- Dec 21, 2011
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Hello everyone! I'm still new to the forum and even newer to chickens (I don't have any yet)! I want to start out with 6-8 chickens but I would like the coop to be big, sturdy, and secure enough to let me expand the flock to 12-15 in a couple years if all goes well.
I am so impressed by all of you who have designed and built your own coops. Unfortunately, my husband and I aren't builders. Finding the right coop is probably going to be our biggest hurdle. I was excited to find a local man who sells BIG sturdy coops. I was disheartened when I saw a picture of the trailer he uses for delivery and realized that it would be impossible to get the trailer to the spot I want in our backyard. I could put it in our field (we have 5 acres) but I'd kind of like to keep it closer to the house. So unless I can find a local person to build me a coop for a price I can afford, it looks like I'm going to have to get a kit (that is simple and quick to assemble) or perhaps buy something fully assembled with wheels I can push into the yard from the road.
What do you all think of this one from https://overezchickencoop.com/product/large-over-ez-chicken-coop/
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It is 6 feet long x 5 feet wide and 6 feet high. I wish it was a couple feet longer. I would also purchase the wheels and the large run (6 ft W x 16' ft L x 6' ft H).
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Here is the other one I'm looking at from mypetchicken.com
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It is 8 ft L x 5 ft W x 8 ft H. I'd also get the optional run (8 ft L x 6 ft H). This coop is delivered fully assembled on a trailer but if it had wheels and was dropped off in the driveway, I could just push it into the backyard...right?
Do either of the above seem like viable choices or should I keep looking for someone local to build one for us? How many chickens do you think these coops could realistically house? I would like the chickens to free range some of the time, but not all day long every day (I worry about the hawks I see perched in our trees every so often, and we have dogs).
Thank you to everyone who kept reading this far. Any advice, small or large, is very welcome!