Need advice for a predator proof small coop

[Heathfinn]

Hello,
I'm doing my research with plans to buy 3-4 bantam Cochin hens. I only have a small area for the coop (3 feet wide and 8 feet long) but I do plan to let them roam the yard with supervision. We live in the suburbs of LA but open space and mountains are in the back with every predator you can think of.
I'm not very handy so would prefer to buy my coop otherwise I'll have to rely on the help of a couple friends with tools. I'm curious if any members have had good luck (tested by predators) with any of the many attractive coops I've seen online like the one below. $165 seems awfully cheap and I suspect I will have to put a wire floor in, reinforce the whole thing and secure the doors with additional latches. I saw one for $400 at a local store and it seemed very cheap and unsafe. Any first hand experience with this coop or others would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you!

Heath

https://bestchoiceproducts.com/prod...=21286708227&gclid=CMLW887Uz9QCFYRrfgodtwoCjg

 

[Lamaremybabies]

I haven't used that coop but I do have the coop in the link from tractor supply and am quite happy with it predator wise. This is the newer model I got mine last year so this is a little larger and better quality than the one I have. My only suggestion would be to put some bricks or patio stones alone the outside so that coyotes or fox can't dig under it.
https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/p...se-chicken-coop-up-to-8-chickens?cm_vc=-10005

 

[BYChickenAl]

Hello,
I'm doing my research with plans to buy 3-4 bantam Cochin hens. I only have a small area for the coop (3 feet wide and 8 feet long) but I do plan to let them roam the yard with supervision. We live in the suburbs of LA but open space and mountains are in the back with every predator you can think of.
I'm not very handy so would prefer to buy my coop otherwise I'll have to rely on the help of a couple friends with tools. I'm curious if any members have had good luck (tested by predators) with any of the many attractive coops I've seen online like the one below. $165 seems awfully cheap and I suspect I will have to put a wire floor in, reinforce the whole thing and secure the doors with additional latches. I saw one for $400 at a local store and it seemed very cheap and unsafe. Any first hand experience with this coop or others would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you!

Heath

https://bestchoiceproducts.com/prod...=21286708227&gclid=CMLW887Uz9QCFYRrfgodtwoCjg

In my opinion, and recent experience, that's too small and it won't last. I bought a similar model second-hand for $80. Previous owner said he had 6 chickens in it. I have 4 and there's NO WAY they can rest inside together now that they're fully grown. I had to make several modifications to it and reinforce it to make it last a little longer. I'm keeping it as a place to house chicks, but I won't use it for my chickens.

 

[aart]

Most prefab coops are not worth the money...most folks end up building a much larger and sturdier coop and using the prefab for grow out, isolation, or broody enclosures. Some handy folks have been able to bolster modify them to be much more practical, but they are still small and free ranging time does not quite make up for too small a coop/run.

Take a gander thru some of these threads:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/search/280270/?q=prefab+coops&t=post&o=date&c[title_only]=1

 

[Lazy Farmer]

I prefer to use the term Predator Resistant v.s. Proof.
If something wants in bad enough it will get in. If you are in the country, predators are savoy. If they give up, they don't eat. If they are determined to get in they will.
We are rural so we build our own with chain link. Heavy gauge woven galvanized steel. Most chicken wire is designed to keep chickens in. A desperate raccoon will chew a hole in your chicken wire.. No lie. Best to let them live locked in the hutch thru the nocturnal hunting hours. We had a medium dog jump up and stretch tear open a coop at our old place in the suburbs. He was in the run frantically trying to open the hutch. My husband shot it. The dog dug under our fenced and got into our yard and infiltrated our property. The neighbor called the police on us and the police said to my neighbor he could be charged for his dog destroying our property. We didn't press charges but told the neighbor thanks for destroying our run.
City or rural, proof is incorrect. Resistant build your housing the best you can. Get a zapper box and hot wire around it if necessary. And snakes can get to your chicks thru the smallest hole. good luck.

 

[Heathfinn]

I haven't used that coop but I do have the coop in the link from tractor supply and am quite happy with it predator wise. This is the newer model I got mine last year so this is a little larger and better quality than the one I have. My only suggestion would be to put some bricks or patio stones alone the outside so that coyotes or fox can't dig under it.
https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/p...se-chicken-coop-up-to-8-chickens?cm_vc=-10005

Thank you for the advice.

 

[Heathfinn]

Most prefab coops are not worth the money...most folks end up building a much larger and sturdier coop and using the prefab for grow out, isolation, or broody enclosures. Some handy folks have been able to bolster modify them to be much more practical, but they are still small and free ranging time does not quite make up for too small a coop/run.

Take a gander thru some of these threads:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/search/280270/?q=prefab+coops&t=post&o=date&c[title_only]=1

Thank you for that frank advice and the links.

 

[Heathfinn]

I prefer to use the term Predator Resistant v.s. Proof.
If something wants in bad enough it will get in. If you are in the country, predators are savoy. If they give up, they don't eat. If they are determined to get in they will.
We are rural so we build our own with chain link. Heavy gauge woven galvanized steel. Most chicken wire is designed to keep chickens in. A desperate raccoon will chew a hole in your chicken wire.. No lie. Best to let them live locked in the hutch thru the nocturnal hunting hours. We had a medium dog jump up and stretch tear open a coop at our old place in the suburbs. He was in the run frantically trying to open the hutch. My husband shot it. The dog dug under our fenced and got into our yard and infiltrated our property. The neighbor called the police on us and the police said to my neighbor he could be charged for his dog destroying our property. We didn't press charges but told the neighbor thanks for destroying our run.
City or rural, proof is incorrect. Resistant build your housing the best you can. Get a zapper box and hot wire around it if necessary. And snakes can get to your chicks thru the smallest hole. good luck.

Thank you for that honest advice. A friend of mine lost all his hens to a neighbor's dog so I know all about that risk. I used to live in the country and have raised a lot of various birds but that was 25 years ago and I hadn't seen many of these new coops on the market. Thanks for responding.