Undecided

[Scarlet Girl]

Good morning folks from a cold but beautifully sunny Atlantic Canada.

A milestone birthday is just a few short months away & over a year ago when I was asked what I'd like, not being a jewelry, trips away or party type of girl I said I'd love to have a coop & some chickens (I've been wanting some for the past seven years since moving semi rural)

So after lots of researching & reading I'm still undecided on the type of coop!
I do love the idea of one of the Omlet Eglu Cube.....no maintenance, easy to move around & clean & much easier to deal with mites. I like how they are cooler in the summer & warm in the winter.....from what I've read, those who have them, love them!

But I also like the idea of a roomy wooden coop....hubby is great at carpentry so no problem there. We've an out building that would be ideal for making into a coop.....location not so good though, at the bottom of a slope!

I really am in a quandary & can see pros & cons for both plastic & wooden coops, I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Thanks in advance,
SG

 

[chickencheeper]

Good morning folks from a cold but beautifully sunny Atlantic Canada.

A milestone birthday is just a few short months away & over a year ago when I was asked what I'd like, not being a jewelry, trips away or party type of girl I said I'd love to have a coop & some chickens (I've been wanting some for the past seven years since moving semi rural)

So after lots of researching & reading I'm still undecided on the type of coop!
I do love the idea of one of the Omlet Eglu Cube.....no maintenance, easy to move around & clean & much easier to deal with mites. I like how they are cooler in the summer & warm in the winter.....from what I've read, those who have them, love them!

But I also like the idea of a roomy wooden coop....hubby is great at carpentry so no problem there. We've an out building that would be ideal for making into a coop.....location not so good though, at the bottom of a slope!

I really am in a quandary & can see pros & cons for both plastic & wooden coops, I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Thanks in advance,
SG

I feel that wood is much sturdier when it comes to predator proofing. Have you read about predators? Make sure you read about it

 

[Frazzemrat1]

Also, that coop doesn't hold very many birds. It says up to 10, but I think even 10 bantums would feel crammed in there. Personally, I wouldn't ask more than 4 full sized birds to live in there. And all of the chickens they show in their pics with the coop are juveniles, so smaller than adults.
That said, for the same price in materials (or cheaper) you could probably either make one from scratch, or get a shed off of craigslist and revamp it into what you want. I actually spent more money on extra wire to put over the dog run we converted, then on actual coop materials. We used what we had around the house.

 

[IamRainey]

I'm in Los Angeles -- about as far as you can get geographically and climatically from Atlantic Canada. I have a wooden coop I can get inside of and I really recommend it. Either a step up over the run (what I have) or a walk-in door at floor level.

For one thing, you can insulate it adequately for your Winters (but make sure it's well ventilated too!). For another, you can get in there and clean adequately so odors and disease vectors don't build up. But, mostly, because you'll enjoy being in there with the chickens.

I sit with mine when I'm in there to scrape off their poo board. They come up and talk to me and it's when they will allow me to pet them. I can also watch them laying if my timing's right.

You won't be able to move it. BUT you can dig in your hardware cloth and have good confidence that the run is safe from predators. And the side benefit of that is that I didn't have to have an automatically opening pop door or get out there at the crack of dawn to release the chickens from the coop.

BTW, Happy Imminent Birthday and you've made a GREAT choice! You'll enjoy your chickens far more than anything else you might have gotten.

 

[BantyChooks]

Build a nice walk in wooden one. I wouldn't put more than a single bird in those omlet things and the coop setup they have isn't conducive to natural chicken behaviours.

Edit: they are quite expensive too and you could build a snazzy and much larger one for a smaller price.

 

[Folly's place]

Welcome! I'd build a Woods coop! Second best is a shed type structure. Build big, and walk-in, and predator proof. Ignore those cutsie little rabbit hutch type things!
Mary

 

[RUNuts]

I agree. Build one.
Do you know how many you want? That determines size of coop and run. Then multiply by at least 4. Chicken math.
Mobile coop is possible (just not that eglu thing.)
Will you be keeping for pets, eggs, meat or all three? Will you be hatching?
Whole lotta of what ifs. I say start small. Expand as needed.

Rule number one is to have fun.

 

[IamRainey]

Amen! to passing on the rabbit hutch stuff! I wish I could have had a walk-in but my space is very limited so I didn't want to short the hens of run space and built a step-in coop.

If anyone else has to do that the trick is to build it high enough that you can stand up in it. That eliminates a lot of frustration and backache. And, if you have to go that way, I found that a bale of straw makes a most convenient step. It's cheap, cheap, cheap. It won't last forever but it's easily replaced and when it starts to break down it's good for bedding for your chickens, your veggie beds or even spread around the run as mulch.

The other thing I would have done if space hadn't been a limiting factor, is add a storage shed onto the side of the coop for your feed, first aid kit, etc. I have had to add a horizontal plastic shed. Cost me an additional $250 and, for that money, I could probably have had a secure wooden shed at the time the coop and run were constructed.

 

[Meg-in-MT]

I agree with the others! If you can build or modify a structure so that you have a walk-in door, that's great. Both of mine have walk-ins and are easy to move around in, clean, ventilate etc. Plus, more room for more birds when chicken math gets the best of you.

 

[aart]

But I also like the idea of a roomy wooden coop....hubby is great at carpentry so no problem there. We've an out building that would be ideal for making into a coop.....location not so good though, at the bottom of a slope!

Yeah, you want to avoid bottom of slope.....a 'no flood' zone site is must.
Can building be moved?
Nix the eglu...cure and clean ....but too small for easy access.
Go big and walk in, you won't regret it.