mypetchicken Prefab Wooden Coops?

[rhwebster]

I am new to raising chickens and am excited to get started! I am looking into the different options of chicken coops and I was wondering if anyone has experience buying the pre-fab wooden coops from mypetchicken.com like the Bungalow. Are they flimsy and crap? Or are they actually okay? A friend of mine bought a Rugged Ranch pre-fab raised chicken coop and it was really cheap materials and not good. Was wondering how that compares to MPC's since you can't see them in person before you order!

Thanks!

 

[citychickx6]

Looking at the dimensions it is smaller than my mini cooper.
I would not buy it.
In my mini I can fit 3 yes only 3 bantam chickens.
Mine is 39" x 48" and that is the coop without the nest box.
Take a tape measure and lay it on the ground making the footprint they advertise. You can most likely assume that the measurements they give are from the inside of the nest box. There was one at the feed store near me that looked strikingly like that one. It was thin wood held together with small staples.
I made my mini cooper for under 130 dollars with cull lumber and a little labor. If you know anyone that has basic skills with a saw you can do one fairly easily and more cost effectively.
I made mine using the tools listed here.
circular saw
chalk line
drill with drill bit and screwdriver bit
miter saw
hammer and nails for the trim and to hold the linoleum down while I set the walls on

In my opinion if you were buying full size lumber a 4x8 coop would serve much better and would be easier to make since wood already comes in 8' lengths.









for comparison this is an 8 week old Buff orpington pullet in the middle of the coop.



The only reason mine is so small is that is what I found on the cull bin. The big expenses were the shingles and the roof decking since I bought that off the good stuff.

OH and the price of mine included the run. I got cull lumber in full sizes from another store and the wire is some of what I had as well as some chicken wire.(I know chicken wire is no good) I am saving a bit to add welded wire on top of it when we roof the run,

 

[chickers]

I wouldn't buy the Bungalow. Here's a link to a thread where someone did buy the Bungalow and what she's having to do to remodel it enough to work.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/684129/bungalow-bungle-renovation-plans-added-to-end-of-thread

 

[Erin~TheChickenLover]

I would not buy a pre-fab coop at all. They are usually not worth the money in my opinion. They are made cheap and small. It's really best to build one the way you want it and save some money while your at it. Look on Craigslist for dog houses, sheds, building material, ect to save some money. I've found that dog houses can make really nice chicken coops.

 

[chickgrrl]

I have to buy prefab because my carpentry skills aren't the best. I also have chickens in a residential area so I need it to look good and be as low to the ground as I can (as long as its safe) so I can keep it kind of out of view. If anyone has an opinion of coops they ordered online and how they came it would be appreciated.

We only have 2 chickens they are almost 3 months old and they have outgrown EVERYTHING. Right now they are in a parrot cage in the garage and I carry them to the back yard everyday to play in a small run/cage I put in the grass in the back yard. Today I had to move one of them to a separate temporary cage because they were fighting. They're driving me nuts (in a good way) Anyway what I have found so far is at just 3 mos they need flying space. They don't like stuff overhead, especially if there isn't enough walking room. I'm thinking we're going to have to go at least 3ft x 3ft not including nesting boxes.

 

[Erin~TheChickenLover]

I have to buy prefab because my carpentry skills aren't the best. I also have chickens in a residential area so I need it to look good and be as low to the ground as I can (as long as its safe) so I can keep it kind of out of view. If anyone has an opinion of coops they ordered online and how they came it would be appreciated.

We only have 2 chickens they are almost 3 months old and they have outgrown EVERYTHING. Right now they are in a parrot cage in the garage and I carry them to the back yard everyday to play in a small run/cage I put in the grass in the back yard. Today I had to move one of them to a separate temporary cage because they were fighting. They're driving me nuts (in a good way) Anyway what I have found so far is at just 3 mos they need flying space. They don't like stuff overhead, especially if there isn't enough walking room. I'm thinking we're going to have to go at least 3ft x 3ft not including nesting boxes.

If I were in your position, I would get something like this coop ( http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=12237927 ) It's more practical than a lot of what I've seen

 

[RWD]

Where are you located? We make and sell coops that are made to be used and are designed from real experience. Check out our coop in the For Sale section , under everything else.
Look for custom builders near you, but look wisely. A very good coop can be purchased at reasonable prices.

 

[rhwebster]

Thank you for all of the suggestions regarding the wooden prefab coops! I will check out the For Sale section and look into local builders and spend just a bit more as that might be a better option than getting the super cheap pre-fab ones.

I am located in just outside San Francisco, so TN is a bit out of my neighborhood!

I'll let you posted and let you know what I figure out.

 

[Vicky2479]

I bought a prefab off eBay, it it cheap and nasty, way smaller than they would have you believe and if I had bought it to house my 6 big girls I would have sent it back as not suitable (it said it could house upto 10 standard chickens :/ )As it is I bought it to house a couple of banti silkies I plan to get and hopefully as a place for them to raise a few chicks.
I have also bought another premade coop for my big girls and am waiting for it to arrive, it came from an Aussie family owned company and cost a lot more so hopefully it will be just what I need, if I wasnt 6 months pregnant with a toddler I would probably have made one myself, I agree with some of the others you could make something much better for less than a prefab.