Which is easier?

[Ridgerunner]

Yeah, this pandemic is throwing some wrinkles into it in several different ways.

When I need plywood I rent a U-haul for about $30 but I have a vehicle set up with a tow package. When I rent that trailer I try to get my money's worth.

I like ColoradoPip's post. Well thought out and considers your specific situation. I generally don't like those prefab coops, they are typically poorly designed for chickens. But a lot of people have them and use them. Often they have to modify them but you said you were handy. With the pandemic many people are getting into chickens, gardening, whatever, so it may be hard to find one with a relatively short delivery. Some of them just aren't worth it.

My suggestion is to find one and post a link on here so we can evaluate it. That might be the specific Eglu you are looking at or another one. Maybe we can warn you of fatal flaws and say not no how, not no way. Or tell you of the modifications we'd recommend for three hens. It doesn't necessarily have to be a prefab coop. It might be a shed or a playhouse. Maybe you could convert part of an existing outbuilding. You'd have to build your own run but that does not have to involve plywood. Fence posts and wire or maybe lumber and wire. Different designs.

 

[Gdurham]

hi everyone, sorry was at work. thank you for all the help!

I'm a bird keeper for finches and haven't had time to reply. Im in Dutchess county and am going to look into a local lumber place delivering or HD cutting for me. I am pretty handy. The previous owners of our house had a deck that they had to remove and store away. They numbered the lumber and labeled it NWSE, and I put it all back together without any instructions. A lot of trips back and forth to HD and Lowes to get ties and proper screws, and it is way safer than how they had it installed! However, our lot is small, so a whole extra shed (we have one for tools, gardening equipment, kids toys, etc) won't fit.

I do know chickens are a hot item now with the pandemic, but this always was a year two in the new house plan. I'm fairly certain I will want to keep up with it. We moved in feb of 2019 and last summer we needed to focus on internal house repairs, so this year is all about the backyard. it still doesn't change the size of our yard, so I'm going to need a coop for a more urban setting for sure.

What I'm going to try and draw out is a plan for a simple 4X4 coop for three chickies. I read the hatchery often sends 4 instead of 3, so in case they do and she is well, there is room for the extra. when I get that far though, I will post up my ideas. and as soon as I'm home, I will post some alternative ideas I have with a dog house with surrounding run.

 

[TwoShepherds]

They’re kind of pricey, and I’m sure if you’re handy, you can build something better and cheaper, but you might want to look up OverEZ chicken coops. They sell them at tractor supply and have a website where you can add various options like tractor wheels and runs. I ended up buying a coop through a shed company because I wanted something bigger, but if you have the money to spend, don’t think you want to expand your flock, and don’t want to deal with the hassle of building, there should be something suitable premade. Wouldn’t hurt to call shed companies near you. I found one near me that sold 4 ft x 5 ft coops with free delivery, and it was not advertised on their website. Unfortunately for me it was a little smaller than I was looking for.

 

[Gdurham]

How is this plan to start with? There are some things confusing to me or might be a challenge like cutting angles, but a logical step up in skills from putting together a numbered precut deck, it think!

It's bigger than I need or want, but maybe I can scale the coop down. I think this would come out to 8'x4'. There are some thing I might want to modify in plans, like no easy access door for the chickens to out to free roam. The chicken wire in the plan seems flimsier then I would like. I can upgrade that. Also, I'd like a smaller coop, but somehow keep the same length run, but how to do that with an a-frame.

https://www.ana-white.com/woodworking-projects/updated-frame-chicken-coop-plans

 

[Gdurham]

Also, the plans say cedar boards. I don't know if I'm comfortable using cedar with birds. to put in all this effort to make a coop, then the materials be harmful would be sad.

Anyone see a simple plan for a 4x4 A frame? more square than rectangular?

 

[Gdurham]

Ah, scratch that. Ventilation will be an issue.

 

[21hens-incharge]

If you get more than a couple inches of snow I would look at a different plan.

Tons and tons of great information and ideas here....


https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/

 

[Gdurham]

ah, I don't know. when I think about the after product, I think I can do it. but then when I look at plans and ideas online, they all seem so overwhelming. I looked for used playhouses too for sale, but I'm not seeing any. is there anyway to reinforce a prefab one if I can even find a large enough one for 3-4 hens. I checked out overez... its way above my budget. aim starting to feel discouraged.

 

[CinnaBun]

I believe Eglu Coops have a good resell value, so you could buy one for this year and build your own coop in the future.

I think I'm going to build something similar to this coop- (general consensus is to add more ventilation and skip clean-out tray). You could skip the external nest boxes if you are only going to have 3 chickens, just have one simple nest box inside.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/follow-along-on-my-coop-build.1358512/

 

[Gdurham]

Ok - found a bunch of lumber in our shed from previous owners of the house! And made a rough rough sketch! Door area has more to it now, but a good start. Waiting for my email from HD that ny order is ready to pick up for more wood. Turns out 8ft lumber will fit jammed in our rav. And they’ll cut the plywood for me.