New Member Intro

[ForHisGlory24]

Welcome. Most of us here, do not buy coops made by companies. There are many reasons; size, safety, durability, ventilation, ease of cleaning. If we cannot build, we convert sheds. You will want both a coop and a run that you can walk into. The coops I see from the company you are planning to buy from, has runs that are too short. Also, I cannot see well enough to know if it is covered with 1/2 inch hardware cloth, but that is what you need, and you need an apron around everything (this is when you attach the hardware cloth to the bottom and run it along the ground 18-24 inches and cover with dirt or rocks) to protect from digging predators. Space is very important both in the coop and run...it minimizing many issues, injuries, fighting, boredom, and diseases.

Thank you for the tips. I believe it is 1/2 inch hardware cloth and that’s something we have learned that we need. The more I research, I agree that those runs are too small. I like the idea of putting a large (10x10’ run or dog kennel, for example) over the coop, to extend their space. We haven’t settled on anything yet so this is all really helpful.

 

[Debbie292d]

Thank you for the tips. I believe it is 1/2 inch hardware cloth and that’s something we have learned that we need. The more I research, I agree that those runs are too small. I like the idea of putting a large (10x10’ run or dog kennel, for example) over the coop, to extend their space. We haven’t settled on anything yet so this is all really helpful.

You will very rarely ever hear anyone say their coop or run is too big. Good points made in @triciayoung's reply.

 

[triciayoung]

Thank you for the tips. I believe it is 1/2 inch hardware cloth and that’s something we have learned that we need. The more I research, I agree that those runs are too small. I like the idea of putting a large (10x10’ run or dog kennel, for example) over the coop, to extend their space. We haven’t settled on anything yet so this is all really helpful.

T

You will very rarely ever hear anyone say their coop or run is too big. Good points made in @triciayoung's reply.

Amen to that @Debbie292d

 

[triciayoung]

Thank you for the tips. I believe it is 1/2 inch hardware cloth and that’s something we have learned that we need. The more I research, I agree that those runs are too small. I like the idea of putting a large (10x10’ run or dog kennel, for example) over the coop, to extend their space. We haven’t settled on anything yet so this is all really helpful.

So...I made the mistake of buying a premanufactured coop. Of course, as all of them are...it said it was for 12 chickens, but was only sufficient for 3. So what did I do, I added insult to injury and bought another pre-manufactured coop and split up the chickens - two mistakes (this was before I joined BYC). Then, I converted a shed. It is 18x8. I added roosting bars, ventilation above the roosting bars and covered the holes with hardware cloth, insulated the shed (you don't have to but my babies are spoiled and have air conditioning in the summer). My shed is 2 feet off the ground and I have hardware cloth between the shed and ground with an apron. My runs are combinations of the frame of a 10x20 greenhouse frame that is covered with hardware cloth with an apron and a tarp for rain, a 10x20 hard top carport that has hardware cloth sides, and then a 30x60 area that is fenced in with hardware cloth on the fence with aprons, and hawk netting on the top.

 

[Tookie]

Hello, welcome to BYC! Nice to meet you, we're glad you joined.

Good luck with all your plans!