My favorite coop has plans for sale (Country Living Magazine coop)

[claudicles]

Spending that much on a coop that is smallish seems like a waste. I'd rather put the money into a bit more size and maybe have it not to fussy. I like rustic

 

[CupOJoe42]

My coop hasn't even been started yet and it's cost me $400 for the stupid permit!!!! Good thing I got most of the wood for free!

 

[ThinkingChickens]

I gave up on trying to justify my purchases. I buy what I like and what works. I could have had a custom massive wood house by now but between the two Eglus, the walk in run and the decorations in my chicken yard I'm easily at 1800 already. LOL OH well, I love my girls. Now, if they would only lay me some more dang eggs!

 

[BlueBetween]

I think that's the difference between city chicks and country chicks

Oh well, we like what we like. I only really splurged on a couple sheets of nicer siding - I think that ended up being $80 instead of $30, everything else was very basic. Hardwire costs a lot. But everything else is cheap enough, by itself. It just adds up fast. Paint is pricey too, at least mine was at almost $40 a gallon.

And yes, once there is an egg in that egg box, it will totally make up for the empty bank account!

 

[Ole rooster]

How many eggs will it take to justify $1600 on a coop? I think most of what I've seen is nothing more than showing off ones expertise at building. But a permit of $400 to even build is nasty. Here if a building does not cover over 200 sq ft we just hammer away. I got my ground leveled for my new coop now I gotta figure out how to get some grass to grow on that dirt spot. Not even built yet and I already got it named. But just as I'm starting to dig holes for the corners, I already modified it. Will I ever get started?

That egg mansion is really some to see.

p

 

[hencam]

It's beautiful but I don't like it at all. There is not enough light or ventilation in the enclosed area. In locales that get very hot, the chickens will suffer. The cupola should be functioning and over the indoor space. In areas where the weather is snowy or rainy, the chickens will be cramped indoors for days on end. Chickens should have a minimum of 4 square feet of interior space. The article didn't say how many chickens that coop can fit, but I hope the plans don't suggest more than 4. Chickens should sleep on roosts of varying levels. In this coop the chickens will be in the nesting boxes or on a floor. You really don't want your hens sleeping in the boxes. For less money, you could buy a cute garden shed, and retrofit it with a pop door, nesting boxes and roosts.

 

[TXHen]

My husband and I are in the process of building the coop from Country Living. I've wanted chickens for a long time and saw this coop last year while cruising the Internet for cool coop designs (before it was for sale). I was thrilled to find that they have made the plans available. We have already made modifications to the plans. We plan for 4 hens and 1 rooster. The yard will be 2x the plan size, and we will put on 2 cupolas instead of one so that there will be a functioning one over the roosting house with an exhaust fan. If we just moved the one over, it would look weird. We are also planing to add more ventilation holes in the house as we live in TX where it gets very hot. As well as thin insulation in the ceiling and a light bulb for heat too.

Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

 

[TXHen]

The coop is finally finished and home to our 6 gals! We love it!

 

[Going Quackers]

The coop is finally finished and home to our 6 gals! We love it!

oh wow that is something else! it's gorgeous

 

[Going Quackers]

My coop hasn't even been started yet and it's cost me $400 for the stupid permit!!!! Good thing I got most of the wood for free!

That's criminal!