Which coop?

[peopleRanimals2]

I currently have the second coop you posted. I am a first time chicken owner, so I am not as knowledgeable as others on this topic. I have six chickens that seem to be very happy in the coop. It has storage spots on both sides of the coop above the nesting box. It has two levels. The top has four nesting boxes (which are easily accessible) and a little platform spot. The two arms off the side bud up next to but do not attach to the main coop for easy moving around on grass (I think it was designed to move around more, but I keep mine stationary) the ends of the arms open up and the chickens love to use them as perches through the day. I built a larger area for the chickens to wonder/play (I don't like confining any animal into a small space plus we have quite a few predators here in utah.) The only things i would change is the front door, when it gets soaked (from my sprinklers) the wood expands a little and makes it a little hard to close. Here is the coop in my yard. If you want more pics of its features I can take some. Again I am not an expert on chickens, this is my first year, buts it has been a good starter coop. I think I will eventually upgrade to something bigger though because for some reason when you get one chicken you end wanting to get more. : )

Pretty area, and I have looked into some coop plans. Thanks for the advice, and if I can't find anything, I will probably get this. (My sister and I are trying not to spend to much money and then move out in 8 yrs, and leave my parents with a giant coop in their old dog run, now a chicken run)

 

[peopleRanimals2]

My parents aren't very handy, and I was wondering if anybody could recommend a website/place that sells coops that are less than 1,000$. I doubt that I can find anything in my price range, (> $300), because my sisters and my allowance isn't enough to get anything above 300$, because we are estimating to save up $450 by April for everything we need for the chickens, but we could probably find a little more money if we need it. Thanks!

 

[21hens-incharge]

I agree you can get a much sturdier coop that is larger for less.
I think the youtube videos and some simple hand tools is the way to go.
Cull lumber is cheap but also tends to be warped. I do buy the cull lumber from Home Depot and use the parts of it that are not to bent.

How many chickens will decide how large it needs to be.
I would never go smaller than a 4x8 coop. The more space you can give them the better it will be.
Dimensional lumber (off the shelf standard size) is for sheet goods like siding 4x8 feet. This makes less waste and less cutting if you decide to build one.

LOTS and LOTS of great coops made from pallets (you can find these free most of the time).
pallets can be a pain to try to take apart but if you can find same sized pallets you should not need to dismantle them.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/792316/my-4x6-pallet-coop-build-completed-pic-heavy
In this coop they found long pallets and took them apart to make the coop.

Graph paper is your friend in designing and planning materials for a coop.
Make each square equal one foot in your planning or make it equal 3 inches so then 4 squares equals one foot.
So much easier to fix things on paper.

Raise the coop up 18 inches or 2 feet to make cleaning much easier if you are not going to have a walk in coop.

Personal favorite reclaimed materials coop of all time is one someone on here made from a shipping crate. These are harder to come by but DANG it saves a lot of work.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/617973/our-shipping-crate-coop-finally-finished-pic-heavy

These crates are rarely free.

I am sure if you decide to try and make a coop there are enough nice people on here that if you get stuck they can help unstick you.

This one looks easy enough for a beginner.
OH and Home Depot will cut sheet goods down for you. Perhaps not the window cuts or door cuts but the overall length cuts like if you have a sheet that is 4x8 and you need 4x6 they will cut it down to the 6 foot. You still get the entire piece but do not have to make the long cut.

 

[21hens-incharge]

http://providence.craigslist.org/for/5108844662.html

I was curious if there are any carpenters in your area selling chicken coops since there are many here in Colorado and found this on Craigs list among many many others. This one was the best price IMO.

Hope it helps.

There are also folks on there that look like they will be doing the coop building and selling on a regular basis. Lots of nice coops available in or near your area.

http://ext.homedepot.com/community/blog/free-plans-for-an-awesome-chicken-coop/
I also found this and thought it would be informative. If not for you then perhaps someone reading this thread.

I think a jig saw would do as well as a reciprocating saw and is much less expensive to buy. The Ryobi drill and impact driver set would be well worth the investment IMO. The siding could be done with an old fashioned hammer.

 

[kidsNchicken]

here is a nice one:

http://www.mypetchicken.com/catalog...alow-Chicken-Coop-up-to-6-chickens-p1185.aspx

 

[peopleRanimals2]

How about this one? I would build it myself, i have plans; these are from the internet.

We would tweak it a little, moving a roost, covering some of the screens in winter, ect.
It has some good features, like a rainwater collector for water that goes straight into a water dish in the coop via pipes, easy access nesting boxes, easy cleaning, plenty of roosting space, ladder for clipped wings, free plans from a book, fits in our yard and our chicken space requirements, still has good ventilation when covered more in winter, things like that. You can see the pipes in the last pic. We have to install a overflow system, including a hose and a bowl with a hole in it, but the book comes with instructions. If you have this coop, please give feedback. Same if you don't. Thanks!

 

[Mutt Farm]

First: Consider your climate. It can get chilly in RI, so you'll need to focus on keep your girls warm rather than cool? Maybe closeable shutters? Second, consider the time you'll spend for care and cleaning. Make it easy. Clean chickens are happy and healthy. The pre-fab coops usually have trays, but are cheaply made. Some have dangerous chemicals in the wood-fiber products used and would not stand up to moisture very well. Since they'll have a run, (check CL or a feed store for a dog run) they won't need too much space inside. a 2X2 footprint per girl. Maybe throw some wheels on it like a chicken tractor for easy cleanup. It pays to get creative. If you're not handy, I'm not, I started with a plastic play house I found on CL for $50. A little hardware cloth over the inside of the windows, shut the windows if it's cold... If you're not handy, maybe check on used playhouses. They're cute and easy to convert. You can use a pallet on legs as a floor. Here's a pic of my $50. starter coop. Now it's a hangout.
Here's another.

Don't make it too hard. Chickens are easy and so much fun. BYC has great folks to help you. Wishing you luck!

 

[PapaChaz]

I agree with the others, and when anyone on here has already purchased a pre-fab and are lamenting the issues with them, I tell them that all is not lost - it can be reinforced and would make a dandy brooder pen for a hen with chicks or an isolation pen for newly acquired birds, or for sick/injured ones. Since you haven't already made the purchase, I'd skip it completely. By the time you're done ordering it, paying for shipping, and reinforcing it, you could have a nice coop built that will accommodate more chickens, be safer, and have the features YOU want instead of the things that someone who gets paid by the hour for churning these out thinks you want.

If you're worried about you building skills, a good place to start is your local big box home improvement store. Any of the sheds they have there would make dandy coops. They usually deliver, some even set up, and it's a simple matter to put in a couple of windows, some vents at the top, and customize the inside to suit your needs. You have the luxury of time on your side. Good luck!

I will second everything she said! I've learned in my time here on BYC, if Blooie says it, bank it!!!!

I'll add, along with another post that says to ask at lumber yards, to check craigslist, both for someone who might build one for you, or someone selling a coop. I really like the 'look at buying a small storage shed' and converting it, would take very little work to build roosts, and a pop door. Nests can be anything from a milk crate, 5 gallon bucket, or prefab nests bought at a farm supply. Put an ad on craigslist yourself that you're looking for a coop or a handy man to build you one. You might even try going to your local unemployment office and letting them know you need some day labor that knows basic construction skills to build one for you.....

Speaking of farm supply, if you have a feed and seed type store around, go in and see if they have a bulletin board with business cards, or 'for sale' items. I'd also ask them if they know anyone around who builds and sells coops.

 

[yellowchicks]

How about this one? I would build it myself, i have plans; these are from the internet.

We would tweak it a little, moving a roost, covering some of the screens in winter, ect.
It has some good features, like a rainwater collector for water that goes straight into a water dish in the coop via pipes, easy access nesting boxes, easy cleaning, plenty of roosting space, ladder for clipped wings, free plans from a book, fits in our yard and our chicken space requirements, still has good ventilation when covered more in winter, things like that. You can see the pipes in the last pic. We have to install a overflow system, including a hose and a bowl with a hole in it, but the book comes with instructions. If you have this coop, please give feedback. Same if you don't. Thanks!

In concept, this coop is cute. Couple comments:

1. The rainwater collector system would provide piping hot water in the summer and freeze up in the winter. There is no overflow control, water storage or filtering system in place. It will either flood your coop, no water for days, or add some unwanted debris in the water dish.

2. The roof line/slope does not shed snow. For where you live in RI, it is not a good idea to accumulate so much snow on the top. You might want to make it a more traditional roof line.

3. This is a great warm weather coop, no so good for harsh northeast winter. While ventilation is more the merrier, direct draft from wind blowing up the feather thus losing body heat would not be good. Need to add more side panels and keep the ventilation area high on the top.

4. This coop is good for 2 chickens. More than that could run into a space issue.

5. The nest box is higher than the roosting bar, chickens might prefer to sleep in the nest box. Need to lower the nest boxes and widen the roosting bar.

So, by the time you modify this coop, might as well build one from scratch.

 

[Mutt Farm]

Good for you to be ambitious! You mentioned that you'll be moving out in 8 years. I love that you want to raise chickens. Are your parents on board for you to have chickens? Will they subsidize your hobby if your allowance doesn't cover feed and medical care? I'm proud of you for wanting to raise chickens. Will you enjoy them mid-winter and be responsible for their care? Will you care for them first, before school, friends, dates? Once you decide to raise an animal, they come first, every day. If you need to set your plan back a couple years, don't worry. Keep learning.