Need Input on a Coop

[akertaacres]

I am considering this coop for my 1st "beginner" coop. I want your thoughts -
pros and cons. It is a CC Only brand coop and I don't really know anything
about them. ANY input anybody could provide to me would be most appreciated!
I am attaching a photo of the Coop and Run.
Thanks!

 

[EquiSally]

Looks fabulous! What are the dimensions? How many chickens are you planning to keep?

 

[akertaacres]

Here are the dimensions. Right now, as a newbie, I am
only interested in having about 4-8 chickens. I guess that
number changes, though, from everything I've read! LOL!

 

[rosemarythyme]

Huh... the first photo makes it look far larger than it actually is.

To figure out what a good number of birds would be, you'll want the actual measurement for the coop itself, length and width, minus the nest boxes. And then the measurement for the run itself, length and width. Between the two, figuring 4 sq ft a standard sized bird in coop/10 sq ft in run, the smaller of the two numbers is how many birds the coop can generally hold.

If the manufacturer does not have those numbers posted contact them directly and ask for that info.

Just eyeballing it, I'm guessing the setup is about right for 5 birds, but that's just a guess without exact numbers.

 

[EquiSally]

I had to look it up, seems nice! I saw that coop floor space, not including nest boxes, is 32"x59", or 3'x4.9' which gives you roughly 14+ square feet of interior floor space, almost 15, not including nesting boxes. If I'm right on the sizes, I think you would be okay with 4 hens. I know it says 12 on the web site, but they always overestimate. The general rule you'll see often here is 4sq feet of coop per bird. It helps keep everyone civil. Hopefully someone who has this model will chime in.

My temporary coop, which houses my 4 hens, is 3'x3', not including nesting boxes or run, and is waaaaay too small for my fat fluffy butts. They broke the ramp in a couple weeks. It's only temporary, as we couldn't take their big one with us during the move, but I'm really not happy with them in it. I let them out regularly to try and compensate. Thankfully they are calm and kind to one another, but we can hardly wait for the big one to be finished. Mine also has a slide out poop tray, but it is rather shallow. If I don't clean that every other day or so, it's a mess. We are building a walk-in because I hate contorting myself trying to clean coops, but this design works well for others.

That said, I like the look of yours. It has a decent sized run and wheels, yay fresh grass!

Let us know what you decide.

 

[akertaacres]

Well, grass, that is another BIG concern for me. I have no grass. I live in the deserts of NW Arizona -- all we have is
desert dirt. Not any grass. Can I still have chickens?? Plus, it gets to as much as 115 to 118 degrees here in the
summer. If I keep them in the shade, especially during the afternoon and evening, is that going to be OK? I just
have SO many questions - thanks for any info you can provide!!

 

[rosemarythyme]

Grass isn't required (and frankly the chickens would decimate it anyhow) but heat is an issue. If more folks don't pipe up on this thread, you can try asking on your state thread as well for tips on how to keep your birds cool in the summer in the desert. Chickens can start struggling with heat as low as 90, 95. I put out extra water for mine at 90.

 

[EquiSally]

Yes, you can still have chickens. They'll be fine without grass, they just really like to decimate it as quickly as possible.
Heat will be your biggest factor. Shade is required, and there are other ways people have learned to provide relief from the heat. Ice in an insulated waterer, cold watermelon snacks, etc. I'm sure plenty of people in Arizona keep chickens. You'll be able to find some in the Arizona thread here on BYC.

I'm in Texas, it gets pretty warm here too. Shade, be it from trees or vines growing over your run or shade cloth or bamboo thatching , or other options will help.

You can research heat tolerant breeds here on BYC since you get extreme heat. Turkens (naked necks) might look weird, but I hear they are great heat-tolerant, layers. I've never had any, but plan to. Australorps do well here in Texas. There are other breeds that do well in the heat. It will be okay. You can have your chickies, just keep doin' what you're doin'.

 

[Yaychicks]

Ours do fine in the 100, 110 weather. They have ample shade, of course- we throw a tarp up for additional when needed on the super hot days angled so it blocks the sun at the hottest. They also enjoy puddles and frozen veggies, but do fine without them as well. The heat can put them off laying a bit, and you may want to research the more heat-tolerant breeds.