Craigslist coop.

[itstrist]

I'm getting 2 silkies on June 9th so I'm contemplating whether or not I should buy a coop or build one and I came across this one on craisglist. do you think it's a good coop for $50?

I would obviously have to construct a better door and a attached run. but other than that?

 

[catahouladog]

If your are handy, I would build one instead of this coop. This coop is pretty small and unless you have some city regulations that prevent you from getting more, you should build a bigger one...raise it up too for easy cleaning. Chickens are addicting and you might want more down teh road.

 

[itstrist]

I'm not very handy at all. Not even really sure if I want to get into chickens fully or not that is why I'm only getting two and keeping it on such a low budget. I think what I am going to do is get this coop and if chicken math occurs, this summer when it is much nicer out and not raining as much then I will enlist my fathers help in building a larger coop.

 

[catahouladog]

Is there roosting bar in the coop? You should add one then. Good luck!

 

[itstrist]

there is one! it's in front of the nesting boxes. I've read silkie chickens do not roost though.

 

[dheltzel]

Silkies don't need to roost (really no chicken does), but they will if they can get to the roost. Because of the silkie feathering, they can't "get much air" and so a high roost will be useless to them.

I think that is a great coop for a few silkies, and a good buy for $50. I say go for it.

BTW, I've raised hundreds of chickens over the years, including many silkies. I know they will do fine in there. When you build the run, think about predator protection. Silkies are pretty much helpless against anything and everything.

 

[itstrist]

I plan on building a completely enclosed run made with hardware cloth and 2x4's attached to the front of the coop that be removed to be moved around.