What chicken coop

[junebuggena]

And I've got three kids, the oldest is 9, the youngest is 4.

 

[jenxsawyer]

I saw this on a site similar to this one that someone experienced said:

"We drilled some more holes for ventilation because, well, Florida Summer.
The girls smelled SO STINKY with the floor in the coop, so we removed it to allow moisture to be absorbed by the ground and have had virtually no smell since. Also, it's easier to deal with the too-low roosting bar when you don't have to fluff up the bottom with layers of litter.
Without the floor, you need to protect against diggers. We attached some hardwire mesh to the bottom with a staple gun and buried it 12" underground. After we got some digging to the very bottom of the mesh, we also buried some 12'' paver stones horizontally about 6" under ground surrounding the coop. Now, my husband keeps saying, "If a raccoon can get to those chickens, he deserves em!" We live right next to a nature preserve and bobcats, wolves, foxes, weasels, possums, armadillo, a handful of reptilian predators and a rampant raccoon population. We get digging and animal tracks and such almost every night, but nothing has gotten to them, so I feel like this is a pretty strong coop."

So I am wondering if I should just forgo the warranty and cut a little and also remove the floor.

 

[Bratsrt10]

I saw this on a site similar to this one that someone experienced said:

"We drilled some more holes for ventilation because, well, Florida Summer.
The girls smelled SO STINKY with the floor in the coop, so we removed it to allow moisture to be absorbed by the ground and have had virtually no smell since. Also, it's easier to deal with the too-low roosting bar when you don't have to fluff up the bottom with layers of litter.
Without the floor, you need to protect against diggers. We attached some hardwire mesh to the bottom with a staple gun and buried it 12" underground. After we got some digging to the very bottom of the mesh, we also buried some 12'' paver stones horizontally about 6" under ground surrounding the coop. Now, my husband keeps saying, "If a raccoon can get to those chickens, he deserves em!" We live right next to a nature preserve and bobcats, wolves, foxes, weasels, possums, armadillo, a handful of reptilian predators and a rampant raccoon population. We get digging and animal tracks and such almost every night, but nothing has gotten to them, so I feel like this is a pretty strong coop."

So I am wondering if I should just forgo the warranty and cut a little and also remove the floor.

what part of florida are you located at.

 

[jenxsawyer]

Central on the east coast.

what part of florida are you located at.

Central. On the east coast.

 

[Bratsrt10]

Central on the east coast.
Central. On the east coast.

nice area.

 

[jenxsawyer]

nice area.

Yes I like it. You live around here?

 

[Bratsrt10]

Yes I like it. You live around here?

no on the west coast,north of Tampa.

 

[jenxsawyer]

no on the west coast,north of Tampa.

Ohhh I see.

 

[aart]

Quote: How big is this hutch?
Get out the tape measure...first thing to learn(tape measure) when you begin building ;-)

 

[realsis]

I had this same issue when i first got my chickens. I spent 400. Which for me is a LOT. I was so excited. When my coop and run came, i actually cried! It looked like a tiny miniture version of what i saw online, like a childs doll house. It was awful! It leaked and was flimsy, just awful. My husband used its parts to make a " temporary" coop until he could make a good coop and run. I was soo disappointed. Every holiday, every birthday id ask to build a good coop. This year i finally got my wish ( after waiting 4 years!!) He build a large coop all 11 of my girls fit well in. Its sturdy, i can walk in sweap the floors and clean easily. The run is attached where i pull up the coops back chicken door and they go directly to the run. The girls absolutely love it. My point is dont waste your money on these premade coops! For a fraction of the cost you can build yours, or have a friend help! I waited so long for mine but im very very happy we finally got a good one built! I should have saved the 400. And had one made first thing!! The advertisement of these pre made coops is very deciving. It shows a large spacious run when in reality you cant even stand up in the run or coop and they offer no real protection from weather or preditors and are impossible to clean because they are too small to properly fit in. In fact i couldnt fit in the house at all and the attachment for the run id have to crawl on my belly to be with my birds. Trust me, build your own or do a conversion of something you might already have. Such as a shed ect.you wont regret doing it or having a friend do it.hope this helps!