pre-fab coop recommendations

[Millerzoo680]

Currently do not have any hens yet - still in my research phase.. plan to get everything set up over winter and purchase my chicks/pullets in the spring. Neither me nor my husband are particularly handy when it comes to wood-working or really building anything in general haha! so currently I'm looking for a pre-fab coop that can either be placed inside a large run or be attached to a run. Would like to stay under $1k. I live in central Alabama so humidity is high during the summer with temps in 80-90s and 40's in the winter dipping occasionally into 30s. Rarely any snow but lots of rain in the spring/summer months and can house up to 10 hens max

my plan B is finding a small shed to re-purpose but again - not very handy - which poses an issue haha

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

My recommendation is don't get a prefab coop. You will hate it, it will fall apart and you will need up spending more money in the long run. Buy a used shed and hire someone handy to add some roosts and ventilation.

 

[Happy hen lover]

Have you checked into hoop coop? In your climate it would make for a cheaper open air type coop.

 

[Happy hen lover]

Have you checked into hoop coop? In your climate it would make for a cheaper open air type coop.

 

[Percheron chick]

Living in Alabama, you do not need a coop. Repeat after me "Alabama chickens do not need a coop". You just saved yourself $1k that you can put towards a predator proof enclosure for your girls that won't kill them in the summer.

 

[Herring65]

Currently do not have any hens yet - still in my research phase.. plan to get everything set up over winter and purchase my chicks/pullets in the spring. Neither me nor my husband are particularly handy when it comes to wood-working or really building anything in general haha! so currently I'm looking for a pre-fab coop that can either be placed inside a large run or be attached to a run. Would like to stay under $1k. I live in central Alabama so humidity is high during the summer with temps in 80-90s and 40's in the winter dipping occasionally into 30s. Rarely any snow but lots of rain in the spring/summer months and can house up to 10 hens max

my plan B is finding a small shed to re-purpose but again - not very handy - which poses an issue haha

I’m my opinion, going with a Carolina coop is 100% the way to go, they are expensive, but they are truly chicken people that know what they are doing, you will never have to spend a dime more after paying for one of their coops, it’s a set it and forget it process that is easy and well worth the money!

 

[Millerzoo680]

Have you checked into hoop coop? In your climate it would make for a cheaper open air type coop.

no I haven't but will look into that now

 

[Millerzoo680]

Living in Alabama, you do not need a coop. Repeat after me "Alabama chickens do not need a coop". You just saved yourself $1k that you can put towards a predator proof enclosure for your girls that won't kill them in the summer.

so... how does that work? where would they sleep/lay? Im new to all this so that confuses me haha

 

[DobieLover]

so... how does that work? where would they sleep/lay? Im new to all this so that confuses me haha

You would still want something for rain protection, a roosting area and nest boxes.
Do you have an old shed on your property? If not, I would recommend you visit local shed builders and talk to them about what they do with old crappy sheds that they remove from the properties of customers who have purchased new sheds and see if you can get a decent one delivered to your house. As long as the framework was good, you could convert it easily enough with the help of a handy friend or relative.
I would remove all the siding except for the side blocking the prevailing wind then treat the frame with a preservative and install 1/2" hardware cloth on all the walls and extend it out along the ground 18-24" for a predator apron. Attach a run to that or put up electrified poultry netting. It would all cost you less than $1000.

 

[saysfaa]

so... how does that work? where would they sleep/lay? Im new to all this so that confuses me haha

You build a "coop" with hardware cloth walls instead of solid walls. Then add a part of a wall (as in a couple of feet higher and lower than the roost) on the side that storm winds usually come from. Then add a part of a wall at right angles to that back wall. Add a roof, preferably with wide overhangs (like a foot or two). That is all you need to keep the rain off the chickens.

You could do full walls instead of half walls if you leave a wide gap between the top of the wall and the underside of the roof. And/or you could do walls on both sides instead of one side. Both of these options will make the coop less comfortable for the chickens in your climate but still be much more comfortable than a typical coop or shed. It would look more conventional which can be important.

Nests could be done similarly anywhere in the coop. Or you could use one of the solid-wall parts as if it were part of a typical coop.

The "coop" could be the entire run. Or a more carefully secured part of the run. Or a hardware-cloth-screened bump out from the side of your run.