Consolidated Kansas

[tntblake]

wow.. miss a couple days and the forum goes nuts! lol.

I need to rant for a minute, so if i can borrow your ear.. sigh.
My DH and I are "fighting" over chicken coops. The original plan was to convert our greenhouse into a coop. He now believes that we will not be able to get it insulated enough, be able to vent it enough, and that it's going to be a lot of work (I agree, but....) Now he's been searching on amazon and has found this coop to buy: http://www.amazon.com/Chicken-Poult...JE/ref=sr_1_18?ie=UTF8&qid=1328058567&sr=8-18 Reading reviews of this company, some are saying that it's made of cedar which is bad. I feel that this is going to be way too small for even 4 chickens, let alone if I get into chicken math and want more! I've been searching for design sites to try to find an easy design to build a coop, but then again we are back to him not wanting to build - just buy. What's a girl to do? arggg.. anyways, thanks for listening.. LOL

According to the link the specs are as follows:

• Outside overall dimensions including nesting boxes: 75"L X 45"H X 34-1/4"W.
• Dimensions of coop floor/perch area excluding nesting box: 44-1/2"L X 28"W X 41"H.
• Dimensions of the two nesting boxes overall(each): 27-1/2"W X 12-1/4"L X 16"H.
• This coop is designed to hold 6-8 standard hens or 8-10 bantams.

Using the interior measurements the coop is roughly 4x2 which is equal to 8 sq. ft. So using BYC's recommended 4 sq ft per bird that coop will hold 2 LF birds or 4 bantams. You could probably stretch it to 3-4 birds as long as they had a nice size area to roam during the day and all they were going to do in the coop is lay and sleep. I would go bigger if you can. Have you tried looking at the rubbermaid sheds? Those would be very easy to convert to a coop with some expandafoam and a saw. They come in several sizes.That is what I plan to use when we move. This one looks nice and is pretty reasonable. With about 18 sq ft it should hold approx. 4-6 hens very comfortably. I am looking at the 8x8 or 6x6 ones.

 

[Hawkeye95]

Tweety, honestly, if you posted that link and showed the chicken experts that coop on the Coop board-- they would have a hay day telling you all of it's faults. I've seen that particular coop listed I don't know HOW many times! It's good cheap price, so people want to buy it! The down fall is that the wood is so cheap and so thin-- that it ends up falling apart the first year you have it. Go ahead and ask on the coop board how many people have that and if they would ever recommend buying it again. I'll bet you get a resounding NO. I believe someone said the door or the window broke in the first week. Besides it being super thin wood-- it's incredibly small. Did you realize that those dimentions INCLUDE the nest boxes??? So subtract that to actually see what would be the interior space (because you can't include nest boxes in your square footage-- or height, BTW) and it's very small. It would fit probably 3 large hens. And not a bird more. And maybe not even that if you got really large birds. Someone took the roof of one of those and showed how tall it was-- there is really no room for roosts. They said that the roost bar was practically on the floor. I think this is a "Buyer Beware" kind of purchase. Go ahead... and I'll promise not to say "told you so". LOL! If you don't want to build something-- then definitely look into some pre-built sheds at Lowes or Home Depot. Shop around on the net too for wood sheds, metal sheds... whatever winds up suiting your purpose. DO keep in mind that you will want it larger than you think you will. If you ever need to separate out a sick bird, it would be nice if it were large enough to put up an extra chicken wire wall to do to. Make it so you can walk into it easily. Cutting out windows and a pop door-- that would be easy.

And you know.. you CAN build it yourself. I pretty much built mine! And mine is kind of elaborate! OH! and there is another gal on here and I forget her name, but she made her coop out of pallets and it is the coolest thing ever!!! If anyone remembers who that was-- speak up. My brain is fried, and if you're reading this and I'm talking about you-- SO sorry I can't remember!! I think she's in Lawrence, too.

Ritter, I'm tempted to catch her! LOL Yeah, she looks to be the same color, etc. Except that the other bird had a bigger white nostril thing on his beak. This bird has a smaller white nostril thing on her beak. But she has that greenish ring around her neck. Maybe the white thing on her beak doesn't mean anything, but I can tell it's a bit smaller.

Ivy-- I prayed many times for Dh and you today! Sure hoping you all are doing well tonight.

Danz, OMGosh--- are we sisters??!! Are you sure you're not related to me? I swear, I thought only that kind of stuff happens to me. I almost laughed at your mad dash for the loose birds... but I felt too bad for you!! Sheesh!!

Today was a great day! Beautiful and warm! But... NO silkie eggs!! At all!!

Aren't they supposed to lay every day?? How the heck am I going to get a decent amount of eggs to put in my incubator if they won't lay! Sigh. I hope tomorrow brings some eggs! OH, and I did have to climb under the coop for another Polish tonight. For the first time, it wasn't Cocoa under there. But another Polish-- I've never seen the others do that, so I was worried she was hurt. But I looked her over with the flashlight and she seemed fine. She squaked and put up a big fight when I grabbed her in the dark, anyway. My ferriar was out to trim my horses tonight too-- but their feet were too dry, (no rain) that he couldn't clip them. He said he'll be back as soon as it rains. Bummer, but he did set the foot again on my one mare who has a foot problem. So she should be fine 'till he gets back. My ferriar's wife has guinneas, black copper marens, a lonely swan (the mate was coyote food earlier this year) and geese. They're always trying to GIVE me Pea fowl, too. They are soooo funny. They want to "share" the joys of the screams.

 

[BrahmaBoy27]

Can anyone give me some suggestions on what to do with my flock??? Some of them are starting to get runny noses and watery eyes but they are all still acting fine eating drinking and everything.Could it just be a cold or something and pass with time or do i need to get them some antibiotics and if so what do i need to get?????

 

[tweetysvoice]

. Have you tried looking at the rubbermaid sheds? Those would be very easy to convert to a coop with some expandafoam and a saw. They come in several sizes.That is what I plan to use when we move. This one looks nice and is pretty reasonable. With about 18 sq ft it should hold approx. 4-6 hens very comfortably. I am looking at the 8x8 or 6x6 ones.

I have been looking at sheds as well as large dog houses (which still aren't big enough IMO). I'm thinking that the shed route is the way we are going to have to go... I wish I could get him on board with reading more information about how to make the chickens comfy versus what will look nice in our back yard.

 

[tweetysvoice]

Tweety, honestly, if you posted that link and showed the chicken experts that coop on the Coop board-- they would have a hay day telling you all of it's faults. I've seen that particular coop listed I don't know HOW many times! It's good cheap price, so people want to buy it! The down fall is that the wood is so cheap and so thin-- that it ends up falling apart the first year you have it. Go ahead and ask on the coop board how many people have that and if they would ever recommend buying it again. I'll bet you get a resounding NO. I believe someone said the door or the window broke in the first week. Besides it being super thin wood-- it's incredibly small. Did you realize that those dimentions INCLUDE the nest boxes??? So subtract that to actually see what would be the interior space (because you can't include nest boxes in your square footage-- or height, BTW) and it's very small. It would fit probably 3 large hens. And not a bird more. And maybe not even that if you got really large birds. Someone took the roof of one of those and showed how tall it was-- there is really no room for roosts. They said that the roost bar was practically on the floor. I think this is a "Buyer Beware" kind of purchase. Go ahead... and I'll promise not to say "told you so". LOL! If you don't want to build something-- then definitely look into some pre-built sheds at Lowes or Home Depot. Shop around on the net too for wood sheds, metal sheds... whatever winds up suiting your purpose. DO keep in mind that you will want it larger than you think you will. If you ever need to separate out a sick bird, it would be nice if it were large enough to put up an extra chicken wire wall to do to. Make it so you can walk into it easily. Cutting out windows and a pop door-- that would be easy.

These were my thoughts exactly when I started looking further into this coop. I believe that I have convinced him to not consider this at all - FINALLY!. Thanks for all the other comments about it - now I have more ammo against it! We went to Orschlen's today and I showed him a chicken tractor that was approximately the same size and he was floored at how small it actually was. I agree that the roosts are just on the ground and there's no room for them to walk around at all if they were in there after sun-up. We will have a 20x20 run for them, but I want a way to lock them up at night. And even in the winter, when there is snow on the ground, they have to have a place to stay during the bitter days. I think i'm going to start steering him towards sheds, since he doesn't want to build the frame. I would have no problem building one myself, but I'm only 5 feet and pretty puny when it comes to lifting anything. LOL

 

[ChooksChick]

I'm going to pm you my number- there's a guy in my neighborhood who is an artisan and he's built coops for folks in town. I'm sure he'd help you build yours, and you could learn while he builds if you want to help him! He's reasonable and is a long-time chicken owner, to boot.

Gimme a buzz.

I have been looking at sheds as well as large dog houses (which still aren't big enough IMO). I'm thinking that the shed route is the way we are going to have to go... I wish I could get him on board with reading more information about how to make the chickens comfy versus what will look nice in our back yard.

 

[Hawkeye95]

Can anyone give me some suggestions on what to do with my flock??? Some of them are starting to get runny noses and watery eyes but they are all still acting fine eating drinking and everything.Could it just be a cold or something and pass with time or do i need to get them some antibiotics and if so what do i need to get?????

I'd look up Tylan-- that is used for runny noses, etc. Are they sneezing, too? The others will be along later or in the morning and they will be of a lot more help than I am! The sick birds I've dealt with never once got a runny nose or watery eye... so I'm not really sure what you're dealing with. And I freaked out and took mine to the vet-- so I wouldn't say I'm the best at diagnostic.

 

[Hawkeye95]

I'm going to pm you my number- there's a guy in my neighborhood who is an artisan and he's built coops for folks in town. I'm sure he'd help you build yours, and you could learn while he builds if you want to help him! He's reasonable and is a long-time chicken owner, to boot.

Gimme a buzz.

Oh Tweety-- this is a GREAT suggestion that Chooks has! It would probably run you cheaper, too! I bet you could have the guy start the framing and do most of the work and do the rest... or just let him have at it. Worth it to compare costs anyway. And then it would be cute!

 

[tweetysvoice]

Oh Tweety-- this is a GREAT suggestion that Chooks has! It would probably run you cheaper, too! I bet you could have the guy start the framing and do most of the work and do the rest... or just let him have at it. Worth it to compare costs anyway. And then it would be cute!

Yes... Chooks is WONDERFUL! Just got off the phone with her and both me and my DH think this is definitely the way to go! I feel so much relief after posting on here. ya'll are great!!

 

[WichitaKidd]

I'm on the east side of town. Central & Edgemoor area.