Prefab Chicken Coop Rip-Off?

[Patchworkjo]

Thank you for the push back. It was certainly not my intention to shame anybody. I hope that is not what people take away from this thread. My intention was to warn first time chicken owners that paying $749 for the small prefab coop I saw on display at our local Fleet store was not worth the money. I don't often start a thread on a negative note, but indeed, I know that this thread could easily be taken that way.



Yes, I thought the prefab coop I am talking about and posted the picture should have been in that $350 range. But it was $749. For that much money, you could build yourself a much better coop, or you could probably have someone build one for you and still come out ahead on a budget of $749.

I truly understand the concept of not knowing if chickens would fit into your lifestyle, and not wanting to spend $1,000-$2,000 on an initial coop. I can buy a dozen large chicken eggs for less than $1 per dozen where I live. So, why would I even want to spend any money on a backyard flock? No such thing as free eggs.

In my case, I built my own coop with lots of leftover and scrap lumber I had remaining from previous projects. I spent about $700 - out of pocket - for a build that was worth maybe $2,000.

I have been building housing for small animals for over 45 years, so it is my shortcomings in not considering not everyone has similar skills. Also, I don't live in town, and don't have space limits that others may have to deal with. So, your points are well taken. Again, it was not my intention to shame anyone.


I tried. At least in my initial post I stated:



I am glad to hear your prefab coop choice was the right one for you and that you were brave enough to post your thoughts.



A large part of my enjoyment of having a backyard flock is doing all these things myself. But, point taken, not everyone has such skills or desire for a DIY approach. Again, I thank you for your perspective.



You know, it was the $749 tag that upset me to no end. All I could think about was some first time chicken owner buying a dozen baby chicks and cramming them into this small coop and run. I was only thinking about how bad they would feel a few months down the road when they realized that their coop was way too small for the number of chickens they thought would fit into that setup.



I appreciate your feedback and your satisfaction with your purchase. Yes, indeed, not all prefabs are built the same and some, I am sure, are better than others.

FWIW, I just posted a number of positive comments on another thread where some guy got a prefab coop from a friend of his who no longer wanted his chickens. It sounds like one of those situations where the first time chicken owner bought too many chickens for the size of his prefab coop, the chickens ripped up all the grass in the small run, and the run was a stinky, muddy, poopy smelling mess. Yuck! Who would want chickens in that setup? Anyway, the guy was asking for help given what he had to work with. The BYC community is offering lots of suggestions to help him, and I don't think anyone was trying to shame him for his setup.

How refreshing to read a consideration of other points of view and genuine interest in another perspective. I today’s world this brings much needed hope. Thank you.

 

[Alagirl]

well, to chime in on the prefab coop thing....
I put the one together my husband ordered for me.
I have not the heart to tell him how bad it is:
-It is tiny! Like a play coop.
-The construction is adventurous at best. The latches are nice though.
-The roof is shedding 'gravel' every time I touch it. I doubt it is the kind birds should eat.
-It smells strongly of cedar, although I don't think it actually *is* cedar.
-The ventilation looks like it could be a problem, even if the 'door' is only covered in hardware cloth. I can drill some holes through in the ridge.
-The access is restricted. it will be interesting to see how it pans out
-there is no roost, and with the layout of the interior, I am not sure where I can fit any.
I think it solved one problem though: Where to house the rabbits I am wanting to get. I might have to get a lesser rabbit than the Flemish I have been eyeballing....

The point really is, those things are yard ornaments.
Put some lights on it and a fake chicken in it.

 

[gtaus]

well, to chime in on the prefab coop thing....
I put the one together my husband ordered for me.
I have not the heart to tell him how bad it is:...

This is why I posted this thread. I just wanted to warn people how bad some of these prefab chicken coops really are, and, at the same time, can be very expensive. Yet, as we have read, a prefab coop may be the best choice for some people. Not all prefabs are built the same. I hope anyone considering buying a prefab coop reads both the positive and negative aspects of those coops and makes a better choice on what will work best for them.

When I first got married, 30+ years ago, I bought Dear Wife a set of jewelry (and you already know where this is going...) for our first Christmas together. Anyway, it had matching earrings, bracelet, neckless, and a ring. I thought it was a great set and I spent quite a bit of money on it. She did not like it at all and I could see the disappointment on her face. I asked her, would she rather I let her pick out her own presents and just pay the bill. She immediately said yes, and that is how I have managed to get her the perfect Birthday and Christmas gifts for the past 30+ years!

So, love your husband for trying, but find a way to educate him on what you want. We men try, but often fail, so please give us an out and a way to move forward. Just saying....

 

[JacinLarkwell]

This is why I posted this thread. I just wanted to warn people how bad some of these prefab chicken coops really are, and, at the same time, can be very expensive. Yet, as we have read, a prefab coop may be the best choice for some people. Not all prefabs are built the same. I hope anyone considering buying a prefab coop reads both the positive and negative aspects of those coops and makes a better choice on what will work best for them.

When I first got married, 30+ years ago, I bought Dear Wife a set of jewelry (and you already know where this is going...) for our first Christmas together. Anyway, it had matching earrings, bracelet, neckless, and a ring. I thought it was a great set and I spent quite a bit of money on it. She did not like it at all and I could see the disappointment on her face. I asked her, would she rather I let her pick out her own presents and just pay the bill. She immediately said yes, and that is how I have managed to get her the perfect Birthday and Christmas gifts for the past 30+ years!

So, love your husband for trying, but find a way to educate him on what you want. We men try, but often fail, so please give us an out and a way to move forward. Just saying....

I like that Christmas gift idea

 

[MockingbirdWorks]

I have been researching coop options for nearly a year now some months ago, I almost purchased a pre-fab kit like that. Fortunately I spent more time doing research and spoke with a couple of people who have chickens and they gave me much better advice about how to build one for a fraction of the cost and much sturdier being as how we have foxes, raccoons, snakes and coyotes where I live. I also happened to see one of these set up outside a farm store and just the flimsy look to it would have convinced me if nothing else had. I am building a real coop instead. Thank you for warning others off of these.

 

[gtaus]

I also happened to see one of these set up outside a farm store and just the flimsy look to it would have convinced me if nothing else had. I am building a real coop instead.

If you are handy at building things, then you can save money and get a better coop build for less money than the $749 prefab coop on display at our Fleet store. But, I do take the point that not everybody is good with hammer and nails, or saws and drills, and maybe that would limit their options to a prefab coop. In any case, I hope they shop around and make sure the prefab coop they buy will fit their needs.

Thank you for warning others off of these.

I know lots of first time chicken owners don't know what they don't know. I spent my due diligence looking at all my options for building a coop, I looked at buying a coop made by the Amish in our area, and even looked at these type of prefab coops (but at that time they were selling for about $350). In the end, I decided to build my own coop because I had lots of lumber leftover from previous projects and I was able to build a much better coop for my chickens than I could buy. And, I know how to swing a hammer, cut wood, and drill holes. But it was still a lot of work and I know many people are not capable of building their own coops.

If nothing else, I hope some first time chicken owners will consider all the comments in this thread and decide for themselves what will work best for them.

 

[Alagirl]

This is why I posted this thread. I just wanted to warn people how bad some of these prefab chicken coops really are, and, at the same time, can be very expensive. Yet, as we have read, a prefab coop may be the best choice for some people. Not all prefabs are built the same. I hope anyone considering buying a prefab coop reads both the positive and negative aspects of those coops and makes a better choice on what will work best for them.

When I first got married, 30+ years ago, I bought Dear Wife a set of jewelry (and you already know where this is going...) for our first Christmas together. Anyway, it had matching earrings, bracelet, neckless, and a ring. I thought it was a great set and I spent quite a bit of money on it. She did not like it at all and I could see the disappointment on her face. I asked her, would she rather I let her pick out her own presents and just pay the bill. She immediately said yes, and that is how I have managed to get her the perfect Birthday and Christmas gifts for the past 30+ years!

So, love your husband for trying, but find a way to educate him on what you want. We men try, but often fail, so please give us an out and a way to move forward. Just saying....

Bless you.
In this case, I will find a good use for it though and hopefully manage to get what I want built before the chickies hack each other to death.
I found that a lot of the prefab coops have no mention of the number of birds you can 'fit' in there. You have to sift through the reviews.
And I have now feeders for another 12 chicks....
I will need a bigger lot me thinks.

I need to figure out how to start a picture journey here. so I don't bore people to death on the other threads.

 

[gtaus]

In this case, I will find a good use for it though and hopefully manage to get what I want built before the chickies hack each other to death.

Lots of people will use their smaller prefab coops for grow out pens, cull pens, or isolation pens if a chicken gets sick, etc... I know I would find any number of uses if I had that coop.

And I have now feeders for another 12 chicks....
I will need a bigger lot me thinks.

Me agrees! 12 chicks is going to be too much for your prefab coop, at least, all the prefab coops I have seen. Too many chickens in too small a space will result in too many problems. You need to build/buy a coop that will accommodate the number of chickens you want to carry in your backyard flock.

I need to figure out how to start a picture journey here. so I don't bore people to death on the other threads.

Everyone loves pics! Start your own thread(s) on your journey. Everyone loves to read that kind of stuff. It would be great to see your current setup and your move to bigger accommodations that you have planned. Also, what you find works for you and what you need to change. I know I also learned lots of good stuff from reading people's "mistakes" and how they corrected them.

 

[Chickenclaude]

My SIL and daughter bought a prefab and a bear destroyed it within 6 mo. Bear just picked it up and twisted the netting boxes off. The wood was so lightweight a single person could move it easily. In their defense, they bought it on line..sight unseen. Live and learn.

 

[marli365]

I usually don't like to bad mouth any particular product, but as a backyard flock owner for many years, I just want to tell first time chicken owners to please stay away from the prefab chicken coop setups like the one currently being sold at our local Fleet store for $749.00.

We bought one when we were newbies 7y ago and use it for a broody nursery with her chicks. We have also used it for a jail when there is a misbehavior issue, or a last night location for a rooster that is to become soup the next day.