New to chickens :: Just bought this coop, thoughts? Feedback?

[hallerlake]

Quote:
I didn't think of shutting them completely in the wooden bit at night, I thought they'd be able to pop in and out between coop & run as they pleased so perhaps I was being overly cautious.

We free range so daytime is when we lose most (to dogs and cats), and we don't have raccoons which seems to be most peoples problem predator.

I shut mine in at night. My run wouldn't withstand a raccoon attack, but the coop is more secure. I let them out into the run when I get up in the morning. Some people have doors that open and close automatically. Until they reach full size, my girls free range when I can keep an eye on them. Full sized chickens can take most domestic cats. My yard is fully fenced, so dogs are not an issue.

 

[Zahboo]

I think it'd be a good bachelor pad or quarentine. For $500 though, you could have gotten a lot more bang for your buck. Have faith in your own building! We had a friend build our 8x8 and it only cost $200 in wood.

 

[hallerlake]

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When it comes, let us know how it looks, please.

 

[ScaredOfShadows]

Its super cute and all, but its doesn't look at all secure or sturdy to me...Many pre-fabricated coops just aren't worth half what you pay for them...I'd worry about it leaking from that useless hinged roof, I'd worry about how exactly you are going to get in the run and clean it, as well as egg collection and bedding changes. I'd worry the whole thing would topple over in a good wind storm...X_x

It will only hold 2 large chickens, or 4 bantams, in the coop section, the run possibly as many...

Really if you can at all - cancel the order or if you can't then try to re-sell it.

I would look around for a local carpenter and tell them what you are looking for (a chicken coop, however tall you want it, and for 4=6 chickens that would need to be about 24 square foot floor space) and any other modifications you would like to see...or give them a picture of a coop you like.

A local carpenter could probably build you something for the same price as that and is 2-3X bigger.

 

[chickerdoodle]

Quote:
Unfortunately--no. the hen-house part is way too small--it is less than 9 sq.ft which is barely acceptable for 2 standard sized hens. If you get small bantams you can squeeze in 4 birds. I can only sympathize with you but I would call and cancel ASAP. If you already have it--get an experienced person who has a good set up for their chickens come and look at it and make recommendations as how to fix it. Since you are in Arizona, perhaps adding to the henhouse , make it secure and then add to the run. It would've been cheaper to get a small wood shed or large doghouse, add ventilation windows and build the run. Those sneaky advertisements really get me mad....

 

[patandchickens]

I dunno, if you are in Arizona AND CAN PROVIDE A LARGE MOSTLY-SHADED RUN AREA for them to spend most fo their time in, you may be able to get away with a house portion that is no bigger than what's required for roosting. In a not quite 3x3 house, you could get roughly 6 linear feet of roost, which would be enough for at least 4 and quite possibly 6-9 chickens, assuming (that is a big assumption!) they all get along well together.

But if the run will not be oversized, or will not have good ample shade all day, then I would really really not put more than 2 chickens in there myself. Max.

JMHO, good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[tomasko]

Reality check - can you cancel your purchase...this coop will not work as you think.It is poorly built,will not withstand weather,predators or time and is TINY.

I have a rabbit hutch by the same company,reading the description you would think you are buying fort knox...it is garbage. I keep it indoors and it is still falling apart.

Refund your order...look on Craigslist for a real coop. Or build one yourself...mine cost about $375 and could have been cheaper if I was more persistent in looking through craigslist for scrap materials.