How long before you built your second coop?

[chicknerd]

Hi

After six weeks we are growing out of our first coop. I have time so I am going to design a bigger one with a few things I want. I was wondering how long it took for others to build a second coop?

We couldn't do it right the first time, sillly chicken math......

 

[Dora'smom]

It's been less than a year---more likely about nine months when we started needing the bigger one. It is in pieces in the yard, waiting to be reassembled. I'm already planning next year's additions. . . chicken math, you know. . .

 

[calicokat]

Well, looks like I held out pretty good then (DH would say I'm good at that, ba da bing!

) We started last year in April, and will likely be doing some building this weekend. Not entirely sure if we're adding on/remodeling or going to build another coop. Kinda depends on DH's mood

 

[joletabey]

A little over a year- I am in the process of building #2 now.

 

[chicmom]

It was less than a year for us. I had a small A-frame coop 6x6 feet, and then my hubby made me another coop, which was wonderful, but not built for my convenience.....so now that's torn down (under a year's time), and we bought a used 8X12 shed that is really a palace for them! And I love it too because I can get in there to clean easily, and I can collect eggs very easily too.

So I guess that means we've had three coops in less than a year......my poor hubby! LOL

 

[nivtup]

6 months for number 2.

We now have 9, not counting the pens in the garage.

 

[ericstac]

I started deigning a 4x8 coop a couple weeks ago and scratched it and am in the process of starting a 8x12 walk in.

 

[calicokat]

oh, nivtup - I think you win! 9 coops

 

[gryeyes]

Ummm.... I built an A-Frame coop (commonly called a "tractor" but this thing is so heavy it won't ever go ANYWHERE, so it's just the A-Frame coop now). Finished it just before the chicks were ready to go outside, so I let them into it for day trips. During those visits, I noticed not a single one would use the ramp to go up into the top section. Uh oh.

Quickly, a week before they were due to go outside full time, I bought a coop kit from eBay. Low profile, only 4 inches above the ground. That's where the chicks went. They had access to the A-Frame, and eventually learned how to go up the ramp.

I bought two laying hens and had to house them in the A-Frame for their integration process.

I wasn't totally happy with either coop. But building the A-Frame and putting the eBay coop kit together taught me some skills. So I started a THIRD coop and finished it two months ago. Moved everybody to the new coop. Put this Spring's chicks into the eBay coop. The A-Frame is used by the hens & pullets for laying eggs; they sleep in the bigger New Coop.

In the meantime, I got more chicks in the spring, plus 2 ducks. So I had to build a Duck House, too. It's now where 4 bantams of various breeds are sleeping. The ducks don't care for it.

Just ordered a coop to be built by someone who actually knows how to build coops. It will be done the end of this month, and delivered. So, I started last summer, got my first chicks in Octobre 2009, and here it is June 2010, and I'm buying a new coop. (I'm giving away the eBay coop to a worthy individual whose chickens need a coop.)

 

[smalltowngal]

I think around 6 weeks. My father-in-law built us a chicken coop with out talking to us and made it 4 x 4. Well, we have 4 golden comets and it can get really cold here in the winter so I knew that wasn't going to be big enough. Now they're in a 8 x 10 shed and I think we're going to get some easter eggers to put in the 4 x 4 one until they're big enough to move into the shed.