Question on ready-made coops from tractor supply

[Tortoise]

So True...that’s why I’m thinking a shed make over would be my style. I’m thinking “Tuff Shed” with windows. I have a chain link dog run (wired top) and (tin roof over coop) so the gate poses a challenge. Maybe Santa will put a shed in my stocking.

I have looked into sheds too. I'm not limited on chickens or even roosters in my city but limited on the number of sheds lol. Thinking if I did a "chicken coop", I could still get a shed too.

 

[imnukensc]

Don't listen to these naysayers..... for only $199 it's a good buy. Yeah, you can build your own but you're looking at paying 4x as much and not to mention all the hard labor work you have to put into it.......... just get one of these things for two hundred, an hour or two to set it up, and you're good to go! Some of the folks in here act as if these things are made out of graham crackers or something, there's online review of this exact same coop that's been holding up for a few years (make sure to coat coop with water sealant).

I'll say it again. They're junk.

 

[Trux]

Just because it $199 ( which is not cheap ), I wouldn’t buy it .

Ducks love water and a coop made from compressed sawdust and glue won’t hold up to any water .

Ask at a hardware store many handy men have business cards there and would build you a small coop , tell them your budget ,

Having seen these in a store , there’s a reason it’s that price .... good luck

It isn't compressed sawdust and glue, it is actual wood. I have this same coop and use it for a brooder and grow out.

 

[Trux]

So True...that’s why I’m thinking a shed make over would be my style. I’m thinking “Tuff Shed” with windows. I have a chain link dog run (wired top) and (tin roof over coop) so the gate poses a challenge. Maybe Santa will put a shed in my stocking.

You must have a damn big stocking!

 

[Trux]

I have never built anything before -
I’d imagine something I build to be as atrocious as this monstrosity, if not worse:

I’m jealous of your handiness.

What it boils down too is , what you can afford, how much room you have for a coop, and how handy you are, or a friend is if you are not. If you need something for ducks I wouldn't recommend that particular coop.

 

[CannedMonster]

I second the recommendation to modify a dog house.
It’s low enough for ducks and you just need to put a door on it.
I’m not sure you could clean it very easily though.

 

[Conan]

I second the recommendation to modify a dog house.
It’s low enough for ducks and you just need to put a door on it.
I’m not sure you could clean it very easily though.

The dogloos are perfect because they come apart and then you just blast them out with a hose If it's just for a pair of duckies at night, it's a darn cheap option and it works. I love my ducks, but oh, boy are they ever messy. And smelly. And poopy. I now use that dogloo in their hoop house as a nesting box. Works for that too!

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

I had the prefab in the first post. It was ok, but we sealed it with water sealant, added a few things to make it more sturdy, and didn't let it sit on the ground but it was ok for 4 fs chickens. But, I wanted more room and easier cleaning - so we built one out of scraps.
But, for ducks I don't think I would get it. Their poo is wetter and super messy.
I got a used plastic playhouse and added hardware cloth to it. If interested, I I'll post pics later as I have to go to work now.

 

[snow5164]

It isn't compressed sawdust and glue, it is actual wood. I have this same coop and use it for a brooder and grow out.

Really ? That’s good if it is , because paneling or mdf ( sawdust and glue) is not wood. It needs to have a grain . For that price it must be Pine which is a soft wood ,

I’m spoiled , I married a carpenter

 

[Cryss]

I am not a handy person, I try, but I hurt myself all the time. Two weeks ago I drilled my finger to the run..lol

So I'm taking the coop that's in the picture and fully enclosing it--floor, second window, added ventilation and all. Like you said the guts are there. So instead of having the smaller area to roost at night, they will have the whole coop, which dimension wise can indeed hold 8(I got 7)you just got to redesign it.

I'm actually only doing this because winter is coming and I want a place they all can hang out and they can move around. It would be no different then any coop that is 4x7 when I'm done. Next year I'm making one that attaches to the run and this one will become home to my one rooster and up to 4 rooster friends(in case I do decide to hatch some babies and they are boys--they will become a rooster flock)

I'm doing exactly the same thing. Im leaving the henhouse floor intact making it a 2 story coop, therefore more floor space. See my progress in my thread "Altering my terrible TS coop". I hope you post pics too!