Suggestions for a Pre-Fab 4-or-6-Chicken Coop, Please?

[4 Georgia Hens]

DO NOT BUY A PRE-FAB COOP!
I have one which I bought from a friend and let me tell you, it stinks! I am constantly having to make repairs because the wood is so flimsy and weak. Plus it is so small for the price I paid. Pre-fab coops are often unnecessarily expensive, tiny, feeble, and leave you no room to grow. It will be worth it to build a big and sturdy coop that will house your flock comfortably.

 

[4 Georgia Hens]

Oh and a shed would make an awesome coop! People in my area often give away their sheds for free.

 

[Mamatomany123]

so, are we saying a child's playhouse, add raised/nesting areas? and add a chicken run outside?

I did this BUT I got the playhouse for FREE. I still had to add hardware cloth to the windows, add a full size door, and added ventilation to the door.

 

[SoCalRooster]

Thank you, Again! I will design it myself (or buy a design!), buy the supplies, and build it with my son - that sounds like more fun anyway! (Or I'll buy a shed and put that together with him!)

 

[SoCalRooster]

I just found this one: Not cheap but should be durable and easy to assemble, clean, move.

https://www.omlet.us/shop/chicken_keeping/large_chicken_coop_eglu_cube
I was thinking of building one, but this sure looks nice (if you don't mind a plastic house.

 

[Mamatomany123]

I just found this one: Not cheap but should be durable and easy to assemble, clean, move.

https://www.omlet.us/shop/chicken_keeping/large_chicken_coop_eglu_cube
I was thinking of building one, but this sure looks nice (if you don't mind a plastic house.

I dont have experience with that one and can't seem to find the measurements on it. Im not against plastic, the playhouse I'm using is plastic and it's so easy to clean but I'm not sure if it's big enough for 6 chickens.

 

[wamtazlady]

I just found this one: Not cheap but should be durable and easy to assemble, clean, move.

https://www.omlet.us/shop/chicken_keeping/large_chicken_coop_eglu_cube
I was thinking of building one, but this sure looks nice (if you don't mind a plastic house.

Eglu's make cute looking coops. One huge problem with it. It is large enough for about 2 chickens. Chickens require about 4 square feet of area inside the coop itself, not counting the nesting area. As for the run, 10 square feet per bird is recommended. These recommended numbers are so your chickens are not stressed with being overcrowded. You have to give them some room to move.

I have thought about buying an Eglu coop. It would be used to raise baby chicks, not to house full grown chickens.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I dont have experience with that one and can't seem to find the measurements on it. Im not against plastic, the playhouse I'm using is plastic and it's so easy to clean but I'm not sure if it's big enough for 6 chickens.

x2. Never take the manufacturer's numbers as numbers that would work in real life - often time they're using numbers that would apply to a commercial setting, where birds are crammed as tightly together as possible.

Always look for exact measurements - you need to know the interior floor space measurements of a coop MINUS nest boxes. Sometimes coop measurements include nest boxes, or decorative elements like a flower box which aren't chicken usable and certainly not interior floor space either.

4 sq ft is the minimum recommended space on here per bird. So do the math on any coop or coop design you're considering.

 

[NatJ]

I just found this one: Not cheap but should be durable and easy to assemble, clean, move.

https://www.omlet.us/shop/chicken_keeping/large_chicken_coop_eglu_cube

I was thinking of building one, but this sure looks nice (if you don't mind a plastic house.

I scrolled way down, and found the dimensions. That plastic part at the top is about 3 feet each way, which would make 9 square feet--and then about a third of that is taken up by the nestboxes. So on a rainy day, the chickens would have to go out and get wet to eat and drink, then could come back and sit in about 6 square feet of not-nest space. I'm thinking two large chickens would be rather cramped with that little space (unless you add a big covered run--at which point, you don't really need this coop at all!)

I would suggest something more like what is pictured here:
https://www.construct101.com/large-chicken-coop-plans-step-step/
(I did not look at the plans carefully, just looked at the picture.)

For 6 chickens, you want a floor space at least 4 feet by 6 feet, PLUS enough space for the waterer, feeder, and nestboxes. So probably 6 feet each way is about the minimum (because of the feeder, waterer, nestboxes). The covered run is a good idea, both because it keeps out predators and because the roof lets them use it even when there's rain or snow.