First time chicken owner...Buyers regret on coop. Advise please.

[Bcmacias]

Hi! This week we purchased 4 pullets (hopefully). We have a small fenced in backyard which we will keep them. Our plan is to have them out in the yard most of the time we are home, and of course put them in the coop at night. We ordered the coop and put it together tonight and I see a couple of things I’m concerned about. 1. Too small...is it too small for four hens (ISA Brown, California White, Black Asian, and Barred Rock)? 2. The roosting bars are the same height as the egg laying box, I read it should be higher than the boxes so they don’t go in and sleep and poop in the boxes. If they mess in there I guess I will put removable chicken wire cut to size to block the boxes. Maybe 4 nails, one in each corner to hold the wire and do this each night and remove in the morning. 3. Ventilation...I don’t see any ventilation up high, all I see is some little spaces around the poop tray to allow a tiny bit of circulation in, I can’t imagine it would be much. We live in Kansas City, MO and although they may stay huddled together and stay warm in the winter, the summers are HOT and HUMID even at night. I’m afraid of them getting too hot and stuffy rather than too cold. Should I drill a couple 1/2” or 3/4” inch holes around the peak of the coop for ventilation? Thanks so much! I’m trying to read and absorb as much information as possible on this new venture, but it seems there is no better knowledge than experience...which I’m trying to get. Thanks again for any advise you can give me, I’ll take it!!

 

[Northwest_Wannabe]

Those coops are generally not made with the chickens in mind I would suggest them for quail but honestly they're not quite built for quail either! In most of those smaller premade coops I'd say 2-3 bantams, you may have to buy or make a larger coop for a long term solution for your 4 standard sized birds :'( How old are they? If you're concerned about them being pullets vs cockerels you can make a post when they're a few weeks-few months old and we can help sex them

 

[Gray Farms]

Those coops are very poorly made. Every one I've seen fell apart after a year out in the weather.

 

[Dusty Chicken]

My girls have been living in very small quarters since 2011. The roost was apx . 3" above the "nesting boxes". Was it ideal? No! But my girls over the years have laid beautiful eggs I have had problems with them sleeping in the nest boxes but it is not the end of the world, just a little more diligence on my end. Chickens are very adaptable, give them a big run to spend their days in and the small coop for sleeping in safety has worked for me. After 9 years I am getting a bigger coop but I am more knowagable now then I was then hence hopefully a better coop!

 

[neo71665]

Honestly I'd return the coop and build one. Even after you buy simple hand tools (saw, tape measure, hammer, and square) with materials more often than not you still come in cheaper. Basic coops aint rocket surgery. Just do your homework and copy a good proven homemade coop off here.

 

[Bcmacias]

Those coops are generally not made with the chickens in mind I would suggest them for quail but honestly they're not quite built for quail either! In most of those smaller premade coops I'd say 2-3 bantams, you may have to buy or make a larger coop for a long term solution for your 4 standard sized birds :'( How old are they? If you're concerned about them being pullets vs cockerels you can make a post when they're a few weeks-few months old and we can help sex them

They are about 2 weeks old. I’m suspicious about the Black Asian, he’s twice as big as the others. Maybe he was an older one when we got him from Tractor Supply. Very interested to know. Anxious to post some pics as they get older! Thanks so much!

 

[rosemarythyme]

The coop is big enough for 1 standard adult bird, it has less than 4 sq ft inside the coop minus the nest box. Putting 4 chickens in that space would be illegal in my area.

If you can't return it, best you can do is try to turn the entire unit into a coop by removing interior walls so it becomes 1 bigger coop rather than 1 tiny coop + 1 tiny run. It'd still be too small for 4 but at least would give you double the amount of floor space, more roost space, and ventilation. Remove all interior walls and floor, then run a roost bar lengthwise across the new space. If possible, drop the nest box down a bit so roost sits up higher, to prevent birds from wanting to sleep in nests. Cover up SOME of the wire mesh walls with wood based on your prevailing wind directions to provide wind/weather protection, but make sure to leave some spaces open for ventilation... aim for 1 sq ft (or more if possible) of open ventilation per bird.

 

[Shezadandy]

Yes, if you can return it, send it back. If you can't return it - you can build it out and save it for if you ever have 1. an injury that needs a few days to heal, 2. a hen goes broody and needs a separate spot for her nest if you let her hatch, 3. as a doll house for the hens. =)

In the time being since it's summer - you can make yourself a hardware cloth cube coop- the 4 walls are just wood 2x4's with hardware cloth sandwiched in between, and the same thing done for the top.

If you want, I can post pictures of the basic idea. It will be much stronger and better at repelling predators. Make it the biggest you have room for.

Parts: 2x4, 8ft, 3ft or 4ft wide rolls of hardware cloth (Amazon is the best deal for this) ... and I like using "star drive" screws of varying lengths-- that use T-25 bits - really, REALLY hard to strip those, and a staple gun.

Floor would be plywood covered with 1/4" rubber mat - usually sold at farm supply stores in 30" wide rolls, sold by the foot, super easy to work with. By putting a hardware cloth frame over the top of the cube, you can then roof it however you want without worrying about predators entering- but do provide yourself a ridiculous amount of roof overhang on all sides - it comes in very handy.

Then when it gets cold ... you screw your choice of siding to the outside of the frame - and just like that you're ready for winter... siding comes off again when the hot weather returns for maximum ventilation ... rinse, repeat - and if you ever move- very easy to disassemble into easy to transport and rebuild pieces.

 

[DanielleGut]

We looked and looked online at the coop and run combos out there and in the end built a much bigger coop and run for a way better deal. We even used alot of free pallet wood.

 

[DanielleGut]

That's actually one of the ones I had in my cart on Amazon! Its super cute though.