What do you think of this coop?

[cknhobbiest]

The ribs on the steel roof would hold water and either leak around the screws or it would start rusting. The reason is that the steel should be run vertical and not horizontal to allow the rain to run off and also to seal each seam in the roof altho it looks like he just used one piece per side.

 

[Tylt33]

Quote:
I'm gonna contact this guy and see what he can do for me. I don't want to have to build anything, and plus, he delivers! I'll see what he can work out. Thanks!

 

[elmo]

If you do consider buying a prebuilt shed or playhouse, do consider how easy or difficult it would be to add the necessary ventilation.

Notwithstanding the other comments, I still think the original coop is a decent one. I don't think the pressure treated framing is likely to rot very soon. It would be easy and relatively inexpensive to add hardware cloth to the sides, and to add a hardware cloth apron. That might take you an hour or two of work, at most. A base of sand inside the run would make it very easy to clean with a reptile scooper like the one I use:

http://www.petdiscounters.com/Reptile-Sand-Scooper-p2145.html

I've added plastic corrugated panels to the side of my summer run to deal with rain blowing in from the sides. You could do something similar. Again, easy to do, and not that expensive. If you wanted to close off the "coop" portion, you'd only need to add one wall.

A 5' by 6' foot coop/run for $495 is actually a pretty fair price. The only serious flaw I see is the wire they've used. And since this is a combo coop/run, it is only large enough for 3 chickens (not 7).

 

[The Sheriff]

Quote:
Hey that first picture is the one of the coop in my yard! Don't ya just love it? Robert can customize this coop to meet anyone's needs. He just did a humongous one for someone. I stole the idea from the saltbox coop, had Robert make it for me and he is selling them like hotcakes! Here's his website:

http://www.custombuiltshelters.com/

 

[Happy Chooks]

Quote:
Hey that first picture is the one of the coop in my yard! Don't ya just love it? Robert can customize this coop to meet anyone's needs. He just did a humongous one for someone. I stole the idea from the saltbox coop, had Robert make it for me and he is selling them like hotcakes! Here's his website:

http://www.custombuiltshelters.com/

Mary, I want to see the humongous one! Pics please!

 

[le neige homme]

That thing is 30 sq. feet.

I would not put but a trio of banties in there.

 

[ScaredOfShadows]

30 sq ft is plenty of room for 3 banties. 10 sq ft floor space is suggest for standard sized chickens - bantams are less...However the weather resistance and what not is in question with this coop/structure not its holding capacity.

 

[lovinlife]

I also house my chickens in a run with an open coop. It's really only a tarp over the northwest corner of the coop. It provides a lot of ventilation in the summer and protection from the wind in the winter. My chickens have always been fine, even when we had 3 weeks of weather below freezing last winter (very odd for central TX).

I think the coop looks fine for a small flock in an area with a mild climate. However, I agree that the wire is too large and the bottom 2' could be covered with hardware cloth. Also, the tin on the roof caught my eye as not being installed properly.

 

[le neige homme]

Quote:
Yes, this is why I said, "I would not put but a trio of banties in there." That means that a trio of banties is the most I would put in 30 sq. ft.

I personally would not put any large fowl chickens in that unless it was a broody or a sickbay commando. I've read the "rule of thumb" being 10 sq. ft. per LF hen, but I disagree and would consider that borderline cruel, not to mention unsanitary and just plain poor animal husbandry.

Just my humble opinion. I could be wrong, or overly sensitive or whatever, but that's the beauty of internet forums...we post our opinions and the OP gets to decipher those opinions and make the best decision for his/her situation.

Best of luck to everybody!

 

[ShrekDawg]

i think its a decent coop but i agree that the wire is not installed properly... good luck.