Recommended prebuild/prefab coops/sites

[Rosekitten]

So after a lot of discussion and being in a small town and not having a selection of handy craft builders in our area to work with for building a coop (and our lack of knowledge and not wanting to take a year to try and figure out building a coop from the ground up having never built anything).

Looking for recommendations on sites to look over for coops. The idea currently is 6-10 chicken size coop.

I found chicken coop company and they seemed pretty solid but I wanted to ask here. I do like Roost and root but they are a little out of budget and seem on the small side for the price to say the least.

I know most will tell me build my own but I've been putting off getting chickens for 5 years now (I joined this site about 5 years ago and have done nothing but lurk and ask questions over the years, I used to own chickens when I lived up in MD but that was many years ago and I want to go back to being a chicken keeper now heh). But I think our best option is to pay a bit extra for a prebuilt we can put together, learn from that and when we move 4-5 years down the road to hopefully the acers we want to buy.. we'll be more ready for building our own then.


I was also recommended the the producer's pride coop from tractor supply, but I'm sure there are better options than that one?

Producer's pride - TSC
https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/producers-pride-guardian-chicken-coop-14-chicken-capacity
Chicken Coop Company
https://www.chickencoopcompany.com/...p-designs/products/the-rhode-island-homestead

 

[avjudge]

The Chicken Coop Company coop and run that you linked to has just over 10 ft.² in the coop (not including boxes) — about 3’x3.5’ — and about 37 ft.² in the run including the space under the coop. Disregarding any issues of quality of construction, resistance to predators, ventilation, etc., that would give you plenty of space for two chickens and somewhat less than generous space for three. It is certainly not scaled for a flock.

I am not sure in what universe TSC’s “Spacious 5.7 sq. ft. chicken coop can accommodate up to 14 chickens.” Though that appears to be a misprint – the smallest overall dimension given is about 5 1/2 feet so that would probably be the width of the coop, and if the window is in fact 15”x15” then (from the picture) the coop is about 2 – 2.5’ deep so a similar floor size to the CCC, probably just a little bigger.

I can’t imagine any coop made in China is going to be large enough or sturdy enough. There are sturdier but pricier options, such as solid wood ones from Amish builders (though I have read here that these are not all properly designed from point of view of ventilation etc.; I only have experience with their horse barns). Or you could explore the articles section of this website and check out the easier-to-build types of coops, such as hoop coops.

 

[Evadig]

So after a lot of discussion and being in a small town and not having a selection of handy craft builders in our area to work with for building a coop (and our lack of knowledge and not wanting to take a year to try and figure out building a coop from the ground up having never built anything).

I know you're looking for prefab coops, but I'd just like to let you know I never built anything either until last summer, and then I made a catio and a rabbit pen. It's really easy to just put a frame together. You're in North Carolina, so I'm assuming it's hot most of the time? You could make a rectangular pen out of 2 x 4's and cover it with hardware fabric. Then put in some nest boxes and roosts and a covered area for when it rains. It would be a lot cheaper and more sturdy for the amount of chickens you want. I can get some pictures of mine if you'd like .

Now for prefabs, I have the TSC Sentinel Coop and I used to keep four chickens in that, but they free ranged pretty much from morning to night. That's a fairly sturdy coop but it has no ventilation and you need to upgrade the locks, otherwise predators can get in with ease.

 

[Rosekitten]

I know you're looking for prefab coops, but I'd just like to let you know I never built anything either until last summer, and then I made a catio and a rabbit pen. It's really easy to just put a frame together. You're in North Carolina, so I'm assuming it's hot most of the time? You could make a rectangular pen out of 2 x 4's and cover it with hardware fabric. Then put in some nest boxes and roosts and a covered area for when it rains. It would be a lot cheaper and more sturdy for the amount of chickens you want. I can get some pictures of mine if you'd like .

Now for prefabs, I have the TSC Sentinel Coop and I used to keep four chickens in that, but they free ranged pretty much from morning to night. That's a fairly sturdy coop but it has no ventilation and you need to upgrade the locks, otherwise predators can get in with ease.

Yeah I'm still looking around and all. I've been asking around for a while and no one in the area really does coops. My biggest worry about building my own is making sure it's sturdy and holds up. I may have scared myself by watching a fair amount of coop building videos and it looks so complicated to make it sturdy. My husband may literally exile me to the chicken coop if we spent all of that and didn't end up with a functioning coop haha. (not really but it'd suck all the same)

 

[Krugerrand]

Hoop coops are among the easiest and most affordable. Converting a shed is probably the next easiest and still not crazy expensive. The key to a shed is figuring out how to modify it for proper ventilation.

People here will be glad to offer feedback before you make any purchases.

 

[Rosekitten]

Hoop coops are among the easiest and most affordable. Converting a shed is probably the next easiest and still not crazy expensive. The key to a shed is figuring out how to modify it for proper ventilation.

People here will be glad to offer feedback before you make any purchases.

See the main issue here that I don't think people are understanding is that myself and my husband are far from the handiest of people on the planet.. heh. We're just starting to test the water with odds and ends. I really don't want to risk the safety of my chickens because I over looked something on a coop/run. Besides the ground installation of the hardware cloth and skirt around the coop and run.. I'd feel better if someone else build the main structure. >-< I've grown up with chickens but we had a guard goose out on the farm so nothing touched those chickens. I don't have that luxury here.. city limits. A handful of chickens is about the limit on what I can have (yes we have a lot of wildlife still.. we live on the edge of the city line near the woods)

 

[Evadig]

The Amish coops I have heard are well built (some of them) but without much ventilation. They're also kind of pricy.
The problem is that almost every prefab coop is too expensive and improperly built in some area of construction. That's why most people here don't have experience with them because they read other's horror stories and just went and built their own (just my opinion).
I think the TSC Sentinel is a good coop, (if it gets ventilation and better locks) but you could only fit two hens in there. I've not yet seen a coop that was big enough for six hens and fit all the other criteria.
I hope you are able to find a good coop. Maybe you could get one of those chain-link dog kennel things (the big ones, you know) and put a cheaper (not as predator proof but also bigger) in there. Then for an extra layer of protection it would be fairly easy to zip tie hardware fabric around the dog kennel (though nothing is easy with hardware fabric!). Hope this helps!

 

[wrathsfarm]

A couple other options for you to consider.
Have you tried some local construction companies? With spring not quite in full swing a lot of company's are not in full swing and may be willing to bang out a quick shed style coop for you.

Another is your local craigslist, facebook. Your want a 'handyman' looking for work. At craigslist look in 'Services' section, look in 'skilled trade services'. Here's one I found in my area in a quick search..

If you find the right one that has chickens.... Bonus
Just gotta ask for a lean-to style shed build and then go in to your finish details, ventilation, roosts, nestboxes etc. if their interested.
A quick 8 x 6 coop build would give you a little extra for your 10 birds at 48 sqft, 8 x 8 even better at 64 sqft... Whatever your budget allows.

An additional note... DO NOT pay in full, up front. Usually 1/2 down or price of materials is standard in construction to start. Check their references and ask for pics of work completed.
Lots of good guys out there looking for work...
You could also post a wanted ad, btw.
Good luck to you...

 

[Krugerrand]

See the main issue here that I don't think people are understanding is that myself and my husband are far from the handiest of people on the planet.. heh. We're just starting to test the water with odds and ends. I really don't want to risk the safety of my chickens because I over looked something on a coop/run. Besides the ground installation of the hardware cloth and skirt around the coop and run.. I'd feel better if someone else build the main structure. >-< I've grown up with chickens but we had a guard goose out on the farm so nothing touched those chickens. I don't have that luxury here.. city limits. A handful of chickens is about the limit on what I can have (yes we have a lot of wildlife still.. we live on the edge of the city line near the woods)

I'm not sure that buying a shed from Home Depot, Lowes, etc will be any more difficult to assemble than what you linked to above. I'm sure some of those can be delivered assembled, too. Then, you're only looking at making some modifications. Or you may be able to find a local shed builder and explain the need for large overhangs and lots and lots of ventilation on the top.

Another thought ... if you're after eggs, chicken egg production slows down considerably after a year or two. If you want to maintain steady production, you're best to stagger adding new chickens every few years until you build up to what you want. But, introducing new chickens into a flock takes a good deal of space.

Unless you buy a shed or hire a shed builder, I would strongly recommend you check out some of these:
@fuzzi did a great job on a first build doing a hoop coop.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/fuzzis-chicken-journal.1550586/page-56#post-26819925

Blooie's run does not even use a base frame. That's how I built my run ... just with T-Posts holding it in place.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/motel-chix.67240/

Depending on how hot it gets in Rockingham, you may not even need a fully enclosed 'coop.' A big enough run that's fully secured could do the trick.

If you're lookin to move in 5 years, I would think a simple somewhat open hoop coop (partially roofed with tarps) held down by T-Posts rather than a frame and you have something really simple and cost efficient. Then, when you move and build something else, you can pull it up and use it as a run at the new place. Look at what fuzzi did (also in NC)

 

[Perris]

So after a lot of discussion and being in a small town and not having a selection of handy craft builders in our area to work with for building a coop (and our lack of knowledge and not wanting to take a year to try and figure out building a coop from the ground up having never built anything).

Looking for recommendations on sites to look over for coops. The idea currently is 6-10 chicken size coop.

I found chicken coop company and they seemed pretty solid but I wanted to ask here. I do like Roost and root but they are a little out of budget and seem on the small side for the price to say the least.

I know most will tell me build my own but I've been putting off getting chickens for 5 years now (I joined this site about 5 years ago and have done nothing but lurk and ask questions over the years, I used to own chickens when I lived up in MD but that was many years ago and I want to go back to being a chicken keeper now heh). But I think our best option is to pay a bit extra for a prebuilt we can put together, learn from that and when we move 4-5 years down the road to hopefully the acers we want to buy.. we'll be more ready for building our own then.


I was also recommended the the producer's pride coop from tractor supply, but I'm sure there are better options than that one?

Producer's pride - TSC
https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/producers-pride-guardian-chicken-coop-14-chicken-capacity
Chicken Coop Company
https://www.chickencoopcompany.com/...p-designs/products/the-rhode-island-homestead

you might find this part of BYC useful; lots of different prefabs are reviewed there
https://www.backyardchickens.com/reviews/categories/coops-runs-housing.15/