Tractor Supply Walk-In Prairie House Chicken Coop

[Cryss]

These may be young girls. Good for them! Start young! Wish I had. BUT I hope they are mature enough to know they need the advice of, not aged keepers, but experienced keepers. I have been very impressed with the knowledge of some of our teen keepers and I have watched videos of 8 and 9 year olds who have their own chicken/egg businesses.
Me? Starting all this at 66, I needed all the advice I could get. I did so many things wrong before I found BYC, now I have to rework everything. So CluckCluck1215, whatever you and your sisters age, we're here to help you be successful and enjoy your chickens.

 

[bald Rooster]

If I read correctly you live in Maine. You should try to talk to some people from there on here. Or local chicken people. I believe your winters can be very harsh. having a coop out in the open in the winter could be a problem. winter Light should be considered . A prefab coop may not be suitable that far north. I am from florida and I have a completely different set of problems to deal with.
But I will say. Little research of your local coops and problems will save you many head aches and frost bitten and possible dead chickens.

 

[Cluckcluck1215]

Guys, I am young, I know, People are going to think I'm stupid and know nothing about chickens.

But that is downright wrong. I am super experinced, I know a lot about chicken keeping. I have had them for pretty much all my life. I've experinced the ins, the outs, the bad, the good, the ugly, the dirty. I know what it's like to keep and own chickens, and I have down a LOT of research.
If you saw my current flock, you would probably be very suprised.

I know about ventilation.
I know about frostbite, trust me, I do.
I know this stuff.

I'm not looking for that info....I'm just looking for a nice coop for my sister, because she wants her own flock of bantams hens.

 

[Cryss]

Guys, I am young, I know, People are going to think I'm stupid and know nothing about chickens.

But that is downright wrong. I am super experinced, I know a lot about chicken keeping. I have had them for pretty much all my life. I've experinced the ins, the outs, the bad, the good, the ugly, the dirty. I know what it's like to keep and own chickens, and I have down a LOT of research.
If you saw my current flock, you would probably be very suprised.

I know about ventilation.
I know about frostbite, trust me, I do.
I know this stuff.

I'm not looking for that info....I'm just looking for a nice coop for my sister, because she wants her own flock of bantams hens.

Aha! THANK YOU for that information!
Considering your personal experience, and your age has nothing to do with that, I'd say that if you understand, without hands on looking at this coop, that the "wood" is thin and will have gaps, and you have enough knowledge to fill in the gaps and modify, you could probably handle this. Be aware that it doesn't hold as many chicken as it claims. 4 is probably max considering the henhouse minus the nesting area needs to be 4 square feet per bird. Maybe 6 if it's just bantys. I am betting your sister will be asking for help getting/building another bigger better coop in a couple months. But, hey, we all started somewhere. She'll get her experience and she'll grow. And get her on this site so she can learn too.

 

[Cluckcluck1215]

Aha! THANK YOU for that information!
Considering your personal experience, and your age has nothing to do with that, I'd say that if you understand, without hands on looking at this coop, that the "wood" is thin and will have gaps, and you have enough knowledge to fill in the gaps and modify, you could probably handle this. Be aware that it doesn't hold as many chicken as it claims. 4 is probably max considering the henhouse minus the nesting area needs to be 4 square feet per bird. Maybe 6 if it's just bantys. I am betting your sister will be asking for help getting/building another bigger better coop in a couple months. But, hey, we all started somewhere. She'll get her experience and she'll grow. And get her on this site so she can learn too.

Ok.

No,my sister can't come here on this site. She is to young and has problems reading. But I can show and read Articles to her.e

 

[aart]

Good to know...
...see, we can't ask about age and you shouldn't tell,
except to say you're a minor living with your parents.

I'd pull your 'big sister' seniority rank and decide for her...
...or have whoever is paying for the coop make the call.

 

[Chickassan]

I'd say this isn't a good coop,definitely not a 500 dollar coop. The reviews don't look good at all. Go to overstock or eBay to get a better price and selection of prefabs, you'll still have to do some adjustments I'm sure but it won't be so unnecessarily expensive.

 

[Cluckcluck1215]

Good to know...
...see, we can't ask about age and you shouldn't tell,
except to say you're a minor living with your parents.

I'd pull your 'big sister' seniority rank and decide for her...
...or have whoever is paying for the coop make the call.

Ok.

 

[lcwmt]

Ok.

dear CLuckCluckCluck1215, I looked at the "My Coop" link on your sig. You've been keeping chickens for a good long time and your birds are beautiful.
From reading the entire message thread, it seems to me that there are a couple of factors:
You want to help your younger sister in her desire to have a small group of Banty Hens.
You need a pre-fab coop for a number of reasons (lack of construction skills and tools, your sister's response to the visuals, a certain immediacy...).

You *know * what the issues are, what your budget is and how to help your sister.

My personal advice: Get the one with the metal roof, plan on putting pavers down under it (easy!), limit the flock size according to the space, probably 4-5 Banty Hens) and do what ever weatherizing you feel is needed. As your sister and her chickens mature, you should be in the position to help her come up with a coop that will be better in the long run.
Good for you, looking for the best and most practical way to support her in the desire to tend to growing critters!

 

[Cluckcluck1215]

dear CLuckCluckCluck1215, I looked at the "My Coop" link on your sig. You've been keeping chickens for a good long time and your birds are beautiful.
From reading the entire message thread, it seems to me that there are a couple of factors:
You want to help your younger sister in her desire to have a small group of Banty Hens.
You need a pre-fab coop for a number of reasons (lack of construction skills and tools, your sister's response to the visuals, a certain immediacy...).

You *know * what the issues are, what your budget is and how to help your sister.

My personal advice: Get the one with the metal roof, plan on putting pavers down under it (easy!), limit the flock size according to the space, probably 4-5 Banty Hens) and do what ever weatherizing you feel is needed. As your sister and her chickens mature, you should be in the position to help her come up with a coop that will be better in the long run.
Good for you, looking for the best and most practical way to support her in the desire to tend to growing critters!

Thank you, I....This post changed my mind, and I have to decide what coop is best, not her.
Thank you.