Looking for impressions

[JT_KROL]

Hello,
I am planning on starting with Backyard Chickens. For personal reasons I have decided not to make my own coop and I am looking at two that can be ordered. I am planning on beefing up the permitters with 2x4's and making them into tractors, so the girls will be moved each day. I am looking for anyone who own's or has owned either of these coop run combos.

Precision Unstained Natural Wood Rustic Barn Chicken Coop, 40122D SKU # 133407599 sold at Tractor Supply for $449.99.

The Ware MFG. INC. 089349 Chicken Chateau Coop 1 that is sold at TSC and on Amazon- on Amazon it is $358.99

What are your impressions of either or both of these.

My planned flock is 6 birds, 2 Buff Orpington's, 2 Black Australorp's and 2 Barred Rock's. I have no desire for roosters and have a local farm that can supply my birds ready for the coop.

 

[DobieLover]

Hello,
I am planning on starting with Backyard Chickens. For personal reasons I have decided not to make my own coop and I am looking at two that can be ordered. I am planning on beefing up the permitters with 2x4's and making them into tractors, so the girls will be moved each day. I am looking for anyone who own's or has owned either of these coop run combos.

Precision Unstained Natural Wood Rustic Barn Chicken Coop, 40122D SKU # 133407599 sold at Tractor Supply for $449.99.

The Ware MFG. INC. 089349 Chicken Chateau Coop 1 that is sold at TSC and on Amazon- on Amazon it is $358.99

What are your impressions of either or both of these.

My planned flock is 6 birds, 2 Buff Orpington's, 2 Black Australorp's and 2 Barred Rock's. I have no desire for roosters and have a local farm that can supply my birds ready for the coop.

Neither will house 6 birds.

They will hold 3-4 in the coop, max. If you do not intend to let them out of the teeny tiny run, no more than 2 birds should be kept in such a small area.

I know it's not what you want to hear, but it's just the way it is.

These pre-fabs absolutely NEVER hold the number of birds they claim to.

Last year I read, with horror, someone's thread where their chickens were dropping like flies during the summer because they were so over crowded in one of these tiny pre-fabs, even though the OP didn't have as many chickens in it as the product stated it could house.

 

[trumpeting_angel]

I don’t have experience with either of those coops specifically, but there are a couple of those prefab coops in my neighborhood. They are absurdly flimsy, never fit together right out of the box, and don’t appear to be built for actual weather. It’s sad. And the # of chickens they claim to house is greatly exaggerated.

 

[aart]

Precision Unstained Natural Wood Rustic Barn Chicken Coop, 40122D SKU # 133407599 sold at Tractor Supply for $449.99.

This one?
https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/petmate-natural-wood-rustic-barn-chicken-coop-40122d
I touched one of these with "Superior construction: 200% Thicker Wood Panels".
The wood is significantly thicker...but coop is still too small and poorly designed.

The Ware MFG. INC. 089349 Chicken Chateau Coop 1 that is sold at TSC and on Amazon- on Amazon it is $358.99

This one?
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MSFEHII/?tag=backy-20

@DobieLover expressed my thoughts almost exactly.
Never believe the population capacity.
Beware the tiny dollhouse coops...dimensions are very misleading.



With your skills, I'd design/build... you'll be much happier in the long run.

So, I'm a handy person I have build furniture and know my way around lumber and angles. JT

But you did say you want it to be mobile, delicate balance between coop size(number of birds) and mobility. It's a toughy.

Where in this world are you located?
Climate, and time of year, is almost always a factor.
Please add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, (laptop version shown), then it's always there!

 

[Trux]

I use coops similar to these but I only use them for brooder/grow out. Once the birds get to 9 to 12 weeks they get moved to the big girl coop and run. the ones I have were advertised as 8 bird coops, ya no way. I keep my rooster in one and it also works as a breeding pen. Two adult chickens is it...it is 7ft long by 42 inches wide and 57 inches high. I got them cheap, and they are ok for what I use them for. I built floors for them and they are under a roof attached to our garage, it's like a lean-to carport. So they get very little weather or sun exposure. As for making them tractors no way they would hold together for even 2 months, nor would they hold up in the weather or fend off a attack from a determined raccoon or dog.

 

[Eilsel]

There are people that use them and make them work... with several modifications and upgrades to weatherproofing, ventilation, and hardware as well as far fewer birds than the product states. However I think as tractors trying to move them every day would wear the coops out very quickly. People who have bought them before say the Wood is very soft and held together by small nails, I imagine all that shifting would be very hard on the coops and they would not last very long.

 

[JT_KROL]

This one?
https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/petmate-natural-wood-rustic-barn-chicken-coop-40122d
I touched one of these with "Superior construction: 200% Thicker Wood Panels".
The wood is significantly thicker...but coop is still too small and poorly designed.


This one?
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MSFEHII/?tag=backy-20

@DobieLover expressed my thoughts almost exactly.
Never believe the population capacity.
Beware the tiny dollhouse coops...dimensions are very misleading.



With your skills, I'd design/build... you'll be much happier in the long run.

But you did say you want it to be mobile, delicate balance between coop size(number of birds) and mobility. It's a toughy.

Where in this world are you located?
Climate, and time of year, is almost always a factor.
Please add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, (laptop version shown), then it's always there!
View attachment 1704666

THANK YOU for the info and the instruction...I have updated my profile. In short I'm in NE PA USA. Today (March 17th) it's 30 deg F and sunny. But it can get to sub zero in the winter and over 100 in the summer. SO it runs the gamut.

 

[JT_KROL]

OK then I guess I am back to building from scratch. I guess I can look at it as something my youngest and I can work on. My two oldest are going to be gone most of the time. One in College and the other is off to Flight school for the PA National Guard this summer.

 

[aart]

OK then I guess I am back to building from scratch. I guess I can look at it as something my youngest and I can work on.

Sounds like a perfect opportunity.
Make your own design to build from too,
most 'coop plans' out there are as badly designed as the prefab coops.
Start with a basic shed plan, add big roof overhangs with open soffits...
....and study up on the rest of it.

Here's some design tips:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/coop-stack-up-how-high-stuff-works-well.73427/

2 more links in my signature...let me know if you can't see them.

 

[HarmonyHomestead]

Last year we got TSC’s largest prefab and modified it to be stronger and movable/tractor design. Made a strong frame to set it on, some improved hardware, welded wire to reinforce the chicken wire, and wheelbarrow wheels on levers. It is very heavy to roll with the extra wood, but my strong husband can push it a few feet to new grass. Works well for 4 birds so far. Of course I’ve been told it’s insufficient by “real” chicken people.