Buy or build??

[tootsiedaisy]

First post so please be nice, I looking to buy or build a very stealthy coop if you know what i mean for four to five birds will need a run I have room so any suggestions would be great.

 

[dirtsaver]

daisy it all depends on your skillset and time. I feel most premade coops look pretty but do not really work out well. I've built two coops now and by using recycled materials they have been affordable but labor intensive. I still have at least $150 invested in the 4'x12' henhouse and $30 in the 4'x4' brooder/grow-out coop. I gathered free materials for a year before I got enough to start building but I'm sure I could have collected enough sooner if I'd been more serious in the search.

 

[tootsiedaisy]

I need a coop low to the ground something that can be alittle lower than a five ft fence, a low exit into the run, run will be camouflaged with plants any pics or ideas would be great.

 

[MamaHenSD]

Check out the coop pages, that's where I got my inspiration. Neither I nor my husband are handy, so I placed a craigslist ad with detailed pics of what I wanted, measurements, etc and had interested builders submit bids. I received bids anywhere from $450-$2K! A few weeks later, our coop is built and I let the guy use reclaimed lumber to keep costs down.

 

[cluckcluckluke]

If you have the money I would buy all new stuff eg: fencing, roofing, pop doors, flooring, doors. and then put it all together yourself, because 1 all the coop's I've seen are really not that big and they are extremely expensive you would be better of buying new stuff and just putting it together yourself, that way you know where you went wrong if you build another coop and you can make the coop fit your specifications. But the way I and lots of other people have done it is gone for the "rustic" look with second hand, old or recycled materials to make our housing, barley any cost but doesn't look as "flash" if your into that.

 

[GardeNerd]

Is this what you are considering? This coop is at Pluck and Feather blog. I doubt the neighbors can see it from their side of the fence. However, all chickens make some noise at egg time, even my super quiet bantam cochins talk for a minute or two after laying an egg. Once the chickens reach egg laying age, your neighbors will know that there are chickens around.

 

[wahmommy]

I bought a prefab coop (The Foursquare, you can see it on MyPetChicken) only I got mine on craigslist. It is too small- and had to be modified quite a bit to be predator proof and I had to add a run -and its still only good for two hens. I do not know exactly what you mean about stealthy but check out some coop designs, design it to fit your specific needs and space and DIY or find a builder to put it together. We are now building a much bigger combined coop/run for six chickens.

Also be aware that even if you are trying to be stealthy to hide the coop from your neighbors, the first time they hear the eggsong (and mine are LOUD) they will know you have chickens...

 

[wahmommy]

Is this what you are considering? This coop is at Pluck and Feather blog. I doubt the neighbors can see it from their side of the fence. However, all chickens make some noise at egg time, even my super quiet bantam cochins talk for a minute or two after laying an egg. Once the chickens reach egg laying age, your neighbors will know that there are chickens around.

+1

 

[Going Quackers]

The biggest problem besides costs with pre-built are the dimensions usually they run to small for the recommended bird quantity. Now I have seen some better ones but they definitely cost a lot and for sure more than what it would run done by you. Of coarse though you need tools and an idea of what to do so I know some would prefer to buy vs build.

Not sure, what your meaning by stealth ? You want it discreet or are you trying to hide the fact you have chickens?


We built our coop it wasn't cheap a few hundred in the end but to have bought one comparable would have been over a 1000$ easily.

 

[backyardcelia]

the coop we got was a great deal and it is heavy duty (predator proof) but i still really wish i had put that money into building one myself, as i knew within a week everything i hated about this one. (do you know anyone with chickens? that's the other thing about buying/building-- i would have had to take care of someone else's chickens first, otherwise i would probably have made worse mistakes building one from scratch! ...okay, well, probably not after searching BYC!! there is a WEALTH of info here!)

if you do buy one, make sure that you have someone who is in the know (other than salesman!) scope it out for you... that's what we did, and our guy gave it the okay... but he said he usually laughs when people show him (or cries with them after it is too late!)

i love what mine looks like, but that doesn't help when cleaning it!
and i predict that even if you found mute chickens, your neighbours would know, when they heard you chatting or singing to them!
whichever way you decide, best of luck!