Coops

[The Red Rooster]

I'm in the market for a coop/run.

I have 24 chickens

I can't afford a really expensive coop

I would like have a run on the coop (if indeed the coop doesn't have a run).

Some of the 24 chickens would be in my other small coop

I like the looks of this kind of coop a lot. It's what I'm really looking for. It seems to small. What do you think? http://www.ebay.com/itm/Pawhut-Delu...652?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item20bda25be4

Any ideas/opinions would be great. Please let me know if there is a coop for sale that follows the rules on top.

 

[NovaAman]

I think you might be better off just building one. That pawhut is was small. 4 chickens in it tops unless they free range...

 

[anderson8505]

I wouldn't. Usually these are thin wood, sometimes balsam. Poor protection for Frreezing SD. THey usually are stretching the truth on how many full sized chickens can fit into it.

 

[GA_in_GA]

You can comfortably fit 2 LF in that coop. The run is not really a run, more of a large sandbox.

I speak from experience - I have this coop/run. Check out my BYC page. I had an 8' x 16' covered run built around the mini-coop/run.

 

[simplynewt]

I would suggest doing research and checking out some of the coops already constructed by the many members of BYC. You can build one yourself for almost nothing and find gratification in enjoying something you built with your own bare hands.

Good Luck.

 

[nurse_turtle]

The actual coop portion of that one is just over 4 sq ft which is what is needed for ONE full sized chicken. This coop enclosure could hold up to 3 bantam chickens.

 

[The Red Rooster]

Thats what I thought too. I'm not that great with a hammer and nail.

I'll keep looking.

 

[The Red Rooster]

So sorry eveyone! My title isn't right.

 

[urban escapee]

I spent about 150.00 on my coop. We used 4x4 posts sunk into the ground with 2x4's between them and plywood on the sides. The wood only goes up 4 ft with the top portions covered in hardware cloth. We did this for ventilation and as the weather cools in southern TX we can cover the open areas with some hinged panels. The roof is recycled tin roofing. We spent more money on the run by using a premade dog kennel (279.00) we used the left over hardware cloth to "sheath" the lower pportions of the run and make a skirting. The panels on the run were offset a little bit to account for the nesting boxes so we got more space. We ran some chicken wire over the top since hawks and coons are a problem in this area. In a 8x4 coop and 10x 15 run, I have 11 ladies. Everything was designed with the ability to expand and for a woman to be able to build it without help (even though I had plenty). Right now we are planning to add on to the coop, but keep the current coop in place for younger birds and broody hens. (I so need to finish painting the thing, and post photos, LOL)

So for the price and depending on how many birds you plan to have you can do much better if you build it yourself. AND recycle as many materials as you can.

 

[Sarah54341]

I had one like this, It didn't keep the chooks warm and it did not weather well, the wood (which was far to thin in the first place) became very brittle. I don't recommend it, I had two chickens in mine and it was still way too small.
Anyways it went in the trash, now I'm keeping the chickens in a temporary one while I build my own. So far I have found heaps of good designs in the coop section here. I'm a bit worried about building it myself, I'm not all that handy either. But its worth a shot, from my research the timber and stuff to build a coop is quite cost effective as well.