Buying instead of building a coop, is this coop big enough?

[TouchO'Lass]

I agree with the folks here! I think a small coop like that would smother 3 hens in LA weather. If you find something on Craigslist you think might work, multiply the two sides (in inches), divide by 144 (1 square ft) and then figure a minimum of 2-3 sq ft per hen.

For that kind of money, I'd get a predator proof dog run and add some wind block as suggested. A place to roost and nest (baskets?), food and water and you'd have some happy rescues.
Just for some ideas!!:
This is a covered kennel from Sportsman's Guide and may be available cheaper elsewhere:
http://shop.sportsmansguide.com/net/cb/cb.aspx?a=377143

This hutch from Overstock.com looks like it could be easily reconfigured and while not ideal, offers more room than those other little boxes...
http://www.overstock.com/Gifts-Flowers/Premium-2-story-Pet-Hutch/3457376/product.html

Good on ya' for the rescue, by the way!

Best of luck!

 

[Bev in Nevada]

Heck, for that matter, a couple of covered kitty litter pans from wal-mart with a good secured dog run from craigslist would work......might be able to get all that for half of your budget. The pre made coop that I got, I purchased from My Pet Chicken, so I knew it would be well built. The one I am working on now, is a 12 ft x 12 ft wood shed that was here when I moved in. Looks to be like it is from Home Depot maybe and was well protected from the weather

 

[Chido]

Thank you so much for all the suggestions! I'm looking into dog kennels and see if I can find one that is reasonable, and other options. Now if any of you guys lived in Los Angeles county and would make me a nice 7ft x 3ft coop with a run included like my first link, I'd love you forever and give you 300 dollars... *sigh* I can only dream, can't I? XD

 

[elmo]

Quote:
I have yet to see a single manufacturer's claim about how many chickens a particular coop will hold turn out to be accurate when compared to my own idea of minimum size, which is 4 square feet per chicken indoors plus 10 square feet per chicken outdoors.

 

[Judy]

Quote:
Around here, in this economy especially, it would not be hard at all to find someone to do this -- plenty of handy people who have a few basic tools have lost their job, often through no fault of their own. Again, around here it would just be a matter of asking at a locally owned hardware/lumber/feed/etc. store. I personally know of two.

8x4 would be much simpler as it is standard lumber sizes -- less cutting -- you'd likely waste the other foot anyway.

 

[klf73]

I have one of those coops. Was using it right next to my house as a quarantine coop(all the other chickens were across the street on the other property) and it is horrible. I had a juvenile skunk rip the door right out.....it was supposed to slide but he pulled it out. When we moved it the staples(yes they use staples to assemble) pulled out. You would probably do best to look in craigslist to find someone that makes them. I bought a 4x6 one for $400 last year, guy makes them and the only thing I had to add was a door for the chickens(was a hole but nothing to cover it) . good luck

 

[babyrnlc]

Here's some craigslist finds.

The first coop has a small run, but if you moved it, it might work. or if they free range or you could put it inside a dog kennel.

http://losangeles.craigslist.org/lac/for/2352995756.html

Here is a cool shed, that could be converted pretty easily
http://losangeles.craigslist.org/lac/for/2354277229.html

I wish I lived in LA, this is cool! Probably too big for what you need, but good price
http://losangeles.craigslist.org/lgb/for/2354118369.html

http://losangeles.craigslist.org/sgv/for/2348566627.html

http://losangeles.craigslist.org/sgv/for/2352070678.html

 

[WhySayWhat]

The first option is big enough for maybe one chicken...the second has enough coop space for 1-2 chickens (depending on if you go by the 2 sqft or 4 sq ft general rule). I typically take the number of chickens "they" say a coop can be used for and divide by 3! The people selling coops are in it for the money, not the well being and happiness of your hens! If a coop plan size is in inches rather than feet, it is going to be too small.

They are both "pretty" though...maybe they would do a special order of one for you? Would cost double or more though I would suspect.

I am nearly done building my coop for my 3 girls, I'm using two pallet crates side by side, making the overall size 4' wide by 6'8" on the interior. Granted, I could have made the whole coop using one crate and still had plenty of room, but bigger is always better.

If I round down to 4'x6.5' (for easier math), that gives me 26 sq ft or 8.667 sq ft per chicken (since I have three)! A single crate (which I just turned upside down over a piece of plywood covered with vunyl tiles) would be 4'x3'4" (rounded to 3' for easy math)...giving 12 sq ft of space under one crate (4 sq ft per bird if you have 3).

 

[Celtic Chick]

Quote:
If you could find a handy person, maybe they could even make you something like this, minus the run, and you could put it inside the dog kennel:
http://www.motherearthnews.com/Happy-Homesteader/Chicken-Tractor-Coop.aspx
http://www.motherearthnews.com/Do-It-Yourself/2003-02-01/Building-Mothers-Mini-Coop.aspx
Or you could maybe get a decent sized dog house & do a few modifications?
http://www.motherearthnews.com/Sustainable-Farming/2007-09-01/Easy-Backyard-Chicken-Coops.aspx
This is an informational site:
http://www.fredsfinefowl.com/basiccoop.html

 

[Celtic Chick]

You don't by any chance have a trampoline in your backyard, do you?
This looks like an interesting idea, if you don't use the trampoline.

http://www.motherearthnews.com/modern-homesteading/chicken-coop-zm0z11zhun.aspx