Overez chicken coop or eglu cube?

[DaisyG2317]

Could I conceivably get the overez medium chicken coop? If I need to I could easily add more ventilation.

Medium is roughly 4x4, that is 16 sq ft. Using the magic method of 4 sq ft per bawk bawk, that is 4 chickens. Beware of chicken math if you go that route

 

[NatJ]

So, I wanted to get some chickens this spring, maybe 3 or 4 but still deciding which coop to start with. I also don't exactly know if I should free range them or not. I would also kinda like if the coop could hold more chickens if I wanted to expand the flock in the future.

The usual advice: at least 4 square feet per chicken inside the chicken coop, and about 10 square feet per chicken in the run.

I see you're in Los Angeles, California. I think you could probably just make a secure covered "run," add perches & nestboxes, and entirely skip the "coop" part. If you make it 40 square feet, that will be fine for the flock you currently plan. If you make it bigger, it will work nicely if you get more chickens.

If you want to make it look fancy--maybe style it like a gazebo or similar roof-on-legs structure, with hardware cloth on the sides and door.

Chickens seem to prefer to spend their days outside, and it's common for them to try to sleep outside too. As long as you have protection from predators, and from sun/rain/snow/wind, they should be happier with hardware cloth rather than solid walls.

 

[Quail Kid 11]

It's a good Idea but I think I just want a coop, run of not.

 

[Quail Kid 11]

Has anyone had experience with Dare2dream farms? For coops and chickens?

 

[Windrider]

I see you're in Los Angeles, California. I think you could probably just make a secure covered "run," add perches & nestboxes, and entirely skip the "coop" part. If you make it 40 square feet, that will be fine for the flock you currently plan. If you make it bigger, it will work nicely if you get more chickens.

This is absolutely true. I had 3 bantam cochins who lived to be very old ladies in a set up like this. Their covered, predator-proof run was really just a series of "chunnels" under my shade-house plant benches, and they had a three sided sheltered area with a roost and nest box. No coop. We don't need it here.

If you are dead set on a coop, check out Craig's List. So many urban people here get chickens because it is trendy and then loose interest. You can almost always find something decent listed. Here is one that is a converted wood playhouse that looks like it has plenty of hardware cloth ventilation:

https://losangeles.craigslist.org/wst/for/d/los-angeles-chicken-coop/7230272730.html

 

[black_cat]

It's a good Idea but I think I just want a coop, run of not.

If you just want a coop with no run, it needs to be 40+ square feet for the four chickens you want.

 

[deidreg]

I have the Eglu Cube and really like it. I have 5 hens and that is the absolute maximum it can handle. Yes, it is expensive but well-designed and excellent quality. I consider the Cube and attached 6' run to be the whole "coop". I've enclosed the run with transparent covers to protect from the weather. They're only inside to lay eggs in the nest, or to roost for the night. I also have the attached walk in run. Happy to answer any questions.

 

[Quail Kid 11]

Thankyou, I just found an eglu cube in excellent condition on craigslist!

 

[deidreg]

Thankyou, I just found an eglu cube in excellent condition on craigslist!

Grab it! They're hard to find second hand.

 

[Quail Kid 11]

I just bought it about 2 days ago, its in my driveway.