Pueblo Grande prefab coop

[DaisyG2317]

Hello!

I am a longtime lurker, first time poster. My husband surprised me with a chicken coop after having expressed my desire for chickens for about 10 years, haha. It is not particularly what I would have chosen; I have done countless amounts of research and looking at all the great designs on here I had many ideas on what we should build. But bless his heart, he was being sweet. The coop in question is the "pueblo grande" coop by Rugged Ranch from our local farm and feed store. I know the shortcomings of prefab coops and have worked to remedy those, however, the size has me somewhat concerned. We have 4 ISA Brown chicks at the moment that are still in their brooder. This coop claims to hold something like 8+ chickens and I know the number these manufactures claim is never accurate. Does the coop itself seem adequate size-wise for 4 ISA's? We have a roughly 10x10 run that we made and attached to the coop. I plan on also letting them free range when I can watch them; we are on an acre in the woods and it is predatorville out there so I don't want them out unattended. Once a bobcat chased my cat in broad daylight in my yard

Here is the coop in question, third one down called "pueblo grande":
http://www.ruggedranch.net/wood-chicken-coops.html
Thank you!

 

[DaisyG2317]

I have happy news with my coop dilemma! Husband was all for getting a new coop. We will use the old one for babies next time, because let's face it, there is always a next time with chickens! We are now having a local builder come out and build a beautiful Carolina Coop copycat at 1/3 of the price of an actual Carolina Coop, and this one is built with much better materials!! And the best part is it can be built next weekend!

 

[21hens-incharge]

I might get my husband to enclose part of it for some more space if he is up to it. He has also caught chicken fever and watches YouTube now for all kinds of chicken ideas

Quick tip......privacy fence pickets can be used as siding.

 

[rosemarythyme]

When I mentioned the cheap softwood fir hubby suggested eating the cost and just getting a nice cedar one made by a local place.

Which I had thought would be better in the first place... d'oh!

If you haven't put yours together yet, and it's a hassle to return, I bet you could sell it pretty quick.

 

[rosemarythyme]

3x4 coop isn't the worst size for 4 hens... I'm glad you got one of the bigger prefabs as it does give you more options. If in the future you want to add more birds, you could potentially turn this whole thing into a coop to accommodate more birds.

Fixes:
- I'd redo the roosts - take out the ones that come included and run a single bar about 12" off the floor or so, so they're a bit higher than the nest boxes.
- Add more ventilation. The inside wall is a great place for adding more ventilation that will be protected by the roof overhang.

 

[black_cat]

When I mentioned the cheap softwood fir hubby suggested eating the cost and just getting a nice cedar one made by a local place.

Which I had thought would be better in the first place... d'oh!

If he's for it, you may as well!

 

[DaisyG2317]

I am putting the feeders outside, tube style. The dimensions of the coop part itself, just where they roost, is about 3 feet by 4 feet. We cut into one of the panels on the "run" that it came with to make a big open space. The run that we built is predator proof x100.

 

[21hens-incharge]

Very frustrating in the link the company has not one single spec sheet.

I am putting the feeders outside, tube style. The dimensions of the coop part itself, just where they roost, is about 3 feet by 4 feet. We cut into one of the panels on the "run" that it came with to make a big open space. The run that we built is predator proof x100.

Thank you for the actual dimensions.

As you already know 3'x4' is super tiny.

It looks to be the same super soft wood other prefabs are made from. To test its wood in an inconspicuous spot press your thumbnail. If it makes a mark easily that wood is to soft to resist predators and is (like other prefabs) going to be prone to warping and weather damage.

 

[dai2dao996]

I might get my husband to enclose part of it for some more space if he is up to it. He has also caught chicken fever and watches YouTube now for all kinds of chicken ideas

It's so addictive!

 

[DaisyG2317]

Very frustrating in the link the company has not one single spec sheet.



Thank you for the actual dimensions.

As you already know 3'x4' is super tiny.

It looks to be the same super soft wood other prefabs are made from. To test its wood in an inconspicuous spot press your thumbnail. If it makes a mark easily that wood is to soft to resist predators and is (like other prefabs) going to be prone to warping and weather damage.

Yes it is the dreaded soft fir. I have put some water seal on it to help it last, but we are in PNW and it rains, rains, rains. I might see if my husband will expand it and maybe clad it with a more durable wood.