Retail Coops

[Rivulet]

Hello! Brand-new member here, ready to take the plunge into my first flock! I have a few hurdles to jump, namely making sure my landlord will sign off on the city's backyard chicken permit application, but it's much more fun to actually surf the web for coops and plans and all that good stuff!

I am looking for something that's small (I'd only like 3 chickens), easy to remove if we ever have to move, and something that looks nice, as people who walk by our yard on the sidewalk can see right over the fence and I want to make sure we don't have an eyesore. I also have about zero building experience so I'm not sure I can easily make something lovely.

To that end, I'm thinking it might be best to put down the money to get a commercially-made coop and run, even though I know it will cost a bit more. I'm leaning towards something like the Hayneedle Habitats Deluxe Chicken Coop at the website chickencoopsource. (Sorry, I can't link to it since I'm new!)

But of course because I'm so new to this I don't want to forget any features that I should definitely have. I'm a little concerned about the size of that one, but I also don't want to spend much more than that amount. Also, I live in relatively mild Oregon, but I do worry about how wet it is most of the year.

So does anyone have any suggestions? Any good bookmarks of relatively cheap, easy-on-the-eyes coops that you have to share?

Thanks!!

 

[justbugged]

http://www.omlet.co.uk/homepage/

This has been recommended here in Western Washington. I would also check and see what you can find on craigslist. And

 

[Judy]

I actually like the Hayneedle one better, and I believe Omlets are a lot more expensive for the square footage. Actually, not bad at all for a small coop!

It doesn't tell the square footage of the coop itself, that I saw, but it looks like it could hold 3 chickens comfortably -- if there is enough ventilation -- it didn't look like there was on another coop on that website, but cutting holes isn't usually too big a problem. Another coop on that site looked like it had 4 - 1" holes or so for air, which would not be enough. This one looks like it might have a good space to add ventilation under the longer roof section (I'd probably open or leave off that whole wall down to door level, I think.) Adding a roost should be simple enough, just a 2x4, or they would probably sleep in the nests. Another thought is, one nest is plenty for 3 or 4 chickens; they won't use two, anyway, most likely. The other nest might make a good spot for food or water, or if you want those to be outdoors, a little more walking room.

My concern would be the small run. Would you let the chickens into your yard at least some of the time? You might consider extending it, if not.

Have fun! And welcome -- glad to have you here!

 

[Rivulet]

Quote:
I do have plans to let the chickens out in the yard when I'm home to supervise. Now that it's getting dark later I'll be able to give them at least a little time out there but in the winter they may be cooped up a little more since it gets dark so early. But yes, I definitely want their help in keeping the bugs down!

 

[elmo]

One problem with buying a coop off the internet is that you can't see the actual coop to judge for yourself the quality of the materials. Chinese fir? Does that mean the coop is made in China? Uh oh. I suppose it is possible that decent quality manufactured goods can be made in China, but I honestly can't recall that I've ever come across any.

The line of coops you're looking at seem similar to the ones marketed under the Ware name. The same coop is often sold under different brand names (or no brand name).

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=356228

It's cheap because it's cheaply made.

As a rule of thumb, you should aim for nothing smaller than 12 square feet for the coop, plus 30 square feet for the run (4 square feet per bird indoors, plus 10 square feet per bird outdoors). I consider these minimums, though. At that stocking density you still could have some pecking problems, and you'll still have a fair bit of work to do with maintenance. Go bigger, and you'll have less risk of pecking and an easier job for you to keep it clean enough for health and odor control.

Another problem with prefab coops is that they rarely (if ever) have adequate ventilation (aim for 1 square foot per bird, not right next to their roost), and many prefab coops aren't designed so that they can be easily cleaned (access doors too small, etc.)

How about building your own? Take a look at the Garden Coop, for example. It's a good, basic design, very nice to look at, and you could build it small enough to be able to move it by truck if you needed to (say, 4' by 8' for the run, and 4' by 4' for the coop part).

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=356228

 

[wannabchick]

Cconlystore
Do a google search
Or cconly chicken coops

I love em, and several here have them

If I needed a coop for 4-6 chickens, I would probably look over this company and choose one, they even have some new models

I went the playhouse style and convert, and had one made on a cart for me

Now after spending all I did..I would go back and get a nice 10x 10 or bigger shed and or playhouse

And u will hear this over and over and over..start then with the biggest you can afford

Good luck

 

[gmendoza]

We make small chicken coops out of pine pallets that we call" Recycled Coops". Mostly they are for bantams and silkies because the craze is"going green", but then people see their space requirements and get turned off with big chickens.The pet bantam/silkie craze is the new thing here. Here are some pics of our coops:

This outhouse coop was primaraly made for bantams.It has an attic space to store chicken stuff.We had the John Deer paint made for us at Lowes.Sold for 150.00

This one was the beta version of what we build today:

Here is the new version. The price is 150.00.Its mainly for bantams.

 

[gsim]

Being as you are going to move, why not look into putting a coop on a small trailer chassis? What could be easier to move (or sell) than that? It may be that you can luck up on a kid's playhouse on Craigslist, and adapt it to where it will fit a trailer chassis. I suspect our landlord will be more in favor of that mobility too. He would have to know that if something happens and you must leave for whatever reason, how easy it would be for him to dispose of it if events conspired to where you could not take it with you. Best of all, it would allow for around 6 chickens on the smallest chassis you would find. After you have been on this forum long enough, you will learn about 'chicken math' and what it means.

Then the larger capacity potential will make sense.

Gerry

 

[elmo]

Personally, I don't house our bantams in space smaller than the 4 square feet indoors plus 10 square feet outdoors minimums that are often quoted for standard chickens. Those minimums are plenty small enough. Even though bantams are themselves smaller than standards, mine are lively and active and certainly use the space they have. I would not want to make them live in more crowded conditions just because of their smaller size.

 

[Suthrn]

I LOVE the coop in the bottom picture!! I have seramas and that would be perfect. I wish you were in Texas, I'd buy four, one a month for four months. LOL..

Linda