Our first/beginning coop

[Lisa-Lu]

For our first step into this adventure, we just bought this one from Tractor Supply:
I hope it will work ok. There is mesh in the windows, locks on the doors, it has a nice back drawer for nesting box access, our 11 year old fits in it nicely!

 

[Relleoms]

How many chickens are in your flock? And do you get much wind? That was also my first coop, and after our first spring thunderstorm, we promptly replaced with something more sturdy. It also says 6 chickens, but there is no way you will be able to fit more than 3 or 4 standard sized adults

 

[Lisa-Lu]

We haven't got our flock yet, but only want 3-4 to start out. Was it blown over or destroyed? We have some high wind, 30-40 mph at peak times but not very often. Now I'm worried, but I guess it will be a learning curve if anything else.

 

[PirateGirl]

Will it be within another run/cage? If not, once you decide on location it would be good to add an anti-dig skirt around it. I can't tell from the pics, but often it's good to add secondary latches on the parts that open. It's got a nice covered run. I often wish my run was covered!

 

[Relleoms]

We haven't got our flock yet, but only want 3-4 to start out. Was it blown over or destroyed? We have some high wind, 30-40 mph at peak times but not very often. Now I'm worried, but I guess it will be a learning curve if anything else.

We’re in rural Iowa, so we get some pretty strong thunderstorms & windgusts, but the coop was tucked up in a corner by the house, otherwise I’m certain it would have ended up in Kansas! The biggest issue was water-the inside leaked like crazy, the “wood” swelled and we couldn’t open the doors, and there wasn’t enough room to keep the girls inside for long, especially while awake. I spent close to $100 just trying to beef up the coop. In the end, it worked great to brood the first flock (in our garage) and would have been a good place to keep sick or broody birds (somewhere protected) but for our weather, it just wasn’t adequate to keep in our unprotected yard. In hindsight, I should have just purchased or had a shed built, then tweaked for my needs. But this whole chicken keeping adventure is a big ol’ learning experience!!! Good luck to you & your flock!