Starter coop

[missmychicks]

https://www.mypetchicken.com/products/the-clubhouse-chicken-coop-w-run

We have a busy spring of projects, what are your thoughts of this and getting for our 3 (incoming!) chicks? We will also be building a tractor so they will have time to be outside of this structure. Our flock will eventually be about 6, but won't add any more until next year and we would be building their "real" coop in the meantime (with a much bigger run).
Thoughts?

 

[Percheron chick]

Please save your money and don't buy. Where are you? Do you even need a coop? You can beef up the tractor and use that as your "coop" while you build a permanent structure.
Look into hoop coops. Minimal costs and skills needed. Can use it as your run down the road.

 

[missmychicks]

Please save your money and don't buy. Where are you? Do you even need a coop? You can beef up the tractor and use that as your "coop" while you build a permanent structure.
Look into hoop coops. Minimal costs and skills needed. Can use it as your run down the road.

May I ask why? Is it this one in particular or just the thought that it's a waste of time to buy one and then build one?

 

[Aunt Angus]

Please save your money and don't buy. Where are you? Do you even need a coop? You can beef up the tractor and use that as your "coop" while you build a permanent structure.
Look into hoop coops. Minimal costs and skills needed. Can use it as your run down the road.

X2

I don't have one for my chickens. I built one for my goats' rain out to give them a place to hang out when it's raining. Wish I'd made one for my chickens! I plan to use them for breeding pens come spring.

My son and I built the hoop rain out in about 30 minutes. It's held up to snow and to punishing winds. And it was MUCH less expensive than the welded wire dog kennel I bought for the chickens.

 

[missmychicks]

X2

I don't have one for my chickens. I built one for my goats' rain out to give them a place to hang out when it's raining. Wish I'd made one for my chickens! I plan to use them for breeding pens come spring.

My son and I built the hoop rain out in about 30 minutes. It's held up to snow and to punishing winds. And it was MUCH less expensive than the welded wire dog kennel I bought for the chickens.

 

[missmychicks]

Not sure that would work for us- we have a lot of predators and rain. Goof luck on your breeding!

 

[rosemarythyme]

The coop as-is is only big enough for 1 standard adult bird. The roost bars are too low (which can be fixed) and ventilation is insufficient for more than 1-2 birds.

IF you are willing to convert the entire unit into a coop only then this is workable for a very small flock, but do you find it worth doing all the extra work to make this unit usable?

To turn it from 2 small "boxes" (tiny coop above tiny run) into 1 bigger "box" you'll want to remove as much of the inside coop wall as possible, plus the floor. Take out the old roosts too.

Nests might be able to stay as is, or may need to be relocated elsewhere or replaced - depends on the structure of the coop and how things inside stack up once done.

Run a new roost(s) lengthwise or widthwise across the newly open space, depending on how much roost is needed. Ideally you’d like 12” per bird but 10” can suffice in many cases.

Board up some of the external wire walls so that the roost area is protected from winds and rain. Do NOT fully cover up all the wire, you need ventilation and natural light, so at the very least a few inches under the roofline should remain open. If your climate allows for it, you can leave entire walls open with just the mesh, or make it convertible for the season by covering up open walls for winter, and then uncovering for summer.

Example of a modified prefab: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/my-renovated-prefab-coop.1440258/

 

[Aunt Angus]

Not sure that would work for us- we have a lot of predators and rain. Goof luck on your breeding!

I live in the woods (literally) with every predator you can think of: coyote, bears, mountain lions, foxes, raccoons, hawks, eagles, owls, bobcat, possum, snakes. It's been great for us.

Also, an "atmospheric river" just dumped 8 inches on us. There are 70 mph gusts whipping through our valley right now. That thing can handle it all.

 

[Aunt Angus]

The coop as-is is only big enough for 1 standard adult bird. The roost bars are too low (which can be fixed) and ventilation is insufficient for more than 1-2 birds.

IF you are willing to convert the entire unit into a coop only then this is workable for a very small flock, but do you find it worth doing all the extra work to make this unit usable?

To turn it from 2 small "boxes" (tiny coop above tiny run) into 1 bigger "box" you'll want to remove as much of the inside coop wall as possible, plus the floor. Take out the old roosts too.

Nests might be able to stay as is, or may need to be relocated elsewhere or replaced - depends on the structure of the coop and how things inside stack up once done.

Run a new roost(s) lengthwise or widthwise across the newly open space, depending on how much roost is needed. Ideally you’d like 12” per bird but 10” can suffice in many cases.

Board up some of the external wire walls so that the roost area is protected from winds and rain. Do NOT fully cover up all the wire, you need ventilation and natural light, so at the very least a few inches under the roofline should remain open. If your climate allows for it, you can leave entire walls open with just the mesh, or make it convertible for the season by covering up open walls for winter, and then uncovering for summer.

Example of a modified prefab: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/my-renovated-prefab-coop.1440258/

This can be done, too, but for the money, most folks believe it's better to build. That said, modifying this prefab might work for a small flock.

Here, part of our concern is large predators knocking over or crushing a small coop. If you have a serious predator load, you may need to take that into consideration. We use large, walk-in coops with predator-proof runs surrounded by electric netting and covered with heavy-duty aviary netting. The one small coop we have is attached to posts pounded into the ground in a place inaccessible to all but maybe mountain lions, but nothing can really stop a determined mountain lion. The goats' hoop rain out is also attached to t-posts sunk 3 ft into the ground. A small prefab like that wouldn't work with large predators. Just letting you know if you have any of those in your area.

 

[rosemarythyme]

This can be done, too, but for the money, most folks believe it's better to build. That said, modifying this prefab might work for a small flock.

I only suggest it because this can be made to work for a flock of maybe 3-4 birds, but I agree it's not ideal for the money and time invested.

Also a securely fenced run would need to be added ideally for this to work - a tractor could possibly work however they'd need sufficient "outside time" in it (basically, all day) to compensate for lack of space otherwise.