What's this coop worth? Want your appraisal.
- Thread starter MikeBuild
- Start date
The truth? The design is wrong.
1. Community nest boxes invite egg eating so they are definitely a no, no. There is a definite reason I put "exterior" nest boxes on my coop. So I don't have to go inside and disturb the chickens. I go in clean it and get out.
2. I look for clean ability and from what I can tell that is not an easy thing with this design. I would put the door so it goes up and is held up by a doo hickey thing. Kinda like a hatch on the back of a minivan. Then I could get closer reach in and use a small hoe to rake everything out onto the front of my clothes. OR push it out the other side onto the ground. Fill it with wood chips and then imagine it filled with stinky poop and clean it. See how it goes.
3. IMO "tractors" are ok for meat birds but layers would get freaked and not lay as well. Any change in the dynamics of the flock and they take a break. Every time you moved this they might let up. I will be fair and say I've never had one.
I suggest you get a copy of Back Yard Poultry magazine or Practical Poultry and copy or make a similar coop based on one of those. Even some of those designs are wrong IMO.
As for price? I wouldn't buy this particular coop. However, you need to figure the number of hours it took you to build any coop. At the very least multiply that times the minimum wage where you are. THAT will be your total cost to make. Then figure how much of a profit you want to make and that will be what you SHOULD charge. Just remember something is only worth what people are willing to pay.
Even Antique Road Show prices are only as good the the buyers you can attract.
I wish you a successful New Year,
Rancher
1. Community nest boxes invite egg eating so they are definitely a no, no. There is a definite reason I put "exterior" nest boxes on my coop. So I don't have to go inside and disturb the chickens. I go in clean it and get out.
2. I look for clean ability and from what I can tell that is not an easy thing with this design. I would put the door so it goes up and is held up by a doo hickey thing. Kinda like a hatch on the back of a minivan. Then I could get closer reach in and use a small hoe to rake everything out onto the front of my clothes. OR push it out the other side onto the ground. Fill it with wood chips and then imagine it filled with stinky poop and clean it. See how it goes.
3. IMO "tractors" are ok for meat birds but layers would get freaked and not lay as well. Any change in the dynamics of the flock and they take a break. Every time you moved this they might let up. I will be fair and say I've never had one.
I suggest you get a copy of Back Yard Poultry magazine or Practical Poultry and copy or make a similar coop based on one of those. Even some of those designs are wrong IMO.
As for price? I wouldn't buy this particular coop. However, you need to figure the number of hours it took you to build any coop. At the very least multiply that times the minimum wage where you are. THAT will be your total cost to make. Then figure how much of a profit you want to make and that will be what you SHOULD charge. Just remember something is only worth what people are willing to pay.
Even Antique Road Show prices are only as good the the buyers you can attract.
I wish you a successful New Year,
Rancher
This is what my 5 Silkies are in, I added an extra run to the left side and they love it. I have had no problems with cleaning it out, I just remove the tray liner .
Yes i did use chicken wire and have had no problems with predators
Yours is alot nicer, and I would of purchased yours if it was close to where I live
as my DH cussed and carried on during the whole process. I am now familiar with tools and am going to attempt to make one this spring
Ayda
Quote:
Did you look at the photo album? It looks very easy to clean
Did you look at the photo album? It looks very easy to clean
Wyogirl, how much time do your dogs spend outside? I've found dogs outdoors to be very discouraging to predators. That may be why your chicken wire is successful. For people without dogs, it usually fails for them eventually. I've found having the chickens in pastures with livestock to help with certain predators, also.
Quote:
Did you look at the photo album? It looks very easy to clean
Yes of course I looked at the photo album. With the door/wall dropping down you will need to reach farther than what would be necessary than if the doors raised up like the hatch on my minivan. You would have to scrape the cleanings out over the door/wall. This is why I suggested the hatch like wall/door. Imagine the coop dirty and imagine scraping the mess over the door/wall. If the door/wall raised up you could get closer to the inside and do a better job cleaning it.
Did you look at the photo album? It looks very easy to clean
Yes of course I looked at the photo album. With the door/wall dropping down you will need to reach farther than what would be necessary than if the doors raised up like the hatch on my minivan. You would have to scrape the cleanings out over the door/wall. This is why I suggested the hatch like wall/door. Imagine the coop dirty and imagine scraping the mess over the door/wall. If the door/wall raised up you could get closer to the inside and do a better job cleaning it.
Quote:
This is a nice design. Notice how the side door swings out , allowing the owner to get closer to lean into the coop and clean. Notice that the owner doesn't have to open the whole side of the coop, or reach into the coop, to collect eggs. Much easier than the OP's. Please understand that advice is just that. Not meant as a criticism but to help.
I wish everyone the best new year,
Rancher
This is a nice design. Notice how the side door swings out , allowing the owner to get closer to lean into the coop and clean. Notice that the owner doesn't have to open the whole side of the coop, or reach into the coop, to collect eggs. Much easier than the OP's. Please understand that advice is just that. Not meant as a criticism but to help.
I wish everyone the best new year,
Rancher
Quote:
Did you look at the photo album? It looks very easy to clean
Yes of course I looked at the photo album. With the door/wall dropping down you will need to reach farther than what would be necessary than if the doors raised up like the hatch on my minivan. You would have to scrape the cleanings out over the door/wall. This is why I suggested the hatch like wall/door. Imagine the coop dirty and imagine scraping the mess over the door/wall. If the door/wall raised up you could get closer to the inside and do a better job cleaning it.
Alternatively, you could lose the chains on the cleanout doors so that the doors swing 180 degrees and end up perpendicular to the ground (you might have to change your hinge arrangement).
Add some ventilation and hardware cloth, and I'd recommend it!
Did you look at the photo album? It looks very easy to clean
Yes of course I looked at the photo album. With the door/wall dropping down you will need to reach farther than what would be necessary than if the doors raised up like the hatch on my minivan. You would have to scrape the cleanings out over the door/wall. This is why I suggested the hatch like wall/door. Imagine the coop dirty and imagine scraping the mess over the door/wall. If the door/wall raised up you could get closer to the inside and do a better job cleaning it.
Alternatively, you could lose the chains on the cleanout doors so that the doors swing 180 degrees and end up perpendicular to the ground (you might have to change your hinge arrangement).
Add some ventilation and hardware cloth, and I'd recommend it!
Quote:
Did you look at the photo album? It looks very easy to clean
I agree with (1) about community next boxes but that would be an easy fix to put up some dividers.
I don't agree with you on (2) simply because I'm 6 foot and bending over to get under the doors would be more of a problem for someone my size. I like the doors folding down and I like the idea of the chains but it would also be nice if you could unhook the chains and let the door hang straight down. For cleaning I would let the doors hang but for collecting eggs I would like to have the chains to make a shelf.
On (3) keep in mind that not everyone is in this hobby for meat birds or for eggs. I think someone looking for a coop like this would have the birds for pets first and the rest like eggs if desired, would only be an added ++ with having pets like this.
Vents and cloth and build one or two and see what happens!
Good luck and I like it!!!
Chris
Did you look at the photo album? It looks very easy to clean
I agree with (1) about community next boxes but that would be an easy fix to put up some dividers.
I don't agree with you on (2) simply because I'm 6 foot and bending over to get under the doors would be more of a problem for someone my size. I like the doors folding down and I like the idea of the chains but it would also be nice if you could unhook the chains and let the door hang straight down. For cleaning I would let the doors hang but for collecting eggs I would like to have the chains to make a shelf.
On (3) keep in mind that not everyone is in this hobby for meat birds or for eggs. I think someone looking for a coop like this would have the birds for pets first and the rest like eggs if desired, would only be an added ++ with having pets like this.
Vents and cloth and build one or two and see what happens!
Good luck and I like it!!!
Chris
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