Did you ever buy a prefab coop? Give a review!

[Magoo1957]

It has a slide latch…on the lower door and the upper door.

how predator proof is it? Looks like serious gaps around the door

 

[PoppasGrill]

We got a couple of prefab coops on sale at Rural King Farm store for $200.
We use them for chicks integration with the flock and the hens like the nesting boxes.

Our big hens have the hillbilly condo coop, but are in the barn for feeding, so the chicks can see and be seen until they are 6-7 weeks and ready for the big house.

 

[Marle94]

how predator proof is it? Looks like serious gaps around the door

I haven’t had any predators that I know of attempt to get in. That being said…it’s not very heavy, maybe 25-30 pounds.

 

[Magoo1957]

I haven’t had any predators that I know of attempt to get in. That being said…it’s not very heavy, maybe 25-30 pounds.

I'd love to see up close pics if possible....

 

[ForFlocksSake]

I have been using the formex snap lock coop for my first flock of 5. I think it’s a great coop all in all. Assembly was a breeze. It’s so easy to clean but it’s definitely not large enough for the amount of birds it advertises for. The nesting boxes are also a little snug, but they don’t seem bothered by it. Sometimes an egg ends up on the floor if a hen has her butt facing out.

We are in the process of building a new coop now because I’ve added more birds to the flock. I’m keeping my formex as a future coop for juveniles. I think it’ll work great as a starter coop during integration.

All in all I say it you’re certain you’re keeping your flock to 6 or under then go for it. Put it in a shady spot as it can get warm in there in the summer.

 

[robsme]

I’ve been wondering.
Why can we give ratings for coops we have build in the article section even if we didn’t build such a coop ourself. And not for prefabs?

I think we should give ratings for prefabs in the same way if we have enough info in them.

So do add more reviews and additional info on prefabs in the article section. The prefabs that are reasonable should have a chance to get bought by people who don’t have the time or skills to build a whole new coop. And asking a carpenter to build one is for many of us too expensive.

Adding tips to improve a prefab are great info too for those who like to buy one. And I know that for many people who live in a climate with long winters a prefab is probably a no go, even for half the amount of chickens, the seller says, fit in. So do add climate info in your review.

link where to add reviews on prefabs

If you don’t agree on reviewing a prefab you didn’t buy, please let me /us know why.

can you fix a prefab or use the materials to add on? it said that it would house 14 chickens and it is only 6x5. Any thoughts after spending over $1,200?

 

[ChookaPete]

If you want a quick, small coop for a mother hen and her chicks, or say two hens, or a sick chicken - go buy a 3-person tent for $39 from Kmart.

I'm not being sarcastic - that's what I did for my broody hens!

 

[serdlc64]

The Gambrel Roof XL (My Pet Chicken)

Pros
- It's about 18 sq ft inside.
- It's got about 8 ft of roosting space.
- The roosting bars are at a decent height.
- It has very roomy nesting boxes.
- The pull out tray is awesome if you're not using the deep litter method.
- It's one of the better priced prefabs for its size.

Cons
- It lacks ventilation, like most prefabs.
- It's definitely not large enough for the advertised 9-12 chickens. I personally wouldn't put more than 4-5 (standard-size) in here, even if you added a bunch of ventilation.


In Conclusion
This coop served its purpose for the time we had it. I'm sure that some modifications could be made to make it much better, like adding more ventilation. That said, I'm not sure that it's worth the $1,000 price tag. I got it for a cheaper price years ago. If you really want to go the prefab route, I'd strongly suggest checking places like Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace. For example, there's a guy in my area that sells nice 6x4 coops for $700. I wish I'd have bought that or built my own instead!

I don’t know about other chicken coops, but do not buy a Tractor Supply Sentinal coop.
They don’t put tarpaper under the shingle paper that they use. The roofs on mine all got warped and I have 5 coops. I guarantee that you will have to spend money to make new roofs. TS did replace a few of the pieces, but they aren’t going to last.
Right now I put tarps over them, but those eventually leak and you need new tarps.
I’m going to get metal and put that on them. I also notice that TS is now selling ones with metal roofs. Maybe because I made such a stick of what a bad product , because of quality control and laziness and greed, for not making them right in the first place. I spent about 1800 on them so I figured I could complain.

 

[BDutch]

can you fix a prefab or use the materials to add on? it said that it would house 14 chickens and it is only 6x5. Any thoughts after spending over $1,200?

If you post photos of your coop , Im sure there are people on BYC that like to give tips for expanding or add a compartment.

I did so myself and created a new add-on roost area attached to the old prefab. The add-on or extension is made with left overs (construction wood, ply wood, western red cedar) , perspex and new hardware cloth.