These Tiny Pre-Fab Coups.

[Gallo del Cielo]

You know, in my climate, that chain link run with 3 walls and a solid roof over one end would be plenty of coop. Chickens tolerate cold way better than heat. There is a very successful coop design for northern climates that has a large open area on one side (I wish I still had a link for it, but it wouldn't meet your HOA requirements, anyway.) Where (in general, for climate) are you?

I think our climate here in Tucson is entirely too hot for something like the bungalo coop on MPC. It may be so hot inside that the chickens won't go in to use it. You would almost certainly have to remove one or two walls or at least significant portions to allow for ventilation. We need more ventilation here than in most places. I like your idea for the run, you just need some place within it for them to lay eggs and get out of the rain and wind. Like flockwatcher said, you don't need much more than three walls with a roof (most coops out here are just that). I recently helped an elderly friend here in town re-model her chicken enclosure to make it larger and so that she could walk inside without bending over. She only has a piece of awning with the roosts underneath. I think that in the winter she puts up plastic to block the wind, but they're fairly exposed. She's raised chickens like this out here her whole life. I only present this to show that chickens in our climate do well when they have plenty of air movement around them.

Here is the enclosure we made almost entirely of salvaged materials. Undoubtably, yours will be much more visually appealing.

 

[Judy]

That's a great setup, Gallo!

Around here the old fashioned "coop" is 4 pieces of fencing with a sheet of plywood laid over the top -- not even sides. I wouldn't do that, but it does work, gives them the breeze they need in summer. Chickens have lived in them here for generations. Actually, I don't see much point in those short, small boxes in either very hot or very cold climates -- you can't get decent ventilation without making a draft on the chickens up north, and I agree, it would be too hot in summer.

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

That's a great setup, Gallo!

Around here the old fashioned "coop" is 4 pieces of fencing with a sheet of plywood laid over the top -- not even sides. I wouldn't do that, but it does work, gives them the breeze they need in summer. Chickens have lived in them here for generations. Actually, I don't see much point in those short, small boxes in either very hot or very cold climates -- you can't get decent ventilation without making a draft on the chickens up north, and I agree, it would be too hot in summer.

Thanks! Yeah, I wouldn't recommend that degree of minimalistic approach either but it underscores the importance of ventilation.

Bobby, I realized this afternoon that you could buy a small three-sided coop at O.K. Feeds (Ft. Lowell and Dodge) large enough for the number of birds you're thinking about for just under $200. They're not constructed of the best materials, but probably better than anything you could find online. I think that most of the feed stores around town (e.g. Arizona Feeds on S. 6th Ave) have similar coops designed for our climate. You could go that route, focus on the magnificent run plans that you have and replace the coop later when you have the time.

 

[Bobby Basham]

Thanks for all the feedback, Folks, and I really appreciate it. Please keep those thoughts coming. I looked at the coop again and see that it has sliding ventilation doors on the front and back. If I'm successful in building a good, fortified run, there would be no need to lock them up at night or during the day while I'm at work. As windy as it's been these last several years, the gals will get plenty breezes.

I saw that Kim95037 started a thread on the Bungalo from MPC, and the ordeal she went through to modify it and leak-proof it. Oh, and they assured her that this "new" model was very well made. I hate to appear stubborn, but know how to turn Lemons into Lemonaide, and I just simply like this particular coop.

There is no rush here right now, and if/when I get the energy and motivation, may create something of my own, maybe matching my house. That could really be an interesting design, or maybe builld some type of low, multi-sectional, ranch-style penthouse...hmmm.

Thank God for plywood and 2x4's. --BB

Bobby Basham
Tucson, Arizona

 

[rikithemonk]

A prefab coop is not going to work for more than a few chickens. Pull up my profile and look at my coop. Its a four foot square cube with tons of perch space and two nest boxes. (Two four foot perches high and one four foot perch low. (also an extra two foot perch high next to the nest box.) I have two enclosed runs that are four foot by eight feet long. This is good for 5 chickens. I have seven in there and there are sighs of over crowding. Over this weekend, I took a power saw to the runs and placed my coop in a ten by ten dog kennel. Its the same floor space, but the lay out is better for them. (and they can jump on top of the coop giving four square feet of extra room.) They seem more relaxed and less claustrophobic. So in my personal experience, a four foot square coop with a ten foot square run should hold no more than 6 or seven chickens. Six preferably.

Riki.

 

[Erin~TheChickenLover]

To the OP, I am with the others that say it would be best not to go with a pre-fab coop. I have 3 coops that I either built myself or converted into coops for less than the price of 1 pre-fab coop. They are holding 19 chickens and can hold more. Why would you go with a small, poor quality, poorly designed, overpriced pre-fab when you can build a much better, bigger coop that you can customize for your needs? Unless I were to go with one of those really nice, big Amish made coops, I wouldn't get a pre-fab coop.

 

[Ridgerunner]

With your 5' HOA height limit, your climate, and 4 to 5 hens, you're probably going to be better off designing and building it yourself. In your HOA "cute" is important. People can get pretty snippy even if it is less than 5' high if you build something that looks like the stuff I usually build. I think you can build something a fair amount bigger than those prefab coops that will work fine and won't cost any more. With that height requirement, you almost have to build it on the ground. You need it tall enough for the roosts to be higher than the nests. If you elevate it (which is a great way to provide shade and have a dry place to feed them outside the coop) I think it needs to be high enough that you can retrieve an egg or a hen under there.

You need access for yourself under an elevated coop if you elevate it but also anywhere inside the coop. You may need to clean or repair something or retrieve an egg or chicken that does not want to be caught. In your specific case, I probably would not build that 4th wall at all but just leave it open to the run. What might work even better is to just put a roof and some sides on a corner of what you drew and leave two coop walls totally open. Just box in the "prevailing wind" direction and put in a roost. The nest boxes don't have to be inside the "coop" section either. You can make them free standing somewhere else as totally different structures.

If you did not have that 5' height limitation, I'd suggest you look at Lowe's or Home Depot at their prefab buildings but it Tucson, you would have to open it up a lot for ventilation. In Tucson, heat can be a killer. I'd really plan on a lot of ventilation and shade. I'd even consider insulating the roof to keep it cooler inside.

You are right that if you build a really predator proof run, it does not need to be locked up. I practically always suggest making the coop section fairly large, with as much extra room as possible. If you build it bigger than the absolute minimum required, you have more flexibility in handling them if something unexpected comes up. Plus I find if I give them extra space, I don't have to work as hard. Think poop management. But all you really need if the run is predator proof is a place for them to roost and lay eggs. You need to be able to get to all parts of the coop. A small coop with as large a run as you can manage will probably work better.

I'd suggest two nests for 4 to 5 hens. You do not need three. They will probably only use one or could get by with just one most of the time. But again, two gives you flexibility if you need to manage something, like a broody hen or maybe one not laying in the nests.

I don’t know what kind of rain you get on Tucson. Probably not much but when it comes down it may be pretty hard. I’d think snow load is not a problem. I’d consider making the roof slightly slanted, just enough for water to run off and fall away from your run. A wet run can smell and that would not go down well with your HOA. Try to keep water out of your run as much as you reasonably can.

One problem I see you having is that it is really convenient to be able to stand up in the run and coop if it is walk-in. With that 5' height limitation, I'm afraid you are out of luck with that.

I know I'm rambling a lot so I'll try to sum up. Consider building your run the way you drew it but make it predator proof. Box in the sides of a corner and hang a roost there. Put in two nest boxes somewhere in there. Consider a roof over the whole thing or a significant part of it to provide shade.

Good luck with it.

 

[CrosStitching]

I too am looking into a small coop for no more than 3 or 4 hens and want it to be cute as well as functional. And on a budget. This is one that the hubby and I agree on http://www.mypetchicken.com/catalog...et-Wood-Chicken-Coop-Building-Plans-p622.aspx
It's built from upcycled shipping pallets. I do live near the coast in Central FL where it's humid (read "breathing-water") and gets into the 90's about every day of the summer. After reading the post about ventilation, I would want to take the back wall off this coop and have it replaced with screen and chicken wire. The coop would be placed next to my house in this over hang area that is sheltered on 3 sides and always shaded. Hubby would hinge the roof too for easy cleaning and I'd put another small window on top of the door to give the girls a cross breeze. The chickens would have a small fenced in area just off this, but would be free range nearly all the time.

What are your thoughts? Are the doghouse style coops a bad idea altogether, or does it just depend on size and such? And I wouldn't ever be able to get more chicks b/c of the soon to be decided byc laws for Rockledge, FL.

Thanks!

 

[Bobby Basham]

As far as the 5ft height requirement goes, I'm barely 5'9" on a good day, and less than 130 pounds. Yes, I'm built low to the ground...LOL, and can fit in many small spaces. The 4th wall was actually the one side of my planter box being attached through the fence. So, actually, three sides would be outside, while the 4th side would actually be bolted from the inside. As far as the Bungalo goes, the nest boxes would be facing forward for me to retrieve the eggs, and the slide-out poop tray would extend out sideways. There will be room on all sides.

The run itself is not a problem and a piece of cake. I tend to over-compensate/build when it comes to projects. Like I mentioned before, I'm not in a hurry for this project because there are so many things to consider, like my potential retirement next year.

Not to be a drama queen, but the AZ health system jacked us up about a year or so ago. A person with kids is paying about $1,200/month for insurance. I saw one of our long-time Prosecutors over at Superior Court, who went into private practice, and he was livid. I'm single with no dependents and am looking at about $400/month with some type of small supplement from the State.

Let's say I get $1,334 monthly retirement + $700/month as Church organist (40+years), $68/month from Pennsylvania State retirement from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania when I retired from there in 1990. that's about $2,102 total. Subtract the $1,077 house payment plus utilites (gas/electric/cable/water). This house is a big 4BR/1,900 sq ft. that leaves me with about $575/month...oh, $400 health insurance not included. How pathetic, with not a cost-of-living or any kind of raise in over 10 years, which really leaves me about $175/month. Won't pay for my Brandy, cigs and groceries, let alone chicken feed and upkeep. I have no abundant IRA or 401K, just living from paycheck to paycheck. The only thing I can claim is the HOA (Home Owners' Assassination)...LOL.

Right now, the money is okay, and I still have two bedrooms to furnish after being here for four years, and hope to have those completed and paid for before if/when I decide to retire. I had considered quitting the church job, but that extra $700 will surely put me at "house poor" status.

Anyhoo, I shouldn't have shared all that personal crap, just wanna really settle down/retire and enjoy a few chickens to brighten my day. Who knows, if I actually get to building, the coup may be a nice split-level structure for the gals to roam through, and I will take all the considerations regarding ventilation and bedding, etc. Just wish I had more property....The backyard may be 50 x 50. I'll get out there with a tape measure and take some pics of this dirt lot.

Sorry if I came off bragging about my house, but I had been renting a cute, adorable 2BR house for 18 years, extremely outdated, and my little mortgage man really pushed me to get my own place. The last straw was the increasing gang activity in the neighborhood (tagging, drunks sleeping on my front porch and shot victims being left in the alley to die). My house was tagged as being next on the list for calling 911. Anyhow, Hal Timinsky always has my back and have refined twice through him, taking almost $400 off my initial payment. Bless his Bones.

Yeah, I'll sit down again and contemplate the pre-fab, but I'm sure I can come up with a structure that will be absolutely fabulous, and it will take a long time of constant tweaking before I buy a piece of lumber. All of your input is greatly appreciated, seeing the Pros and Cons. I like hearing from both sides. My structure may be some type of "double coup" where they can freely roam, and may consider upping the anty to 12 hens. If I'm selling eggs, it will have to be a secret, because these "pets" are not permitted to be used for commercial/breeding/sale purposes according to the HOA. --BB

Bobby Basham
Tucson, Arizona

 

[RWD]

Consider a portable coop. They can be moved around your yard, fresh grass, fertilize yard, no mud holes, safer, and far more useable than a pre fab coop.