Charlotte, NC here!

[ghillie]

 

[texasgal]

A big Texas-sized

 

[DangerChickenHouse]

Thanks for the warm welcome everyone!

 

[kareninthesun]

I'd like to encourage you to build your own! It isn't difficult! The hardest part was transporting what was needed to home. We have a truck, but it is a stick, and I don't drive a stick. So I and two teen boys went and purchased everything needed then called my hubby to meet us at the store. I found a good ebook online with a bunch of blueprints for different types of trailors/tractor/various sized coops along with other helpful information regarding chickens health and community environments. There's also other sites on line, including utube, but it was a pain in the neck trying to find complete plans for free or decent cost. This one was good. Took the guys about four days, working about 2-3 hours a day, which isn't bad at all. Didn't need any bizare tools to complete it. What I really like about building your own is that you can modify it to express your own style and build according to the chick's needs. With the one we did, the whole bottom floor is open and enclosed in 1/2 inch galvanized wire, freeing up a whole lot of space. Until we get the chicken run in, I added two huge clay planters on their sides, put hay in them, added an extra nesting box with hay, put a few tree limbs over those so they could climb and explore. The bottom of both floors has wood chip (NOT CEDAR) with shavings then a thick carpet of alfalfa hay. No bad smells at all. They love to play and look for goodies in it. When I cut the grass in the yard, a couple of big chunks of the fresh stuff tossed inside is a free for all. I keep the ramp down during the day to encourage them to go up themselves, but the little ones are more interested in that, just to explore and jump/fly down.

I think it is a good idea to build first, and work out any kinks, check to make sure it is preditor proof and depending on where you live, will keep them cozy in weather extremes.