Prefab coop... can I get my hopes up?

[rosemarythyme]

Ventilation is a good point. It gets pretty cold here in the winter. I think it should last the summer though. Maybe we can buy one of those dog kennels and put the coop inside? Kind of like this:

This could work (I've seen a number of people do something similar on here), but since snow load is a concern, I'd almost consider going with a carport rather than a dog kennel. You'll need to fence it of course but it gives you the basic structure with a solid roof.

As far as the actual coop you currently have, main thing other than overall space is the lack of ventilation. Obvious places to try and add some - on the wall facing into the mini run and in the triangle just under the roof. If you do have a solidly roofed run that this whole thing sits inside, then ventilation becomes a lot easier as the roof will protect vents from weather without needing to add additional covers or buffers over everything.

 

[trumpeting_angel]

If you put the whole thing inside a large dog kennel (your 4 chickens will need an absolute minimum of 10 sq ft per bird in the run, and that really is a minimum - as soon as I built mine I could see that 18 sq ft per bird was pretty cramped), it would be wise to fashion a pitched roof, so that you can rake the snow off when it gets deep. If you can put a pitched metal roof on it, the snow will slide off with no work from you!

Weather-proofing this coop can include painting the entire thing, a

For the inside run, I would be sure to buy some extra hardware cloth (1/2" openings at the largest), and line the lower part of the sides with at least 1 ft (preferably 18") extending down into the ground, or outward, lifting the sod and burying it to create a skirt to stop digging predators.

Besides weather, the other problem with a flimsy build is predators. DH built a fine, sturdy coop, and we buried HW cloth, reinforced all the vents, etc. All good for a year, and then last month a bear tore the door off the hinges and made off with one hen. Needless to say, we have added all manner of armor and replaced deep screws with bolts. I'm going to take a wild guess that your pre-fab doesn't have 2.5" or 3" screws holding everything together. Inside that kennel might be the best place for it.

I've often thought that there should be some consumer recourse for these coops.

 

[black_cat]

Can I piggyback off of this post? I'm in a similar situation with the not being very build it yourself-y. Here is the coop we were planning on maybe getting:

this is the picture from the listing. It has a footprint of 6ftx5ft. I was planning on putting 3 chickens in it, which is the recommended max from the website. It does have nesting boxes on the other side, but you can't see them in this picture.

 

[trumpeting_angel]

The issues with prefab coops are well-documented, and so, so many members here bemoan the money they wasted when the whole thing needed replacement in a matter of weeks or months.

A better alternative would be to (1) read up a LOT on what you need in a coop, (2) find a local builder who builds them and (3) discuss a LOT the specifics (square footage, ventilation (lots), predator proofing, etc. and pay real money to have the coop built.

Reading here was the absolute best way to learn about what's needed in a coop, and most people just don't feel they can find it in a prefab. I got desperate and looked at prefabs, and the smallest one that would meet my needs was $600, and I knew the construction would be lousy (from reading on BYC).

When you look at the sq footage of a coop, remember that the prefab folks are including the run. 6' x 5' in the prefab above includes the run, making the coop itself super tiny. Maybe could fit 2 chickens. But you'll spend more in the long run (just look at the recommendations for additions and modifications made to the OP!).

 

[ChiknGordonBlu]

Yep, i thought pre-fab was going to be a good way to go with it as I don't get much time off work. I think that lasted maybe 1 month, before I had to build a whole new coop and run. I complain now, and to be honest, during the whole thing but the girls are happier in their bigger home now. I didn't throw mine out, I have been using it and an in between for the "teen" girls between brooder and coop. Was a big $400 disappointment though, swelled up bad in the rain.

 

[Mamatomany123]

Can I piggyback off of this post? I'm in a similar situation with the not being very build it yourself-y. Here is the coop we were planning on maybe getting:
View attachment 2164372this is the picture from the listing. It has a footprint of 6ftx5ft. I was planning on putting 3 chickens in it, which is the recommended max from the website. It does have nesting boxes on the other side, but you can't see them in this picture.

I would not put 3 chickens in there. I would probably put 1. When people say they cant build something I always recommend a hoop coop. Super simple and on the cheaper side. And much better room than that little thing.

 

[black_cat]

I would not put 3 chickens in there. I would probably put 1. When people say they cant build something I always recommend a hoop coop. Super simple and on the cheaper side. And much better room than that little thing.

I'm trying to get feedback on if this is my ONLY option because of space concerns and other family members. I have done SO MUCH research on this and I FULLY understand that this is NOT a good option. However, nobody else in my household thinks that putting in more time/money into a better coop for the first time with chickens is worth it. I have found better prefabs, but they only ship to Australia. After checking a H*CK TON of plans, prefabs, and custom built coops in my area, and presenting all the best options to the rest of my household, they are determined to go with this one. Are there any ways to make this one better if I am forced to buy it?

 

[Mamatomany123]

I'm trying to get feedback on if this is my ONLY option because of space concerns and other family members. I have done SO MUCH research on this and I FULLY understand that this is NOT a good option. However, nobody else in my household thinks that putting in more time/money into a better coop for the first time with chickens is worth it. I have found better prefabs, but they only ship to Australia. After checking a H*CK TON of plans, prefabs, and custom built coops in my area, and presenting all the best options to the rest of my household, they are determined to go with this one. Are there any ways to make this one better if I am forced to buy it?

Possibly making the entire thing a coop. Being small isnt the only problem with these. The wood is thin and flimsy. Warps easily in va very short time. I'm not sure how much you're spending on this but we built our 10 x 8 coop and 35 x 20 run for around 400. We used a plastic playhouse as the coop and added on. Lots of reclaimed material.

 

[Lisa G.]

I have 2 prefab coops and 1 large custom coop. With the prefab coops i find it is helpful to build a base to attach coop to - I use 2x6 boards that i paint. This makes them a bit more solid. I also have had to pull the floors apart and re-do ramps as they were too small for a chicken to get through. You can absolutely make the run bigger by building a box, lining it with hardware cloth and then removing wire from existing coop and then attach. At this point, my prefab coops barely resemble their original construction, but they are working.....

 

[Painted Calls]

Explain to your household that it would be better to do it right the first time. The alternative would be wasting hundreds of dollars on a coop about as sturdy as a carboard box and then having to buy/build something bigger anyway.

Explain to them that in reality, that coop will hold up for maybe a year and will only comfortably hold one chicken without them eating each other due to being packed into a shoebox sized coop.

Instead of prefab, small rent-to-own sheds work well and are easily modified. Another option would be to check your local Craigslist Farm & Garden section for coops. I have someone here local that builds nice coops out of actual lumber and sells them for about the same price as the prefab trash coops.

Hoop coops are great too. Lots of better options out there. Good luck!