**Newbie** Questions on Coops & Runs & Costs

[FLCHICKENGUY]

Hello,

I will try to contain all my questions here.

I have 1/2 acre w/4' chain link fenced, the local predators are: Hawks, Raccoons, Opossums.

1) what am I looking at cost wise for a coop/run? Since moneys REAL tight..

2) Run location measured is 7'W x 10'L shaded

3) I'm thinking 3-4 chickens to start with, so the measured area would leave some growing room

4) Build, premade? (looking at costs) & not really a builder..

5) using a dog run with coop inside or no coop?

The run would house the birds at night and during the day when not at home & would have to have a roof.

I was thinking med to large chickens.

I have been looking online at premade tractors, runs and coops, but wow the prices jump when you put the word chicken, or aviary in the search. And most seem like their really small. the $200.mark is my cap.

Chickens would be pets & for eggs, and a rooster to annoy the neighbors..

Neat site!!

Thanks for the comments, suggestions & knowledge in advance..

 

[Judy]

Most prebuilt coops even for m\a good deal more than $200 are poorly built, need revisions, and will be junk within a couple of years. Probably the best source for a used, usable item is Craig's list. Or you could scrounge used material from local construction site scrap piles and the like. A chicken coop requires [retty minimal building skills. You can pick up a lot of good hints and tricks if you will look through some of the coop designs in our coop section, in the brown tab near the top of the page.

A run that size is big enough for a maximum of 7 chickens, by our usual rule of thumb, and that is with the coop outside (attached to) the run. Keep in mind that the rule of thumb is intended to be the minimum amount of space to prevent severe pecking, feather picking and cannibalism. You can't have too much space for chickens, if you ask them! Read here:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/how-much-room-do-chickens-need

 

[FLCHICKENGUY]

Thanks