So angry with this coop dilemma!

[Gisselle]

Hi,
So I’m raising four chicks indoors right now to be pets/egg layers. I’m not new to chickens having raised them when I was a kid.

Ok, a little drama and back story. Originally we got the chicks with plans to keep them in this nice large screened in porch that had a smooth concrete floor, wood walls that came up high, a good roof and overall very sturdy construction. It is large obviously but it’s a structure that is abandoned in our yard and not being used whatsoever! With a few modifications (just adding secure hardware cloth to windows instead of just screening and some kind of shutters, perches and nest boxes) we’d have a luxury chicken coop for cheap!

I was so excited at this idea. When I had chickens as a kid/teen I hated how we kept them. We built them coops but they were always hard to clean, leaked and predators got in constantly. The chickens were sick many times too.

• this time around I want our chickens pampered! I want them to always feel safe and secure and have plenty of room. Not have to worry about staying dry or predators getting in and terrifying them at night.

Well now the issue is - the landlord (who is my own mother!!!) decided she doesn’t want the chickens in the enclosed screened porch on the property! Keep in mind this porch isn’t attached to the house it’s separate and out in the yard. The reasons are ridiculous.... doesn’t want them in there because they’ll be ‘messy’ and it’ll stink.

Now I’ve been doing research on better coop cleaners even incorporating orange oil for freshness and I plan to use sand on the concrete floor and CLEAN the coop DAILY and pick up after the chickens when I check on them in the morning and let them out to free range and again in the late afternoon. Besides they will be free ranging as much as possible too so they won’t be ‘stinking’ it up. I don’t want a nasty pig pen coop and I certainly don’t want my little girl around that either!

Yet - everything I’ve said is not acceptable to the landlord.

* So now, my chicks are growing and I’m lost as to where they are going to stay now that their original nice home is ‘forbidden’
I’ve been looking for coops to buy online and doing research but I keep reading bad reviews about the wood not being rain resistant and then the coops are majorly expensive and too small for even just my four hens. Some say they aren’t even predator proof!

I’m afraid of running out of time and my chicks needing to go outside. They are about 2 weeks old.

We never planned on needing to build a coop from the ground up and I feel like the cost of supplies will be outrageous.

I’m just furious that we have a perfectly good structure that’s just collecting junk and dust standing right in the backyard yet we are being forced to desperately find an alternative that we are satisfied with and won’t break the bank.

So sorry for writing this book. I’m tempted to use the screened porch anyway... what is the landlord going to do? Kick us out? My own mother? Over chickens???

My question is - are ANY of those coops you buy online worth it? For 4 hens?

I apologize again for the rant but this is ridiculous.

 

[CapricornFarm]

Chickens can be smelly but if you are cleaning daily it should not be an issue. Also you can add pdz on poop trays to make clean up easier.
If you do have to build a coop and run, i used to build coops that were 4' high, 4' wide and 8 feet long. If you have a builders discount in the area you can get lumber cheaper. So 6 of 2x4x8, 4 sheets of plywood, an old used window or shower door for light, and maybe make a door out of pallet wood. I used hardware cloth on the bottom to prevent dig in predators.
The runs i made were 8 feet square and 4 feet high, with welded wire stapled on with poultry staples. So 10 or so 2x4s, welded wire, hinges, latch and a small home made door. Pretty simple really. You will probably spend more for the prefab coop and then have to assemble it and watch it fall apart. Probably too small for 4 hens anyway.

 

[Gisselle]

Chickens can be smelly but if you are cleaning daily it should not be an issue. Also you can add pdz on poop trays to make clean up easier.
If you do have to build a coop and run, i used to build coops that were 4' high, 4' wide and 8 feet long. If you have a builders discount in the area you can get lumber cheaper. So 6 of 2x4x8, 4 sheets of plywood, an old used window or shower door for light, and maybe make a door out of pallet wood. I used hardware cloth on the bottom to prevent dig in predators.
The runs i made were 8 feet square and 4 feet high, with welded wire stapled on with poultry staples. So 10 or so 2x4s, welded wire, hinges, latch and a small home made door. Pretty simple really. You will probably spend more for the prefab coop and then have to assemble it and watch it fall apart. Probably too small for 4 hens anyway.

Thank you so much for your reply!

Do you have any pictures of the coop you explained to me?

One thing I did in fact like about the pre-made coops was the trays that slid out for easy cleaning and all the access doors. Keeping it clean and keeping flies away is very important this time around! I don’t know how hard it’d be to duplicate sliding trays and all the access doors.

 

[CapricornFarm]

Thank you so much for your reply!

Do you have any pictures of the coop you explained to me?

One thing I did in fact like about the pre-made coops was the trays that slid out for easy cleaning and all the access doors. Keeping it clean and keeping flies away is very important this time around! I don’t know how hard it’d be to duplicate sliding trays and all the access doors.

I don't have a picture of those coops because i left all 20 back in TN years ago when i had to move away. But on my thread helpful hints for building chicken coops, i walk you through building a bigger 8x10 coop. You could just build a smaller similar one. I am a 61 year old granny and did it myself with only the neighbors help to hold up the walls while i secured them. You might better build a coop you can use than throw away money on a cheap prefab. Have you seen the reviews on those?

 

[The Phantom]

I would build your own. Much cheaper and you can make it any way you want. Tell her you want a coop like this one. Maybe she will change her mind. I don't think 4 chickens will stink. I have 25 and they hardly smell. It is just a matter of cleaning the coop weekly.

 

[Gisselle]

That’s great! I’ll look for your thread!

Yes, sadly the more I researched and read reviews on even the very expensive pre-made coops the more my heart sank that they wouldn’t be a ‘quick’ fix easy option for our chickens. Too many flaws for so much money.

I’m still thinking of putting my chickens in the safe and secure screened porch anyway.... even if it’s temporary.. We have A TON of yard projects to do already and not much money to buy a bunch of coop building supplies right away. I can’t see us getting one built in time before the chicks are fully feathered.

 

[Gisselle]

I would build your own. Much cheaper and you can make it any way you want. Tell her you want a coop like this one. Maybe she will change her mind. I don't think 4 chickens will stink. I have 25 and they hardly smell. It is just a matter of cleaning the coop weekly.
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With the large size of the enclosed porch I wanted to use and the cleaning routine I had planned which included using orange oil mixed with disinfectant- my mere four hens would barely smell! I planned to fix the porch up and make it look cute like a cottage all decorated. It would’ve been so nice too cause you can just walk inside through a full size door and there’s plenty of room to put a chair in there and hang with the chickens.

BTW I love that coop! Super cute!

 

[featheredplanets]

I like to use ready made out buildings like second hand sheds, Wendy houses, small storage sheds. They’re really easy to convert and work with.

 

[IamRainey]

I’m still thinking of putting my chickens in the safe and secure screened porch anyway.... even if it’s temporary..

Listen, I say this as a mom whose daughter and her family live in our guest house gratis AND as a chicken owner.

1) I know my chickens don't smell. I have 3. I scrape their poop board once a day and I could be in their coop all day long and not find it objectionable. They do, however, generate a lot of dust and cobwebs.

2) You know how fierce your mom is, what other issues she may be dealing with in her life, and what may cause her to be saying "no". IF you think it's fair to her and IF you can deal with her potential reaction, then I'd try them out there and see what mom's reaction is when she can see (and smell) for herself what it's actually like.

Perhaps her concerns as a property owner will be overcome and prospect of eventual eggs will sway her. But, let's be realistic, those eggs will be a long time coming from chicks, so go out and buy her the occasional half dozen fresh eggs so she can see what's in store.

PS If any of those chicks turn out to be roosters my guess is you're dead in the water if she lives nearby and/or neighbors start complaining.

 

[CCUK]

I have three coops all made from old kids playhouses they were easy to build and modify. I am going to put a bigger shed in this summer. At the moment I have 15 hens in two coops and 6 in the other. It was a bit of hard work to start with but it was reasonably quick to set up. This would buy you time to improve or persuade your landlord. Chickens do make a bit of a smell but it doesn't have to stink. With regular cleaning and pdz on poop boards and maybe deep litter it all helps to minimise it. I like the smell of hen coops and I know some people don't but I know when it smells bad. Good luck with your mum.