Should I buy this coop?

[sunshine ducky]

Hi everyone, I wanted to setup a relatively small coop in my yard. I was thinking of this chicken coop, the dimensions are 3'x6'x 38'' tall. Basically its 6 feet long and 3 feet tall. It doesn't have a run but it looks like it is made to be durable cedar material. I would also appreciate if you can recommend how many hens I can fit in it. I wanted to get three Buff Orps for it. here's the link to it http://www.ranch-coop.com/Chicken-coop-with-cedar-roof.html if you wanted more detail about the coop. Thanks for looking and for the help!

 

[ColoradoPip]

For Illinois weather, even Southern IL, I do not think it is protective enough.

At ~18sq ft. (birds can't really get all the way to the edges), seems like it would hold 3 hens easily. Max would be 4 or maybe 5 if you have a larger run to open it up to. It's always tough to say how many fit because some hens get along better than others!

It does look like a solid build!

 

[sunshine ducky]

For Illinois weather, even Southern IL, I do not think it is protective enough.

At ~18sq ft. (birds can't really get all the way to the edges), seems like it would hold 3 hens easily. Max would be 4 or maybe 5 if you have a larger run to open it up to. It's always tough to say how many fit because some hens get along better than others!

It does look like a solid build!

Thanks for the good info, do you think there is a way I can modify the coop to withstand harsh Illinois winters? Thx

 

[ColoradoPip]

Apologies, I hit post too soon earlier and did not remember to come back!

The coop you've posted is designed as a chicken tractor and meant to be moved/mobile. It has no enclosed coop space and is designed to be used in the summer or in places where there is year round nice weather. Could be easily used for meat birds also. Maybe some of the BYC users who use this style will chime in if I'm missing something.

If you are looking to house 2-3 birds in year round weather most of the prefab options would work as long as they aren't tractor style like this one.

I'm assuming you cannot, or do not want to, build your own. Something similar to this design would be a better option:

Do you see the difference? In winter or bad weather this coop gives the chickens protection, plus night time sleeping space and predator protection.

In my opinion, if you really will only ever have 2-3 birds then a prefab coop will likely serve you well (mine lasted 6+ years in Colorado weather and is still going with very few repairs), cost the least, and work well.

 

[pibb]

That roof is what I'd call a guaranteed leak.

 

[aart]

Would be very difficult to tend to the birds in that.
Ventilation is nil......and have to agree with pib on the leaky roof.

 

[Folly's place]

It looks cute, and will be a miserable coop for your birds, and for you to manage. Most prefab coops are awful!
The best prebuilt structures are garden sheds, which can be delivered from the big box stores, and then modified to work very well as coops.
The best coop design is probably the Woods coop, and I'd love to have one!
Get a garden shed, have it on a dig proof foundation, and enjoy!
Mary

 

[sunshine ducky]

Thanks everyone....you saved me $400 of junk lol.

 

[chickens really]

No..dont get that one!

 

[paintedChix]

Here i go again!!

$399, hmm?? yes, you can go with a prefab shed for more (unless they sell for less up there?). Or you can have A LOT of coop in a different style.

Have you looked at/into the CP hoop style coops? They can be made w/ the support necessary to survive the harsher winters. You can do many different styles of roofs, sides, fronts and backs - everything from "open air" to fully enclosed or a partially enclosed area as the fully protected coop w/ the rest of it being your run. It can be a "tractor" that you pull around from place to place in your yard or it can be put on a permanent foundation. You can do 4x8' for just 2 chickens or you can go much much longer. SO MANY OPTIONS. I will work on trying to find all the different options/builds here on BYC (usually in the medium coop. some in the chicken tractor sections).

Here are some pics of ours that I have been very happy with. They've held up to hurricanes here in the south (about 2-1/2 hours inland from the coast), brutal wind, freezing rain and ice/snow. BUT we do not get the snow load that Il gets. Ours are very much "open air" style. I also showed a picture of a "shed" made from pallets w/ the CP as a roof. They've held up well and again there are many folks who have done a much fancier set up then I have.

8x8' size. Moved on a flat bed trailer from original property to temporary pasture rental to current property. These 3 pics taken the 1st year here - they are all over a year old. Still have them now.



4x8' coop. Still doing some changes to these two (they are two different ones here). But they work, too. The runs are not done for either yet.



This was a temporary shed on rental property. Housed the feed/some equipment for 20 head of Shetland ponies while we lived in a hotel for weeks!



Again, these EXACT styles may not work for you. But there are others, some right here on BYC, that have utilized them in snow load areas. AND all of these are much, much less than $399... though you may find it coming close to that with a build in your area.

AART's CP tractor is much heavier built than ours, has a lot of nifty features. Check it out, too!