Coops

[The Duckster]

Hi does anybody know of a really good,big, predator proof coop?

 

[cavemanrich]

If you want big,,,,,,, you have to build it yourself,, or have someone do it for you. Use strong materials. Then there is question of what predators are you concerned with. The predators can be from cats to bears so clarify your needs some more. Yes,, coops can be built "bear proof"
All the prefab coops are just mildly predator proof. But are a good option for individuals that are not sure of chicken keeping. Once they do make their mind up that chickens are what they want,,,,, usually upgrade to better,,, larger coops.
Look thru this thread,,, it has many postings and pictures of coops. You may get ideas what would suit your needs.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/post-your-chicken-coop-pictures-here.596294/

WISHING YOU BEST,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,and

 

[3KillerBs]

Where are you located? Climate matters, especially when it comes to housing.

I do not know of a prefab coop that does not wildly exaggerate the numbers of birds it can hold.

OverEZ coops seem to be better-built than the average, but in addition to claiming to hold too many birds they are very poorly ventilated.

Carolina Coops are extremely expensive, but seem to be well-built and *may* have enough ventilation.

The Usual Guidelines

For each adult, standard-sized hen you need:

• 4 square feet in the coop (.37 square meters)
• 10 square feet in the run (.93 square meters),
• 1 linear foot of roost (.3 meters),
• 1/4 of a nest box,
• And 1 square foot (.09 square meters) of permanent, 24/7/365 ventilation, preferably located over the birds' heads when they're sitting on the roost.

Doing a shed conversion is probably the best way to get a big coop without having to build the frame yourself. Here are some good examples:

Shed Conversions

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/the-mulligan.74743/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/aarts-coop-page.65912/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/the-scoop-on-a-rubbermaid-big-max-coop.76444/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/toy-shed-conversion.64879/

 

[Brooks_]

To play off of the above post, I am a fan of shed conversions. I've not done one myself, but I really like the idea. Security, ease (in most cases), and cost effective (for all intents and purposes).

 

[rosemarythyme]

x3 on a shed as a base structure to work off of, as they're usually reasonably sized for a small to moderate flock, tall enough to add proper ventilation, and (assuming it's built properly) should be able to stop most predators.

 

[IdyllwildAcres]

really good,big, predator proof coop

A really good, big, predator proof coop is built, not bought.