post your chicken coop pictures here!

[graciecat]

What were the problems you encountered besides ill-fitting? Again, inquiring minds want to know. I just love to hear input.

I've heard the instructions from have blurred illustrations and no explanations, that the pieces of wood parts are delivered damaged, or that there will be missing pieces. What's more it's hard to get Customer Service and costs you money to ship things back to the company.

Other customer reviewers said they didn't trust the coop kits were sturdy enough from predators like Raccoons who are strong and crafty to tear the coops open. More than any other city predator, Raccoons upset me the most because they can get extremely large, their slender toes are clever at manipulating locks or tearing things apart, and they kill for the sheer pleasure of it rather than for food. I never assembled a pre-fabricated coop but got nightmares just reading reviews. Occasionally there was a fair review but there was always a "BUT" in the review about the hurdles during assembling. Any construction job has hurdles but I still think a homemade pallet coop will be sturdier in the long run over a "kit" with thin wood. I've seen the little coop kits pictured inside bigger reinforced pens which sounds safer to me.

It was very flimsy. The "hardware cloth wannabe stuff" was plastic. I actually bought it off Craigslist. I don't remember the manufacturer. The instructions were incomplete, confusing and apparently weren't updated when they updated the design of the coop. I used it as a broader box indoors and put it for sale. I wouldn't put anything in it that I wanted to live for any length of time. I didn't know anything about anything when I bought it. I just wanted chickens real bad and I knew I didn't have time to build anything.

 

[Sylvester017]

I'm sorry I didn't see the hardware cloth at the bottom, but I would put it all the way to the top, I know this is expensive, but those darn coons will get in if they are really hungry. I have seen them actually stretch the poultry wire and pull it off the boards to squeeze thru. This is just a suggestion. For now it looks safe, but might be something to put on the to-do list.

I'm with kenmlang regarding 1" poultry chicken wire. Although it kept a German Shepherd from getting into our little coop 3 years ago, the wire is so misshapen that it can't be fixed. Raccoons ARE the nastiest night critters because they are so clever, so manipulating with those claws to open locks and tear lightweight poultry netting open just to get to the chickens to kill them - not necessarily to eat them - just to KILL them. Raccoons kill for sport more than food - not like canine predators (Coyotes, Foxes, Wolves) that kill at least for food and not for the sheer joy of killing.

 

[Sylvester017]

Almost there... Few more trim pieces, a couple of vents but were almost complete.. Little lady wants yellow and white trim .. So final step nearing!

What a cute use of latticework! Looks like your plants are in plastic containers to keep from getting the wood box wet? Water rots wood so fast. I garden and have to keep my potted veggies on plates to keep from getting water stains on the patio or near wood that can rot from run-off. The ordinary rain does enough damage so I don't need to add to the problem LOL

Very nice job!

 

[Sylvester017]

It was very flimsy. The "hardware cloth wannabe stuff" was plastic. I actually bought it off Craigslist. I don't remember the manufacturer. The instructions were incomplete, confusing and apparently weren't updated when they updated the design of the coop. I used it as a broader box indoors and put it for sale. I wouldn't put anything in it that I wanted to live for any length of time. I didn't know anything about anything when I bought it. I just wanted chickens real bad and I knew I didn't have time to build anything.

You're kidding me! Plastic wannabe hardwire cloth" !!! Made in China? The stuff from the U.K. is better built except for their Eglu Cube brand of wire fencing easily collapses if something/someone falls on it. Otherwise their pre-fab coops are a bit better quality but there is always the risk of damaged delivery. Thanks for your input.

 

[jcam2881]

Thanks!.. Going to trim around the lattice... The flower box was built with pressure treated wood, tar and rubber lined( against coop and under all wood to the ends). I put 3/4 inch PVC pipe on the back side threw the wall at the bottom for drainage....buttoned up best I can. I do expect a number off years down the road to repair/fix that up agin. It should last a few seasons at least I'm hoping. It's all new to me so version 1.0 is an experiment! I'm most proud of the inside as all the nest boxes and blocking etc come out for easy cleaning esp with the linoleum floor I put in this am...

Thanks to the other member about tips on where to keep feed and water. Would it be crazy if I hung up pictures in the coop , was thinking of hanging a good looking Roo in there for them to drool over?! Lol...

 

[Craftygirl]

I love the added security of not only the fenced run but there is another outer fence around your coop area. My girls tear up green growth so fast. You haven't much greenery around or in the coop so let them out into the weeds when they come sprouting up. They'll love digging for the bugs and cutworms, etc that hide in weeds. The greenery adds to Omega-3 deeper egg yolks. Your DH did a run like we'd like to eventually have and I will save this photo to show our handyman.

Thank you! It's a 30x20 foot dog kennel on the back of the garage that we don't use. I'm going to plant some herbs and flowers in there and a stone path and put in a swing and make it all my country retreat.

For the run, my DH made it easy on himself...we used all 2x8s and made it 8x8 but you could make it larger. The screen door was from the house before we put in glass doors. And it's all dirt back there but DH wants to plant some grass. But I do want to let them range back there occasionally because the weeds will be abundant but I'll have to be out there with them as we have many stray cats that live in the tree line a few houses north. I've had to chase one cat that was coming into the yard to check out my chicks when they were just in the coop without the run. We have 2 cats (indoor mostly but go out occasionally), one likes the chickens and one wants to eat them but she won't cross me. LOL

Where I stood to take the picture is the garden and I want to plant some stuff for my chickens. Lettuce...and more. I'm not sure what all they might like or eat. It's going to be fun.

 

[LindaB220]

You're kidding me! Plastic wannabe hardwire cloth" !!! Made in China? The stuff from the U.K. is better built except for their Eglu Cube brand of wire fencing easily collapses if something/someone falls on it. Otherwise their pre-fab coops are a bit better quality but there is always the risk of damaged delivery. Thanks for your input.

Yeah, I got suckered on Cragslist one time. I bought a grow out pen with hardware cloth. The guy said he had used it a couple of years. 3' x 12'. So I sent SIL after it and he came home so proud of himself for finding it for me. Well made with good heavy wood and green plastic netting. He didn't know the difference. Never been used and I haven't predator proof it yet. I will be a good one eventually.

 

[gilcamp4]

I love the camper idea. Where can one get a recycled used camper? Aren't they still costly? I could never get one into my backyard because of narrow access. I did see someone use a truck camper shell as part of a coop - it was very clever!

we look in back yards see one that is old and go up and tell them we are interested in it, this one was right on the street behind us for years, we just saw 2 others and are going to look into one of them we want to do a L shape.

 

[Sylvester017]

Thanks!.. Going to trim around the lattice... The flower box was built with pressure treated wood, tar and rubber lined( against coop and under all wood to the ends). I put 3/4 inch PVC pipe on the back side threw the wall at the bottom for drainage....buttoned up best I can. I do expect a number off years down the road to repair/fix that up agin. It should last a few seasons at least I'm hoping. It's all new to me so version 1.0 is an experiment! I'm most proud of the inside as all the nest boxes and blocking etc come out for easy cleaning esp with the linoleum floor I put in this am...

Thanks to the other member about tips on where to keep feed and water. Would it be crazy if I hung up pictures in the coop , was thinking of hanging a good looking Roo in there for them to drool over?! Lol...

I thought to hang decorations/pics on the inside coop but sometimes a spooky hen flutters fast and hard into a coop wall and knocks things down. But I DO have a chicken placard - and a hanging basket for egg collecting - on the OUTSIDE of the coop.

 

[Sylvester017]

It was very flimsy. The "hardware cloth wannabe stuff" was plastic. I actually bought it off Craigslist. I don't remember the manufacturer. The instructions were incomplete, confusing and apparently weren't updated when they updated the design of the coop. I used it as a broader box indoors and put it for sale. I wouldn't put anything in it that I wanted to live for any length of time. I didn't know anything about anything when I bought it. I just wanted chickens real bad and I knew I didn't have time to build anything.

Timing is everything. We had ordered a 4'x4' dog pen w/door for the inside of the house cause we were expecting a juvenile shipment of 2 birds. We got the pen walls connected and setup in the house when 24 hours later the breeder said she shipped our birds and that they had expected arrival the next day. Boy we couldn't have been luckier to get that in the right order. It would've been a pain to get the birds before receiving the pen. Getting chickens is so unpredictable as to when exactly you will get them so always good to have something setup first. In our case it wasn't even a coop - just a pen indoors but the juvies weren't fussy - just hungry. We put a couple Homz Kidz open-front lidded storage boxes in the pen and the pullets were happy as clams sleeping in them.