Hens and hen house size

[L0laCh1ck3n]

I am aware of that. Thank you. I stated i knew I would probably need to rehome some.

 

[junebuggena]

The idea that you need a coop that traps heat is bit of a myth and usually leads to lots of frostbite. The best protection you can give your birds for cold weather is a dry, well ventilated coop. It's much better to have too big a coop, than too small. And you can build a simple coop for much less money than buying a pre-fab one.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/...-go-out-there-and-cut-more-holes-in-your-coop

 

[L0laCh1ck3n]

Building a coop is out of the question currently, which is why I looked at prebuilt ones. I am a single mom in college so money and time are tight and building know how is non existing. LoL.

 

[junebuggena]

Pallets can be found for free at lots of places, and it doesn't have to be perfect. It just needs to be big enough and secure. Prefab coops are too small, not properly ventilated, flimsy, don't last, and are not even close to being predator proof. And they really over-priced. You can build one that's better. And you can do it on a budget. Most hardware stores will cut lumber to your specifications. See a cabinet on the side of the road? Grab the door off it. Somebody giving away an old, beat up table? Coop base or roof. Just because funds are limited doesn't mean you can't. It just means you have to get creative. And it won't take as long as you think it might.

I built this brooder setup out of old closet doors and free pallet wood. I spent about $80 on hardware cloth and hardware. I had the exterior paint already. Took about 10 hours total to build both units. I'm 5 feet tall and 90lbs. I have three young children. If I can do this, you can build a coop. It's doesn't have to be perfect. It doesn't have to be pretty or fancy. It just has to work.
Four sides, and a roof. Put it on legs and add a floor if you want to, or leave it on the ground and attach hardware cloth for flooring to keep out digging predators. There are tons of easy to follow coop plans in the 'Coops' section. You can do it.

 

[L0laCh1ck3n]

Some are handy, i have tried in the past making a coop and it had failed. I do have an open air shed. 3 sides and a roof that this coop will be put in so it will be mostly out of the weather. Previous owner used it to store a boat. So I think it will help prolong the life of the prefab coop. I am bartering currently for some chain link rolls to put under the coop to help predator proof.

 

[BlueBaby]

$40 for 10 hens is a steal. The coop, however, is junk. For Leghorn sized breeds, you need about 4 sq ft of coop space and 10 sq ft of run space per bird. For larger, dual-purpose breeds, you need about 5 sq ft of coop and 12 to 15 sq ft of run space. And the bigger you make both, the better.

You are right about coops like that being junk. A strong wind can blow them over. I had one that was smaller and looked like a red barn before. Good thing that I had built a bigger and better stronger one, and had moved my chickens into it already. A 40 mph wind completely destroyed that cheap one! I could have lost my chickens if they would have still been in it!

 

[junebuggena]

The open air shed sounds like you already have the perfect coop. Could you manage framing a simple rectangle for a door, and covering the open side with hardware cloth? For a run, metal fence posts, a roll or two of welded wire, and some zip ties will do the job. Why spend $300 to $1,000 on a crappy prefab when you already have a perfectly serviceable structure? A few modifications and you'll have coop fit for 20.

 

[BlueBaby]

Pallets can be found for free at lots of places, and it doesn't have to be perfect. It just needs to be big enough and secure. Prefab coops are too small, not properly ventilated, flimsy, don't last, and are not even close to being predator proof. And they really over-priced. You can build one that's better. And you can do it on a budget. Most hardware stores will cut lumber to your specifications. See a cabinet on the side of the road? Grab the door off it. Somebody giving away an old, beat up table? Coop base or roof. Just because funds are limited doesn't mean you can't. It just means you have to get creative. And it won't take as long as you think it might.

I built this brooder setup out of old closet doors and free pallet wood. I spent about $80 on hardware cloth and hardware. I had the exterior paint already. Took about 10 hours total to build both units. I'm 5 feet tall and 90lbs. I have three young children. If I can do this, you can build a coop. It's doesn't have to be perfect. It doesn't have to be pretty or fancy. It just has to work.
Four sides, and a roof. Put it on legs and add a floor if you want to, or leave it on the ground and attach hardware cloth for flooring to keep out digging predators. There are tons of easy to follow coop plans in the 'Coops' section. You can do it.

Great idea for a brooder! I think I might make one like it for baby chicks later on when I start hatching out some from my hens.

 

[junebuggena]

Both of these are great threads dealing with open-type coops in cold climates.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/126634/open-air-coops
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...rienced-input-on-a-cold-climate-open-air-coop

 

[L0laCh1ck3n]

The open air shed sounds like you already have the perfect coop. Could you manage framing a simple rectangle for a door, and covering the open side with hardware cloth? For a run, metal fence posts, a roll or two of welded wire, and some zip ties will do the job. Why spend $300 to $1,000 on a crappy prefab when you already have a perfectly serviceable structure? A few modifications and you'll have coop fit for 20.

The shed needs a lot of work. I plan to bartwr for work once I have a bit more to barter with. The only reason this coop is being considered is becomes it comes with coop, runs, 10 hens, feeder, waterer, two big bundles of straw, 2 bags of food and 2 big cubes of wood shavings. All for $40.