Hello from Texas

[happymom25]

Hi,
My name is Eileen and I'm new here I don't have any chickens yet but I plan on getting some. I'm still in the learning phase but plan on taking the plunge pretty soon!
I'm looking into buying vs. building a coop etc. There are some nice coops listed on craig's list but the ones I like are a little pricey and then I think about building...
Any suggestions on where to start? We live on 5 acres and don't have to worry about restrictions/neighbors so that's a blessing!

Thanks

 

[4-H chicken mom]

and

from Ohio. So glad you joined. Check out the coop section here. You might find something there you could build.

 

[starryhen]

Howdy neighbor, we are in Central Texas near Austin. The biggest mistake I see new chicken owners make is not putting fencing on the bottom of the coop. Varmints will tunnel right under a fence. Also be careful of chicken wire in coops. A raccoon can reach through the openings, pull out a piece of sleeping hen and chew on it. A snake can get through it, too. We use hardware cloth all around.

 

[NonnasBabies]

&

from Louisiana!

 

[dawg53]

Welcome to BYC.

 

[benjoycei]

Hi from NC

 

[weimarmama]

&

from Alabama.

 

[RGBistro]

Welcome from Southern California!

I'm new, too.

If you're even semi-handy, I recommend building your own. They can be pretty straightforward, and you'll get a lot of satisfaction out of building something yourself.

After hours and hours and hours of research, (and buying blueprints online), we ended up surveying our yard to figure out what would work best. So, my suggestion is - do that first, and maybe a good direction (like what you might want your coop to look like) will surface. Have you checked out the chicken coop page on this site yet?! Uber helpful.

- Kim

 

[Chickencoop1996]

 

[b.hromada]

Hi Eileen!

from S. Florida! Its great to have you here with us!