Coop upgrade | question

[21hens-incharge]

So cool! Unfortunately my hubby can’t do a ton of building. We’re literally sitting in the hospital now treating his back issues. So that’s why trying to give girls best life we can with what we have. I do take great care of my girls and spoil them rotten.

I see.

Back issues are horrible.

I am not a young woman but built my coops with very little help from hubs. If I can do it anyone can. Don't underestimate your own abilities.

Moving big heavy stuff is difficult at best but maybe a friend or relative can help with that stuff.

 

[Outta Here]

Is that made of plastic? Would you be able to cut some ventilation holes in it and wire mesh them securely?

 

[Phaedra Geiermann]

View attachment 2786193
assuming these aren’t good either Size wise? Cube looks small to me. Smaller than the playhouse even.

I am Eglu Cube user and quite satisfied with them. The ground in our garden isn't even, and we didn't have craft skills to make a lovely coop by ourselves yet. The winter here is so far not too extreme, we have snow which can be up to 25-30cm some days. Our hens have Cube as a place to sleep and lay, a sheltered run for bad weather, and a open run for good weather.

The real concerns of Eglu Cube in my opinion:

1. whatever number they provide, always needed to be reduced, their definitions of small, medium and large are somehow unrealistic for me, ex:

bantams --> 7
medium sized chicken --> 5 (this is what I have so far, 5 hens in one cube is ok)
large breeds might be 3

2. If you don't have a high pressure cleaner, it won't work. We have one so the cleaning is really easy. For the bedding and chicken poo -- very ideal compost materials.

 

[Driley62]

I'm still new at this compared to many that chimed in. I'm also farther north than you(nearly in Canada in northern ny) but I myself am not a fan of the plastic or metal shed ideas. Maybe temporarily til something better can be built. I built a 6x8(inside dimensions of coop not outside) out of rough cut from a mill around the corner from me which saved me a ton of money at this high cost time of building material.

Many give me crap for my bird amount and size of the coop but with my cold winters I saw it fitting with proper ventilation its fine. But my run(too much predator pressure near me...foxes and coyotes a plenty!) It vastly makes up for their tighter coop space.

Minimum 8 inches of roost space per bird(unless breeds like jersey giants then I think it's 12 inches)
4 sqft per bird is appropriate mine comes in at just over 2 I think if I remember correct inside the coop(some argue that's production space)
10 sqft minimum per bird of run space outside. With my electrified extension I have right around 30 sqft per bird...again too many predators and with a young kid in the home soon to be a second I don't want to yet force them to learn the harsh aspect of life like that yet because she LOVES out chickens! When she's older I do plan on helping her understand the cycle of life but my daughter cares about everything and wears her heart on her sleeve all the time. My plan is to teach her through hunting as I hunt and can spend quality time to properly explain how the life cycle works as I feel our educational system doesn't explain it well(if at all). If you have the ability to safely free range great! I myself unfortunately do not. I had a neighbor lose an entire flock to a very sly family of foxes.

In end build it as you see fit. But I urge that you make sure you do at the least the minimum to help prevent violence and disease. The smaller the space the more frequent you'll have to do maintenance. I have a regular maintenance schedule(well as regular as possible at the moment because of a recent surgery. Thankfully I have great friends willing to help since I won't let my pregnant wife lift). Doesn't mean you can ignore it the larger you go just cuts cleanings and maintenance to a lesser frequent time frame but not ignoring for weeks/months on end. Maybe once a week or biweekly instead of every other day.

 

[SiDaStuff]

Cool!

 

[TwitchnChickens]

Ok.. so seems making the shed workable isnt feesible from the feedback received (thank you)!


No way to use something like this if we modify it?
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B088X4DK9...t_fabc_7E66AF54KQ4DS7YQSBBJ?tag=backy-20&th=1

I also see plastic houses that people convert, too.

They currently are in the coop pictured (but only with access to one nesting box side, as the other side is now blocked off due to them sleepign in it and it deteriorating. (i hate this coop and wish i had known more before getting it last summer but I digress.

Some details:

They (four girls) have a 160 sq. foot run the coop/playhouse would go in that has a hardware cloth apron around it, and they have access every day to free ranging a half acre along with with my three ducks.

We live in Southern New Jersey.

Thanks again all !

 

[Driley62]

Personally I think that would be a bitch to clean. I would think not only of their needs but your needs too in this case. I built a coop that was small in stature...if I had to do maintenance I had to clean it out completely just to climb in to do tge work to then climb back out. Now with the one I built I can step in do what I gotta and get out with ease. I don't have much head space on one side as I did lean-to style instead of typical pitch. On one side it's just over 6ft and on the back side 4ft( I'm 5'8"). So I still have to be kinda mindful.

My biggest suggestion is buy rough cut lumber and find a friend that's a handy man that can help you build you won't regret it if you build it the way you want.