The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: Bikerene on November 25, 2010, 02:36:09 pm
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Hello folks, I am keen to purchase a wooden coop to house 2 Blackrock hens (still to be purchased I may add) I am looking at a chickencoops direct - the Sussex model and wondered if anyone had any experience with them or thoughts on space for 2 hens in one of these in small garden? [www.chickencoopsdirect.com]
Many thanks in advance for any information and advice!
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Hi
I have not had a coop from that site, but I ordered one similar from Ebay, a premade flatpack job. It has all the functions to make it great for chickens IMO - easy access to clean out all areas, a sliding out tray to clean the much, removable perches to help clean down, sliding window . . .
BUT, after 7 months and lots of wet weather it is warping quite beautifully, my OH has had to nail parts back down and make small repairs etc - it is basically cheap and cheerful.
It also came with a detached run so we could move it about the garden to protect the grass. This has not helped - if they are on the same patch for more than 2 days it is destroyed (we have 3, started with 5, in a fairly large run) and if it rains hard they are trampling through a bog within hours. CHickens are highly destructive.
We now intend to 1. put some more weather protection paint on it and 2. make a larger, permanent run with a roof over part to protect the ground and the house.
I would now, if buying a new one, take a serious look at stronger structures, and also possibly the plastic coops you can get as they are easy to clean and keep out redmite. I have also spent some time on the Omlet forums looking at their overly luxurious and expensive idea of a walk in run - we are going for something a lot more basic!
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For the amount of money people spend on a coop or run there is surely someone that lives near you that can build you a better one. Put an add in the local shop window and I bet you can find someone.
The flat pack imports might look OK, but they are a waste of money.
Buy cheap buy twice ;)
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Thank you egbert and Castle farm for your responses. I had thought about building one myself but thought a good quality ready made would be the ticket. I guess buying online it would be difficult to judge the quality until it was too late. Maybe I need to think again about a self build!
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Hi There,
I have 2 coops from ebay complete with runs that I have treated with wood stain and creosote and they are in great. Quick to assemble and creosote. They are easy to clean and represented good value in comparison to buying the wood and materials but if you can get the would for free then that would be cheaper and you could bespoke your design. The ebay coops were the ones with the little door in the front with 4 windows in and both have covered runs. They are great as hospitals, starter coops or broody homes and as I keep bantams they dont destroy the run floor as large fowl do. I extended the run to one of them and added perches in both runs.
On the strength of these I got one out of the poultry magazine from a company called P and T poultry which is the swiss challet style and it is dreadful. So as my flock is expanding I have purchased a 4 x 6 gable ended shed and put a pop hole in it. I plan to make a walk in run to fit onto it which I think will have cost me about £250 quid by the time ive finished.
Although its worth investing in something decent I do think its hard to decide on a coop when your starting out, as your not sure how much you need to spend to get started. Some suppliers sell the same coops that you can find on ebay so you could pop by a few and have a good look at the quality before you buy the same one for less on ebay once you have made your choice.
Buffy
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Hi Buffy, many thanks for your reply. You are quite correct as a beginner it is really hard to choose! Do you know any suppliers in Scotland (central belt) that I could go see some coops in the flesh?
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can i just say....
dont get 2 hens, get three.
because there will nearly always be one not laying, if (Heaven forbid, but its a fact of life) one is ill, isolated or dies, there will two left for company. chickens can be very funny about welcoming newcomers, so its better if they dont have to!
good luck, they are lovely to keep. :)
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Hi Little Blue and thanks for the advice to get three hens. It has crossed my mind and it is not out of the question, but I just worried that I lack enough room for three hens. My garden is small at 30m x 10m with borders round the side and a raised bed in the middle.
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thats plenty big enough for three,
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yes plenty. and they'll all cuddle up at night anyway!
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Thanks CameronS and little blue, you have put my mind at rest as I want the girls to be happy, content birds! Our house is currently for sale and we are looking for somewhere with a much bigger garden and hopefully some land too. So it will be short term in this space all going well, though maybe not given the current housing market!
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I dont know of any suppliers that far north that you could visit to inspect the coops but you could do a post code search on Yell.com. I saw some expensive and particularly dredful ones at Pets at home the other day so you do need to be sure its sturdy, easy to move, draft free and easy to clean
here is a picture of one that I have been very happy with for the price. No warping or rotting and Its been through some bad wether in the last 2 years. I stained it and extended the run and its still going strong. I got it for my first hens who lived in my garden. I have moved to a small holding since and got more hens and hen houses but this one is still a favorite. My broody and her chicks are in it at present.
Buffy
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Thanks Buffy for posting a picture. That very coop is one that I keep coming back to looking at. It is good to know that is has worked well for you as I was a bit concerned that the door was not big enough to clear the house out properly and that the roosting bar was not high enough as someone said to me they liked to be quite high up in the coop where it is warmer! I am coming to the conclusion that there is no such thing as the perfect coop and there might be compromises to be made! Is it big enough for 2-3 blackrock hens?
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Hi there. Hope you are getting along well finding a coop to suit.
My thought is that someone who gets a couple (and I agree with above that 3 would be better) chickens as a sort of started is as likely as not to fall in love with them and want more.
In view of that, a small s/h shed would likely be cheaper, allow for expansion, or be able to be converted into something esle useful if the chooks did not work out. I always feel that coops are more of a fashion accessory than a useful piece of kit as they only have one potential use. Sheds can do a number of different jobs and provide a bit more winter cover when they don't want to turn out - they are massively cheaper, too.
Hope you get waht you want
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I personally wouldn't pay the money out for a coop. Most of them aren't high enough to stand up in, and no matter how clean you think you will be able to keep one of those, unless you can stand up in it or it is totally plastic and can be hosed down you have no chance.
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I agree with the above. I got a box-shaped coop (for 6 hens!!?) plus a run off ebay for £20. I discovered that its new price (and mine was 'as new') was over £300 - robbery! I would not use it everday for my chickens - I use it only as an isolation hospital and nothing more. In my opinion, three hens would be overcrowded in it!
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Hi BIkerene,
regarding the cleaning, the roof of the coop lifts off, the floor of the coop slides out, the front door opens and the nest box roof lifts up. If you want to do a deep clean in you can just remove the 12 lond woodscews that hold it together, scrum it out and leave it to dry in the sun.
regarding the perches, the roosting bars are set at a hight that prevents them pooping on the heads of any birds who are not on the pearch. as the coop is up off the ground I found that mine were happy to pearch on them as they weren't getting any drafts or cold striking up from the floor. We did put a couple of batons in it and tried putting the perches higher but my birds wernt too keen. the lighter birds liked them (the hamburghs and the chicks) but the heavier birds didn't like jumping down.
When I got my first hens I found that this type of coop was on ebay for £90 complete with run and I only wanted a few hens in my garden so it was sufficient. I have moved house since and have much more space so my hen numbers have increasd as has my hoby of hatching chicks. I recently bought a shed and am building a run which will accomodate more birds but will cost much more than the ebay coop. I still use the little coops though so they have been a good investment for me.
Thing that I have found is that chickens are like people, they are all different! ;) They are also adaptable and grow fond of anything familiar. Im sure that as long as you get something that is water proof and draft free and that is well ventilated and easy to clean, your birds will be very happy.
If you happen to be in Yorkshire sometime before you need to buy your coop, you would be welcome to have a look at mine and make your own mind up.
Buffy
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Just to say I agree with Moorlander - you will end up wanting more than just two so better make sure the house is big enough to cope! Chickens are addictive ;D
Anne's point is a good one - easy to clean if you can stand up inside - however I copped out and bought one of those expensive plastic yuppy ones that I can just powerhose :-\ Am embarrassed to confess that on here ...
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Just to say I agree with Moorlander - you will end up wanting more than just two so better make sure the house is big enough to cope! Chickens are addictive ;D
Anne's point is a good one - easy to clean if you can stand up inside - however I copped out and bought one of those expensive plastic yuppy ones that I can just powerhose :-\ Am embarrassed to confess that on here ...
Don't be, Val, I wish I had a plastic one, because no matter how hard you try a wooden shed is never 100% clean
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Thanks Buffy for the offer of a visit, if I was nearer I would take you up on the offer! Your setup sounds like a good one! Vair can I ask what plastic one you have gone for and are you pleased with your purchase? I would worry a bit that the hens would freeze in the Artic conditions we are having just now in Scotland.