Experience with Chick-N-Hutch?

[frugalhsmom]

We had one as a starter pen for 7 full sized birds. They had a run like in the pictures as well. It was way too crowded for them by the time they were 6 weeks old. So we built a Chicken tractor and sold the hutch. By the time we sold it we had reinforced it several times. We had wheels on the bottom so I could move it easily(tractor style) and it didn't hold up to the stress very well. It also blew over in a good wind once while the chicks were inside and we had to start anchoring the base. I thought it was pretty expensive for the pain it ended up causing.

 

[FrontPorchIndiana]

We bought one today at Tractor Supply. I'm planning to use it as a temporary starter pen for no more than 5 chicks until our new full size coop is finished. Then we can use the hutch for solitary confinement when needed.

 

[asher]

You know, I was looking at those the other day...and really eyeing them, but talked to my sons (8 and 10) about it and we decided since either way we would have to assemble it, we might as well put one together ourselves. Mine is not perfect (neither am I! ;-) ), but it's bigger and definitely does the job. I used chicken wire since it will only be inside and predators won't be an issue. I also put wood along the bottom rather than wire as they enjoy sawdust and it seems too cold without so I figured a solid bottom would be best.

It cost me, at most $20-30 to build. I already had the wire here. I'm guessing it was actually closer t $20. (Long term I am going to put some larger boards along the bottom so they won't kick the sawdust out the wire.)


(I swear it's not crooked like it appears! hehe)

 

[Quella]

Add a couple of wheels and it could go as very .. small .. chicken tractor.

 

[orchidchick]

I have one with the run that I use as a brooder first (just the hutch in the garage) and then pop the whole thing into the main run when the chicks are bigger for a transition unit until everyone is big enough to go together. Then i take the run off and leave just the hutch set up in main run as a water station and it's ready in case I have to isolate someone if they get hurt/or monitor feed, etc. With the top bungeed up, it becomes a social roosting area of sorts for them.

So for that it has come in handy. Very portable and light. It's about 4 years old and starting to show it's age, but I certainly have gotten my money's worth out of it. I had one hen (since put down) who had recurring crop issues that I had to lock up on occassion and it was handy to have it right there so she wasn't completely isolated from the flock.

Orchidchick

 

[ybmagpye]

Aw fer crying out loud. I too bought a Chik-n-hutch w/ matching run. My four Faverolles chicks are less than a week old, and I'd already concluded the hutch is going to be way too small. As for flimsy - I figured that out as I assembled it.

The question is, now what? I've wasted more than $400 on a pen and run that I now have no use for. I rather ticked off. PLUS I found the exact same thing at a local feed store for a fraction of what I paid for it on line. I'm an IDIOT!