California - Northern

[HighStreetCoop]

HighStreet, thinking outside the box here. Is there a woodworking class at a local high school? You might be able to get some Advanced students to help you out. The local 4-H extension office may have a club doing woodworking or some older poultry kids handy with tools to help you out.

That would be awesome, but I just don't feel like I have the breathing room to hunt that down at the moment. I *knew* getting the chicks before the coop was done was a mistake, but I got talked into it (and the custom coop guy seemed so reliable and into it *sigh* and the coop was supposed to be delivered when they were still weeks too young to go out). New coop is a go and will be delivered Jan 2nd. I'm the last order that will fit in the truck for that delivery, and I talked to a couple of past customers who raved about them. That was the earliest ANYONE could get me something. I even broke down and called my dad (which I hate doing, because he doesn't need to spend his free time working on my projects), but he can't come up and help because mom just bought a vintage trailer in Arizona, so poor dad gets to spend his Christmas vacation driving there to get it!

In better news, my blue orps are suddenly getting REALLY pretty lacing!!! Two of them are especially nice (one of which is reserved for @TheKeeper ). Hopefully when I have the coop in place I can drive up and swap her.

 

[TheKeeper]

In better news, my blue orps are suddenly getting REALLY pretty lacing!!! Two of them are especially nice (one of which is reserved for @TheKeeper
). Hopefully when I have the coop in place I can drive up and swap her.

I have 4 fat, friendly girls for you to choose from! Ready whenever you are (no rush).

 

[HighStreetCoop]

I have 4 fat, friendly girls for you to choose from! Ready whenever you are (no rush).

Awesome! Sometime in early January. Once the coop is set up. Don't want to stress everyone out by putting a new bird in the brooder, LOL! I might hit you up for a mottled/spangled girl too if you have one to spare/sell (no worries if you don't, but I didn't know Jeff had those when I bought mine!!!).

 

[Kaylish]

Well, my custom coop not going to happen. After taking my deposit and stringing me along for an additional 4 weeks (grand total of TEN WEEKS WASTED ON THIS GUY), he just emailed to say he's returning my deposit. At least I don't have to fight with him and PayPal? Oh, and he said that I could always go to Concord Feed and pick up one of his prebuilt coops. Right. That's exactly what I want to do, give him $ for NOT building what I ordered (plus, those don't have a run attached, so I still wouldn't have a functional outside enclosure I could actually use). I swear, I could burn @#$!@ to the ground right now.

So, I'm back to SQUARE ONE just in time for it to be the holidays and for everyone to be out of town and for the unending deluge to have kicked in. Did I mention wanting to burn things?

Have called half a dozen coop places today. They're all sold out/backed up for Christmas, or everything is made to order. So my poor birds are stuck in the house for at LEAST another three weeks. ARGH!!!!

I think I've settled on the largest version of this (boy do I wish it would fit on the footing I already had put in for the custom coop, but of course it won't*):

http://chickengardener.com/product/combo-coops/

*and of course custom coop guy isn't paying me back for the additional brooder I had to build because of his delay or for redoing the footing.

1st - I'm so sorry that you were strung along like that. Some people are just Rude!
2nd - as far a pre-built that coop looks pretty good. I would pay the extra for the hardware cloth instead of the welded wire. Also, their recommendation of 9 birds for the largest coop is Way over. Based on a 5' x 11" total size the biggest I figure the coop could be is 5' x 4'; which would be 5 LF chickens max. With Orps I would say 4 tops. Don't know how many you are planning on keeping but thought I'd throw that out there. Good luck!

HighStreet, thinking outside the box here. Is there a woodworking class at a local high school? You might be able to get some Advanced students to help you out. The local 4-H extension office may have a club doing woodworking or some older poultry kids handy with tools to help you out.

Good Idea! You might want to try the Boy Scouts as well.

 

[caychris]

1st - I'm so sorry that you were strung along like that. Some people are just Rude!
2nd - as far a pre-built that coop looks pretty good. I would pay the extra for the hardware cloth instead of the welded wire. Also, their recommendation of 9 birds for the largest coop is Way over. Based on a 5' x 11" total size the biggest I figure the coop could be is 5' x 4'; which would be 5 LF chickens max. With Orps I would say 4 tops. Don't know how many you are planning on keeping but thought I'd throw that out there. Good luck!

Good Idea! You might want to try the Boy Scouts as well.

Kaylish

I think coop design makes a huge difference too. If you have feed and water in the coop or not as well. Breeds also make a difference

My "coop" is really just sleeping and laying. All food and water is outside the "coop". (Now I know for colder environments this would be different)

I have 8 birds (2 Buff Orps,4 Delawares, 1 Pita Pinta, 1 CLB) in essentially a 4x4x4 foot cube with 2 4 foot long roosts (I have 2 birds that refuse to roost one is half blind)
The coop is raised up 3 feet off the ground and all food and water are available underneath. ( I think that is sufficient space for the as it appears 5 birds roost on the high roost on on a lower roost and 2 on the floor) They have a great big enclosed run space as well so they seem to not be over crowded though the wet weather might make them a bit peevish and compete for some dry space in the run once in a while. They all seem happy. I'm actually hoping to add 2 more birds to this mix this coming year. (UofA blue or CLB)

Everyone seems to get along well together and the latest new birds are well integrated now.

Its funny that my CLB seems to be so fearless and is never bothered by the larger birds. Could be that she grew up in a pen with 6 other boys. She is a smart cookie too.

 

[Kaylish]

Kaylish

I think coop design makes a huge difference too. If you have feed and water in the coop or not as well. Breeds also make a difference

My "coop" is really just sleeping and laying. All food and water is outside the "coop". (Now I know for colder environments this would be different)

I have 8 birds (2 Buff Orps,4 Delawares, 1 Pita Pinta, 1 CLB) in essentially a 4x4x4 foot cube with 2 4 foot long roosts (I have 2 birds that refuse to roost one is half blind)
The coop is raised up 3 feet off the ground and all food and water are available underneath. ( I think that is sufficient space for the as it appears 5 birds roost on the high roost on on a lower roost and 2 on the floor) They have a great big enclosed run space as well so they seem to not be over crowded though the wet weather might make them a bit peevish and compete for some dry space in the run once in a while. They all seem happy. I'm actually hoping to add 2 more birds to this mix this coming year. (UofA blue or CLB)

Everyone seems to get along well together and the latest new birds are well integrated now.

Its funny that my CLB seems to be so fearless and is never bothered by the larger birds. Could be that she grew up in a pen with 6 other boys. She is a smart cookie too.

I completely agree - coop design, food & water and nesting box placement, free-range ablity, enviroment and bird size/temperment all factor in. The coop in question has the nesting boxes inside the coop area (which takes up living space - about 1/3 of the coop if the pictures are correct) and advertises to be good for 9

chickens. It doesn't list the actual coop dimensions (only the total with the run) so I can't be sure but I wanted to say something because I firmly belive that the "advertised" number of chickens for Most pre-built coops is way to high. I also try and keep only the number of chickens that would be comfortable when locked in for several days if necessary (like our recent storms).

That being said - everyone has their own idea of what is "enough" space and that's ok.

 

[HighStreetCoop]

boxes inside the coop area (which takes up living space - about 1/3 of the coop if the pictures are correct) and advertises to be good for 9

chickens. It doesn't list the actual coop dimensions (only the total with the run) so I can't be sure but I wanted to say something because I firmly belive that the "advertised" number of chickens for Most pre-built coops is way to high.

I totally agree. The run footprint maxes out at 5-6 and that's all I plan on keeping (food and water will be outside the coop, and I'll have my dad or a friend install an exterior nesting box this spring before they start laying). And they'll get to free range after work and on weekends. I may even attempt a chicken chunnel to the side yard which is totally unused space and would give them an additional 150 square feet. I just need to figure out how to install some netting/wire or something to keep out the hawk who hangs out and eats pigeons.

ETA: If I find I have too many birds, I have several friends who are MORE than willing to take an extra pullet/hen off my hands, LOL!

 

[caychris]

I completely agree - coop design, food & water and nesting box placement, free-range ablity, enviroment and bird size/temperment all factor in. The coop in question has the nesting boxes inside the coop area (which takes up living space - about 1/3 of the coop if the pictures are correct) and advertises to be good for 9

chickens. It doesn't list the actual coop dimensions (only the total with the run) so I can't be sure but I wanted to say something because I firmly belive that the "advertised" number of chickens for Most pre-built coops is way to high. I also try and keep only the number of chickens that would be comfortable when locked in for several days if necessary (like our recent storms).

That being said - everyone has their own idea of what is "enough" space and that's ok.

I tend to agree on pre-made coops. I do not think they consider LF at all really. The coop I have from Costco is supposed to house 4 (and it probably would in a pinch but it would definitely be cramped and confined living)

It was great for 4 young birds growing up and would probably house 4 bantams or birds on the small side more easily but definitely not a nice place for 4 large birds to live long term.

 

[PetRock]

Thanks to the rain last night, my backyard mud pit was totally smooth this morning except for all the raccoon paw prints around the chicken enclosures!

I could even see where one of them tried to dig under the cinder blocks that make up the foundation of our hoop run. I'm going to need to check the perimeters and make sure everything is predator proof before locking up the birds tonight. The prints were almost as big as my dog's prints so there was at least one good sized raccoon prowling around and looking for an easy meal.

 

[ronott1]

Thanks to the rain last night, my backyard mud pit was totally smooth this morning except for all the raccoon paw prints around the chicken enclosures!

I could even see where one of them tried to dig under the cinder blocks that make up the foundation of our hoop run. I'm going to need to check the perimeters and make sure everything is predator proof before locking up the birds tonight. The prints were almost as big as my dog's prints so there was at least one good sized raccoon prowling around and looking for an easy meal.

I am happy that they are all safe!