junebuggena
Crowing
It's a great price, but you need to understand that the coop you are getting is not adequate. Even if they are only in it at night. Even if you free range them. Even if you reduce the flock size by half. $40 is a bargain for the hens, the feed, the straw, and the feeder and waterer. Pullet chicks cost about $3 each. Then you have to spend money brooding them and feeding them to laying age. By the time they lay, you've already spent about $80 or more. Feed costs about $15 to $20 per 50# bag. Feeders and waterers cost about $10 each. Straw can cost $10 to $20 a bale. Shavings are about $10 for a large package. Absolute bargain. The coop you would be getting is more suited to for when you need to separate a sick bird from the flock, or as a grow-out coop for chicks. It's not a good long term housing option for even a small flock.
So what if your first attempt a coop wasn't awesome. That's how you learn. Everybody starts somewhere. Master builders aren't just born that way. They work at it. Start with a plan. Go through the coop pages. Find a design that is SIMPLE (I can't stress that enough) and has step-by-step instructions. You can do it. Don't worry about it being level or square. It doesn't matter. The chickens won't care. And it's just going to be covered in chicken poop after a few months anyways. It's four squares/rectangles on top of a square/rectangle, with a big square/rectangle on top. It's a safe place for chickens to sleep, protected from wind, rain, and predators. It doesn't have to be more than that.
