How is this coop?

[calebc311]

http://www.aosom.com/d-409/Pawhut-O...e-w-Run.html?gclid=CMXV-5TEkb0CFcuSfgodG08AvA

I found another site for the same coop $20 cheaper.

Any thoughts? btw, I have 2 chickens (1 Barred Plymouth Rock and 1 Buff Orpington)

 

[Hokum Coco]

Quote:

Any thoughts? btw, I have 2 chickens (1 Barred Plymouth Rock and 1 Buff Orpington)

That coop would not last 3 years in my harsh Canadian climate. You will find the material is of poor quality and lacks integrity. It may serve you well in California. I know where I live I would not waste my money.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Sizewise it will handle two hens, probably three if they are all hens the same age.

I can’t tell how well it is put together and how strong it is. The 0.4” thickness of that paneling isn’t bad, but the strips it’s frames with look pretty flimsy. I wouldn’t expect that to stand up well to a big dog or a raccoon. It will keep chickens in and most predators out.

The roosts are the same height as the floor of the nest. There is a fair chance they will sleep in the nests instead of on the roosts. You really only need one roost but the second one adds structural strength. That’s not a bad thing.

They use sliding locks instead of hasps. A raccoon would have no trouble opening those. Those framing strips don’t look big enough for you to put a hasp strong enough to stand up to a raccoon on there. That’s what makes me think the frame is flimsy.

I can’t see how you lock that roof down. If you pop it open for ventilation, could a strong wind fling it open or tear it off? Could a raccoon just lift it open? It doesn’t look very heavy. Could a weasel or snake get in there through that crack when it is raised? When it’s not popped up, it looks flat. Will rainwater run off or stand up there?

With that top popped up, ventilation is excellent. When it is closed it’s still not too bad. I think you’ll be OK there but it would be nice if it were in the shade in the afternoon.

I can’t tell how the top of the nest box is hinged or how firmly the nest is attached. That top hinge can sometimes be a means for rainwater to get in unless it’s done right. And outside nests like that can be a weak point on the construction for predator access. Can you lock that nest top closed or could a raccoon just lift it open?

There are some problems with it but it will probably do you if you can locate it where it is protected from dogs and most other predators. I do think a raccoon will be able to get in if it wants too so there are some risks. The only way I can see to fix the roost problem if they do sleep in the nests would be to try to fit another roost a few inches above the current roosts, maybe a diagonal. That framing looks so small that may be hard to do, but I think you could manage.

 

[Trefoil]

Just a FYI, just about any coop you buy will need to be weatherproofed. I know they say they come finished, but the finish they come with won't last a season and its much easier to put a good finish on it when its new than later.