice collection with a wide range of what seems like reasonable prices. It comes in a kit and, according to my helpful nephew, pretty easy to assemble. I also bought a 10' x 20' portable canopied carport kit (also easy to assemble) for about $130, that I put the coop under. I used a t-post next to each of the 8 carport posts and used those to wrap the entire bottom half of the carport with hardware cloth. Above that, I had the top half surrounded by chicken wire. The hardest part was figuring out how to put up a gate, but we jury rigged one up. This set-up worked well for my 2 girls. It gave them the security of an enclosed 10' x 20' run with access to come and go into the coop at will. We had a lot of hawks in the area, so I could only let them forage in the yard while I was with them. A year ago I bought a house and was able to move the entire setup. Good luck!

 

[cheer4michelle]

Hi! Let me start by saying, I have 4 chickens in a pre-built house, and 5 ducks in a pre-built house. My advice is just make sure you build an awesome fence, and give them a roof (even if it’s a tarp, over the prebuilt. They’ll last for many years. My fence is dug down 9” below the dirt line & backfilled with stone. It completely encloses the girls area, top too. It’s both coated 14gauge wire& lined with chicken wire. I sank the the 8” x 8’ poles with 100# of concrete each, down 24” (our frost line is 18”) I lined the inside bottom with landscaping timber’s and bolted them to the main posts. My cage/ fence is my first line of defense against predators. I then put the tarps over the two housing areas and used 84” long x 6” wide, capped pvc pipes to push the tarps up in the middle (like a circus tent). My prebuilts stay safe & dry. Nothing warped them at all (very common complaint for prebuilts) This is just what I did, and my recommendation if you want to go that route.

Thank you! I appreciate that!

 

[cheer4michelle]

I was a newbie 2 years ago and, like you, did a lot of research first. I was renting, so I had no choice but to get a portable coop. I ordered a PawHut 83" portable coop. They have a nice collection with a wide range of what seems like reasonable prices. It comes in a kit and, according to my helpful nephew, pretty easy to assemble. I also bought a 10' x 20' portable canopied carport kit (also easy to assemble) for about $130, that I put the coop under. I used a t-post next to each of the 8 carport posts and used those to wrap the entire bottom half of the carport with hardware cloth. Above that, I had the top half surrounded by chicken wire. The hardest part was figuring out how to put up a gate, but we jury rigged one up. This set-up worked well for my 2 girls. It gave them the security of an enclosed 10' x 20' run with access to come and go into the coop at will. We had a lot of hawks in the area, so I could only let them forage in the yard while I was with them. A year ago I bought a house and was able to move the entire setup. Good luck!

Thank you! Very encouraging!

 

[cheer4michelle]

Using 1/2 inch hardware cloth over all the gaps (like the doors) and on the ground. I’ll change all the hardware on the cage because they use the cheapest, smallest kind.

Ahhhh! Thanks

 

[cheer4michelle]

I built my own coop and run and am planning on doubling it soon due to Chicken Math. I want more chickens!
I purchased all my coop supplies at a local hardware store, my sister and cousin found some items on Craigslist or Facebook that people were giving away: old metal roofing panels, pallets, concrete blocks, etc. You may want to look there for items or inspiration. You may even find an old playhouse or two.
Even though I built my own coop I purchased a prefab coop about 2 years after building my coop. I couldn't pass up the price! In the fall, the coops seem to go on sale or clearance if they are the last ones on the shelf. The prefab coop is left in my detached garage as a chicken hospital if I should ever need it. My sister also bought one and uses hers as an integration coop for the new members.

I love all of the ‘outside of the box’ thinking!! Thanks!

 

[cdb1949]

As I am sure you are aware, I am such a newby to the chicken arena that I haven’t even gotten my first chicken yet! I have been studying coops. Now, since I am just beginning, isn’t it okay if I purchase a cute little coop, or do you really have to build one?? Honestly, I would much rather buy one! A builder I ain’t!! And, I would like to the the beginning of this new adventure as simple as possible for me! Now, since I have all that outta the way, which brand is best?
I hope I am not becoming a bother! I want to be successful when I do actually get a chicken! And thank you for all of your help!

When we got our first one we licked up and found an already built used one. It was huge and we only paid aro $200. We broke down and re assembled onto our property and put a couple runs onto it. They had the run of the area and always came home at night. New or used, it will work if you put what they need inside like the roost, laying nests food and water.
this year we bought new, we both are elderly) and it is good for 8. We got 7 hens and 1 rooster. Not planning to hatch, just wanting eggs. We get 5 eggs nearly every day, 7
Once.

 

[Birdsong 82]

You can take a very basic set of plans that meet the ventilation space and safety requirements and then make it cute.
Cover the essential things then get creative add cute after. No reason can't have both But building on your own or converting a shed would be my suggestion. The prefab not worth it