Pawhut Coop Kit

[JackE]

Give them a coop with some room, and proper ventilation. You do that, and don't worry about them getting chilly. Australorps can handle the cold. I like the idea of getting a premade shed, and modifying it into a coop. Money better spent that way. As others have said, most of those "coops" they sell on-line are junk. You can go to Lowes. or HomeDepot, and see how those sheds are built. Get a bigger one, and partition off a section for the chickens. In the end, if the birds don't work out for you, you have a nice shed to put a bunch of your stuff in.

 

[kwhites634]

Hello! I am doing my research before starting our own backyard chickens in the Spring of 2018. I would like to purchase and assemble the coop and run in advance, and keep it in storage until we need it next spring. I am not as handy at building things from scratch as I'd like to be, so I think my best bet would be to purchase and assemble a kit. I would like to have a coop that my husband and I could move around our lawn during the spring, summer & fall, and then keep in a more stationary spot closer to our home in the winter. We would also allow the chickens some free range time in our yard when we could supervise them. I am looking at getting this model:
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Pawhut-D...hicken-Coop-Poultry-Hen-House-w-Run/121455497
We live in Minnesota, so our winters get VERY cold. We would only have 3 Australorps max (as our city ordinances only allow 3). I was wondering if I could get some tips from some of you with backyard chicken experience. Here are my questions:
1) Would a coop/run like this be large enough for 3 Australorps if we moved it around the yard regularly and gave them daily free range time?
2) Would a coop like this really keep them warm enough in the winter without any heat lamp/mat? I've had a couple of folks at the local farm store tell me it would, but I'm just having such a hard time believing they won't freeze into little chicken popsicles!
3) Does anyone have experience with this sort of setup when it comes to product quality? I understand it won't last forever, but I also don't want something that will rot out/fall apart after one year of use.
Thank you all for your advice!

It appears to be large enough for 3 LF birds, although I didn't see a size mentioned in the specifications. I'd be more concerned with the quality of the coop & fencing of the run.
My 1st coop was a kit coop, from a different manufacturer, but they're probably both constructed of the same fir, which IMO is more suited for wall paneling indoors; it's pretty thin. The first thing I did with mine, before it saw a bird, was beef up the walls. After the first winter, I added a coat of paint. It's gone through 2 MD winters, I believe; perhaps 3. I figure I'll get 5 years, max, out of it, MAYBE.
I don't see where the type of wire on the run is mentioned. If it's regular chicken wire, it won't stop a predator. 1/4" or 1/2" hardware cloth is infinitely more secure.

 

[Alyssa Bates]

The thing is this: are you absolutely positively completely certain you'll never get more chickens? If so, build for 4 square feet of floor space per chicken inside the coop and 10 square feet per chicken in the outdoor run. Also allow one linear foot per chicken for roosting space. Those figures are for standard size birds, which includes Australorps. Your nest boxes (1 foot by 1 foot minimum) take away from the internal coop measurements if the floor space under them is not accessible by the chickens. More room is certainly better in both the coop and run.

Especially in Florida, ventilation is terribly important and cannot be overstressed. That ventilation issue is what stopped me from buying and converting a prefab shed. By the time I put in wooden framing for all the cutouts, I'd have paid too much for a thin metal siding shell. Just easier and cheaper to build new.

My location in Texas poses many of the same challenges you will encounter in Florida. Heat,rain and wind storms, need for superior ventilation, predators, all similar. I'm old. My HE is old. Neither of us is without our physical limitations and handicaps, but we can put together a coop and run with a few hand tools, a power drill/screwdriver, circular saw, and plenty of time. You can too!

Thanks! Our city ordinances only allow up to 3 chickens, so even if I wanted more I couldn't have any more. But knowing those dimensions is very helpful, especially since I'm leaning towards building my own coop after all. Thank you!

 

[Cluckcluck1215]

How about this coop? https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/p...vrrp=0519_5_0/reviews/product/2/122353899.htm I've seen and heard good things about it.

Or, You can get a smaller coop, and order Bantams.
Depending on where you live, MyPetChicken.Com has a wide variety of bantams, from Silkies to Frizzles.And you can get them sexed!

 

[SunHwaKwon]

The standard coop is only about 8 sq ft, once you subtract the nest boxes. That's a bit tight but doable. I do, however, second Gary's suggestion to buy and convert a small shed. You may even find one used or be able to pick one up for free.

How about this coop? https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/p...vrrp=0519_5_0/reviews/product/2/122353899.htm I've seen and heard good things about it.

Or, You can get a smaller coop, and order Bantams.
Depending on where you live, MyPetChicken.Com has a wide variety of bantams, from Silkies to Frizzles.And you can get them sexed!

Those coops only last a few years before they start falling apart.

 

[anatess]

That pawhut coop was my first coop. The wood is soft but more of a concern is the hardware. In my opinion, the hardware for the coop are for indoor cabinetry and not an outdoor structure. I live in Florida so I am fortunate to not have extreme temperature changes. But even then, I planned to replace all the hardware for the coop. If you have wildlife like racoons or foxes (probably not much of a problem since you live in the city), the screen will not hold up to an invasion.

But, what I'm really wanting to say is that - don't be afraid to build! I had 5 very young silkies (bantam) in my first coop and I didn't realize it was too small for them until people on BYC told me. They were right, of course, so I went searching for a bigger coop. I searched high and low for sturdier coops - soft wood is just not going to hold up in a larger coop - and the cheapest I can find was a 2nd-hand DIY build from some guy on craigslist for $600. I decided to build my own coop. I've never built anything before in my life. I posted my coop build here:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/i-cant-believe-im-building-a-chicken-coop.1179706/

Another guy in that thread is also building his coop and he's never built anything either.

So yeah, it was intimidating at first but I have to say, after all is said and done, it wasn't as bad - not even close - as what I thought it would be.

 

[SunHwaKwon]

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/new-age-pet-ecoflex-jumbo-fontana-chicken-barn-maple

This looks decently sized for your needs, and is of better material. It needs more ventilation, though.

 

[anatess]

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/new-age-pet-ecoflex-jumbo-fontana-chicken-barn-maple

This looks decently sized for your needs, and is of better material. It needs more ventilation, though.

I wonder how one would clean inside. I don't see hinges for the wall to open.

 

[SunHwaKwon]

I think you just remove a couple roof panels and hose it out, like he does with the dog house in the video. If you are the type that wants to clean it every day that might drive you nuts, but it looks like it only takes a few seconds. I would definitely elevate it to gain the underneath space, and that would make it easier if you needed to look inside.

 

[hlhutchinson]

Thank you everyone for getting back to me which this great advice! Based on your feedback, I have decided to totally scratch my initial idea and revamp my approach to starting chickens. Rather than going the transportable coop/run kit approach, I have decided to get a much larger permanent coop within a MUCH larger permanent run. I honestly believe you all kept me from making a very big mistake resulting in some very unhappy birds. This online community is so fantastic!
I'd really like to try and find a coop I can purchase, rather than building my own (a serious lack of skills and proper equipment needed on my end). I am now considering purchasing this model of coop instead...
http://snaplockchickencoops.com/standard-coop.html
and completely enclosing 1/2 of the space under our 2nd story porch as their run. The space under our porch is tall enough to stand under without having to bend over (so I'd say about 7 feet tall), and would provide 12x7 feet of floor space for them to move about in. The coop would be inside of the run, elevated on a stilt frame so the chickens could walk under it. With this new approach, I have a new set of questions:
1) Is a run of this size adequate for 3 Australorps?
2) Does anyone have experience with this sort of coop? My biggest concern is whether or not this style provides enough insulation and ventilation for 3 Australorps to keep warm in our extremely cold Minnesota winters (without the use of any heat lamps or mats).
3) How about the size of this coop? It need to be large enough for 3 Australorps, but cozy enough to 3 Australorps to stay warm in during the winter, right?
4) Is having chickens under our porch a terrible idea? It is a large and airy space, and I would fill the run with sand, but will smell be a big problem?
5) Lastly, during the winter, should I keep their heated waterer and feeder inside the coop, or outside of it? (I'm concerned about coop size if the answer is inside).
Again, thank you all for being such an amazing resource! I want to make sure I don't move ahead with anything on impulse.

Food for though see if you can find a local handy man who will build one for you