If I'd only known, this is what I would've done different thread

[fwschrom]

"I wouldn't have bought a new $39.99 10-gal reptile tank to use a brooder for my two chicks"

A very good brooder is a old galvinezed stock water tank, leaking ones work fine, so you can get them cheap, very durable, very preditor secure if you put a top on it.

 

[littlethorn]

Hubby and I would have built a bigger, nicer run and house to begin with . At the time we just did not realize that we would like them so much and want more. We're in the process of building the new and better ones now, but we could have saved a lot of time and money.

 

[Rocky Top Chick]

Kudos for me. I read everything on BYC before I even attempted to get chickens so we were well prepared. Could not have gone better...............................................no losses and we have been in this 18 months.

 

[mgw]

ifid only known I would have built a coop 5xs the size.

 

[undergroundchickens]

I would have gotten a much bigger coop that could house more chickens. I also would have ordered my chicks from my pet chickens so that I could have had a better variety in the smaller quantity than I have now. Oh well.....we will be moving next year and then I can get a bigger coop to go with my smaller one and order more breeds.

Chickens are addicting!

 

[frog522]

I think my coop is becoming a failure. Had to move it around the house through our side gate. It was a real challenge. It's about 48" x 45" area and weights on my estimate 150-180 lbs.

I don't even know how it got so heavy. Everything is pretty much done except attaching the external eggbox and whatever type of roof I need to put on (as well as the weight associated with internal/external paint). With that It's only going to get heavier. On the bright side, I suppose it is very rugged.

Are coops normally this heavy?

I feel like I designed it wrong or something. Not only is it super heavy but I don't know if my next residence will have a gate at least 45" wide.

So...I guess I would have done things differently and used lighter materials...