Store Bought/Online Coops

[mcjessen]

I was thinking the same thing. If you've got the shed, you should see what you can do with that. I wouldn't think it would be too hard to convert. And its a plus that the structure is already there. Just make sure it's got plenty of ventilation and is predator proof and you'll be fine. There are lots of converted shed in the "coops" section. Browse through and you'll get tons of ideas. Good luck!

 

[Bobby Basham]

I also love this particular coop, minus the run. I planned on putting mine in some type of chain link kennel. I read that this is some cheaply made thing inported from China. However, looking in my latest issue of Backyard Poultry, these coops are "new and improved" with better construction and ventilation, and the CConly website states that they will be available after September 6th.

Are there any home-grown, American builders out there that can compete with what this company is boasting, at a comparable price? I'd buy one in a heartbeat to support our own economy, but don't wanna pay a gazillion bucks for a small 4' x 4' coop. --BB

Bobby Basham
Tucson, Arizona

Proud owner of a Hammond C3/Leslie/PR40
Baldwin 9-ft Concert Artist grand piano
Clavinova CLP 340 electric piano
Eight Magnavox Astro-Sonic consoles stereos and 3,000 LP's
and a host of other stuff from Teac, Pioneer, Sherwood, Kenwood etc.

 

[Lynzi777]

Bobby I have to agree with you there for sure! I am not handy when it comes to building things. This was the best thing I could find for the price. I was not about to spend $500+ on a coop. As a matter of fact, I'm getting two bunnies this week for my kids. I searched all over for a decent outdoor hutch, and again, I finally ended up going with store bought. I emailed woodworkers, etc and again, they all wanted double the price. I bought the hutch a Petsmart and yes it's cheap cedar wood but I spend the time staining it so it will last longer. And just like I plan on putting the coop in my shed, I plan on moving this hutch to my side porch in the winter to the keep the snow off of it. My coop has actually help up nice so far against the predators and all the rain we had all spring. So I have to say I'm quite happy with it.

 

[NSDWS]

The coop you ordered is made of Chines Fir. It is soft but somewhat weather resistant wood but will need to be treated every year in your climate. I ordered a coop by the same builder and although I live in an area with mild weather I had to improve on it. It was way to lite and I could just see a good strong wind blowing this thing over so I added some 2X4 runners to the bottom. This gave it more weight, widen the stance, and added some height to the run under the coop. Mine is placed in my son's backyard since I cant have chickens in my area. His back yard is fence in-closed and apx. a half acre. I allow mine out when I am over there and move it around since it is still lite enought to do. If your going for a small flock this will get by if you take care of it but I bet after you have a few chickens you will want more and more and more.

 

[Lynzi777]

Thats what people keep telling me but I'll tell ya, I got my first 3 back on Easter weekend. added two to the flock a couple of weeks later and that is all I've had since. I have thought about adding more, but I would need to expand the coop. Plus I think my husband would have a fit! LOL I'm sticking to my 4 (I have left after one got attacked) , and have no plans on expanding anytime soon.

 

[plund]

So Lynzi777, how is it working so far. I finally talked my husband into letting me have chickens after years without them (chickens predate husband). For Christmas I am getting a small coop (looks ok so far but haven't gotten to examine closely) and then 4 chicks for Easter. Just rec'd the Hovabator 50 egg incubator I ordered myself for Christmas. Told him the egg turner only takes eggs in every other rack & that they join & the eggs turn into the next rack because he was horrified by the number of eggs it holds. Poor man. But chicken math is real, he got his first scare when I told someone I was building another coop for my chicken village. I really don't think he believes each chicken needs her own house but it did calm him down for the time. I am just hoping they scurry around so much they are hard to count. And I figure if I say "could you please help me with the chickens when you come out?" he'll stay in the house so he won't even see them. And I'm getting LF Orpingtons, hard to hide. He did ask why I needed 12 names though
So good luck, I hope you have enjoyed your chicken adventure as much as I am going to.

 

[Lynzi777]

Well Ok lets see here...last time I posted I had 4 and one coop. However I ran into a little trouble when one of lavender orpingtons matured into a rooster! I was worried about him injuring my only silkie hen if he tried mating with her. And I at that time I only had 1 silkie. Sooooo....I really didn't want to separate her and keep her by herself. I went on hayneedle.com, ordered another coop, which is perfect for silkies, and got myself two more silkies - another white hen and a lavender split (blue) roo. I am still very small with my flock and now even - three orps and three silkies. two hens in each group and 1 roo each group. My lavender roo had gotten pretty nasty as he is getting bigger/older and I've had to seperate him from the rest of the flock (and US!) He is no longer let out to free range after I caught him going after my kids, my dogs and even me at one point. Not sure if I'm going to keep him or not.

So I'm up to 6, but again no plans to get any more. The only reason for the two additional silkies were to keep my hen company. And now I have one silkie hen sitting on 5 eggs. We're going to bring her inside and see if any hatch. IF they do I'll have her raise them inside over the winter months and then they'll go back outside in the spring. Depending on how many I end up with out of the 5 I may keep one or two and sell the rest. I'd keep at least 1 and at this point I'm hoping at least 1 hatches.

 

[Green Lantern]

Well Ok lets see here...last time I posted I had 4 and one coop. However I ran into a little trouble when one of lavender orpingtons matured into a rooster! I was worried about him injuring my only silkie hen if he tried mating with her. And I at that time I only had 1 silkie. Sooooo....I really didn't want to separate her and keep her by herself. I went on hayneedle.com, ordered another coop, which is perfect for silkies, and got myself two more silkies - another white hen and a lavender split (blue) roo. I am still very small with my flock and now even - three orps and three silkies. two hens in each group and 1 roo each group. My lavender roo had gotten pretty nasty as he is getting bigger/older and I've had to seperate him from the rest of the flock (and US!) He is no longer let out to free range after I caught him going after my kids, my dogs and even me at one point. Not sure if I'm going to keep him or not.

So I'm up to 6, but again no plans to get any more. The only reason for the two additional silkies were to keep my hen company. And now I have one silkie hen sitting on 5 eggs. We're going to bring her inside and see if any hatch. IF they do I'll have her raise them inside over the winter months and then they'll go back outside in the spring. Depending on how many I end up with out of the 5 I may keep one or two and sell the rest. I'd keep at least 1 and at this point I'm hoping at least 1 hatches.

BUT...since it isn't a good idea to introduce just one new chicken into the existing group you will probably want to keep at least two of them. AND... you will probably get a bit attached to at least 3 of them SO... CHICKEN MATH!!!

 

[Lynzi777]

BUT...since it isn't a good idea to introduce just one new chicken into the existing group you will probably want to keep at least two of them. AND... you will probably get a bit attached to at least 3 of them SO... CHICKEN MATH!!!

Alright, well let's see if I'm lucky enough to get any to hatch first! THEN we'll talk chicken math! LOL

 

[CluckyCharms]

We bought ours online, but from a local builder. This thing was dropped off the truck and slammed into the ground and not even a splinter (that I could tell) was dislodged. Rock solid coops. Granted, you'd probably be paying out the wazoo for delivery/shipping...but the quality and stability is insanely good. The chooks love theirs. This is their home page: http://chickencoopcondos.com/ and then you have to click on the "Coop Models" tab to see all their different designs that are available. For anyone in the Kansas/Missouri area these are the best I've seen, hands down.