Just out of curiosity.. Ebay chicken coop?

[featherz]

Any thoughts on this? Looks like a good price, but will it really fit 10 standard hens and does it seem like something that could withstand the weather to you guys?

http://cgi.ebay.com/LARGE-CHICKEN-COOP-CHICK-BROODER-POULTRY-FOWL-HEN-HOUSE-/130396630721

(I already have one coop, but we'll be needing a larger one!)

 

[calista]

Where are you located and how cold does it get during the winter?

Do you have an existing run that this coop would be placed INSIDE of, or will you have to factor in the cost of a new run, too?

I'd ask the builder for references from satisfied customers, so you can make a valid judgment as to quality for the price. For me, the dimensions seem too small for 10 hens, but I like my birds to have plenty of space.

 

[catdaddy66]

For what it's worth, here are my two cents...the coop is probably better for 4-6 standard birds or 8-10 bantams, and even then it may be a snug fit. That being said, I personally LOVE the interior! Nice roosts located above the nestboxes, great slideout trays for cleaning, a lot of ventilation! Many more positive aspects than negative. Also, I think the price is a very goodprice for a pre-built coop, though if you have the ability to forage for materials and labor to build it, a homemade one may cost less.

 

[calista]

Also, before you buy a coop off of eBay, here's a warning from a buyer on my local CL:

DON'T BUY CHEAP CHINA IMPORTED CHICKEN COOPS

"I bought one of these cheaply made coops off eBay and I'm so ticked at the quality I wanted to save someone else the waste of money before they buy. These coops that are imported from china only hold 1-2 chickens MAX, not 3-5 as stated. The hardware compares to something used on a small doll house and the roofing composite is very thin compared to composite roofing sold hardware stores in America. The nesting boxes are so small that my chickens don't even fit into them. The roost is about 3 inches off the floor and doesn't leave room for hardly any wood chips. Do yourself a favor and buy from a local builder that can accommodate actual needs of chickens and don't make the same mistake I did."

http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/grd/1778064411.html

 

[SillySilkyMom]

I too was swindled by one of those eBay coops I bought to house my quail. It was so bad that it only lasted through one winter and this spring a bear smashed it in two. I am surprised it made it to March! Sadly, all my quailies were torn to smitherenes all over my yard. I have since decided to stick with my Silkies and bought a very sturdy coop locally that I saw on Craig's List.
http://newjersey.craigslist.org/grd/1753179361.html
Of course, there are some things that I would change about it, but if I were to buy again I would buy from him. He makes them on order and will make any changes that you want. Find someone locally that you can visit and see what they have.

 

[gryeyes]

I have purchased a coop kit on eBay in the past, but not this style nor from this seller. Like the others posting above, I think the sellers greatly over-estimate the number of chickens one can keep in 'em. However, if you don't have any building skills (like I thought I didn't), coop kits are a great way to go.

This is a good price. It would be great as an outdoors brooder coop (with the addition of your own heat lamp, securely fastened) and I would consider it for that, because it could stay as a coop as a small number of chicks grew up. Especially since the nest boxes are removable... that would give more floor space.

I also noticed the seller said these were American made (and it does NOT look like the China made ones I've seen).

It would be a quick solution, but probably not something that will last many years. However, individual needs vary, and I think this is a better deal all around than so many of the other coop kits I've seen on eBay.

Please note that I live in California where the winters are usually quite mild; there certainly isn't any snow here.

 

[featherz]

We've already started building a second coop so not planning on getting this one, but it looked like something I WOULD have gotten had we not come up with another idea.. If it would really hold 10 chickens I'd consider it while the 8% bing cashback was still on, but I don't even think it would hold 6. Still, I like the idea of making it out of plastic and making it light. I live in upstate NY so I think the snow would crush it.