Hello everyone! I've gotten myself into a predicament...

[rosemarythyme]

This is the one. I can confirm it's better built than most other prefab coops. Compared to the other ones at TSC, it looks much stronger. It says that it has 15mm walls, which should be ok from what I can understand. It also has a good clean-out tray and more ventilation than the current one. It would be a fixed coop. I'm aware of the few 'predator proofing' modifications I'll need to make.

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/petmate-superior-construction-chicken-coop-70401d

Are you sure it wouldn't be ok for three bantams? I'd probably go with a silkie, a barred rock bantam, and an easter egger bantam. I thought that bantams were good with 2' in the coop and 5-7' in the run? I could probably find a bigger coop, but it'd be a few weeks longer of them in the current coop if I did that. Thanks!

I hope the slide out tray wasn't a deciding factor (they simply don't work well - the poop gets knocked out if you try to pull them out). For predator safety, it's best to fix the floor in place.

You will need more ventilation. I don't see any - the door doesn't count unless you leave it open at night (and even then doors do not offer optimal ventilation due to the fact that they're low), and the window looks to be plexi? It says there's a ventilation hatch somewhere but I'm not seeing it, and ventilation should be up high.

My suggestion if you absolutely must buy this is to convert the entire unit into a coop only (if you want instructions for that, let me know!), and then add on a larger run. Personally I'd suggest a minimum 100 sq ft run no matter how small the flock is. It's not just a matter of space that the chickens need to move around in, but also the more space, the less cleaning you need to do, the less poop and odor builds up, the easier it is for you to go in and clean and maintain.

I lived with a prefab for about 2 years and I admit I did not clean it as often as I should've, because it was so hard to bend down and move pieces around.

 

[rosemarythyme]

@rosemarythyme What do you think of the Eglu cube? If the one from TSC wouldn't work, that might be the one I switch over to. People seem to have luck with as many as 4 standard chickens in it despite the small space, probably because they have the 9' or 12' runs. Thanks!

I personally don't like them because they're small, expensive for what they are, and I find the roost/nest configuration odd, but there's obviously fans on here. Hopefully someone who has had one before or currently can pipe in with pros/cons from their experience?

 

[fuzzi]

@rosemarythyme What do you think of the Eglu cube? If the one from TSC wouldn't work, that might be the one I switch over to. People seem to have luck with as many as 4 standard chickens in it despite the small space, probably because they have the 9' or 12' runs. Thanks!

Here's a thread about prefab coops, including posts by people who purchased Eglu coops:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/did-you-ever-buy-a-prefab-coop-give-a-review.1566471/

 

[The Confused Chicken]

I hope the slide out tray wasn't a deciding factor (they simply don't work well - the poop gets knocked out if you try to pull them out). For predator safety, it's best to fix the floor in place.

You will need more ventilation. I don't see any - the door doesn't count unless you leave it open at night (and even then doors do not offer optimal ventilation due to the fact that they're low), and the window looks to be plexi? It says there's a ventilation hatch somewhere but I'm not seeing it, and ventilation should be up high.

My suggestion if you absolutely must buy this is to convert the entire unit into a coop only (if you want instructions for that, let me know!), and then add on a larger run. Personally I'd suggest a minimum 100 sq ft run no matter how small the flock is. It's not just a matter of space that the chickens need to move around in, but also the more space, the less cleaning you need to do, the less poop and odor builds up, the easier it is for you to go in and clean and maintain.

I lived with a prefab for about 2 years and I admit I did not clean it as often as I should've, because it was so hard to bend down and move pieces around.

There's a ventilation hatch on the other side of the coop, probably around 12" x 4". I know that's not enough by itself, but there were also a few small gaps along the edge of the roof (the roof is still attached well and there's no way anything bigger than a garter snake could get through them), so I'd say it comes in at about 2' square of ventilation. As for the slide out tray, it was around 2" deep, so I think it would be enough with a thin layer of shavings.

Are there any prefab coops that you would recommend, maybe some sort of mobile one so they don't soil the run? I don't think that I can build one myself, and I'd like to avoid spending thousands on one of those Amish-built combination coops. Ideally, it'd have enough space to keep around 4 standard breed hens. Thanks for all the help!

 

[IVRN]

Well shucks. What do you think I should do? Do I have time to build a larger run for them, or should I just send them back as soon as possible and try with a permanent coop next time? Thanks!


Yes, I'm actually right on a river, and I've seen mink multiple times during the day. Sounds like predators might be my biggest issue.

Oh man. Mink will burrow a hole and pluck the hens off.

 

[IVRN]

There's a ventilation hatch on the other side of the coop, probably around 12" x 4". I know that's not enough by itself, but there were also a few small gaps along the edge of the roof (the roof is still attached well and there's no way anything bigger than a garter snake could get through them), so I'd say it comes in at about 2' square of ventilation. As for the slide out tray, it was around 2" deep, so I think it would be enough with a thin layer of shavings.

Are there any prefab coops that you would recommend, maybe some sort of mobile one so they don't soil the run? I don't think that I can build one myself, and I'd like to avoid spending thousands on one of those Amish-built combination coops. Ideally, it'd have enough space to keep around 4 standard breed hens. Thanks for all the help!

If you have a mobile home for them
It means anything that can dig can burrow under including fox. And that house does not look secure. Send them back before they are just someone’s dinner

 

[QODTMWTD]

I've gotten a lot of peace of mind by using hawk netting and a solar-powered electric webbing fence to create a safe run. There are online stores that sell hawk netting by that name, but it's really fishing line-type string and I found it nearly impossible to work with. The type we bought came with really awful rope that had a lot of stretch to it and I quickly replaced it with light chain, which works much better because it doesn't sag with changes in humidity. In the future I'd shop some other style of netting, because the fishing line type is a nightmare to install. There are several places online that sell types of netting that would work a lot better. Even 5' wide plastic deer mesh that protects bushes would work, if you ran it in rows. It's cheap, light, easy to work with, easy to cut, doesn't tangle, and can be linked into larger pieces with plastic zip ties. Any hawk netting just has to be a visual deterrent to aerial predators. The electric netting's from Premier1 and came as a kit with 100' of fence and the solar charger. It was incredibly easy to put up and it's easy to move it to a zone of fresh grass. The birds spend most of their time in their covered, screened run, but they do hang out in yard, too, and with the hawk net and electric netting I don't have to worry about them there. It was $400 for both the netting and the fence (would have been a lot less if I'd used deer netting), but we haven't lost a bird yet, and we're very rural with plenty of predators and the barn/coop/run is nowhere near the house. I have 30 birds, but with two you wouldn't need a ton of the deer netting to create a really effective canopy to keep hawks out. It can attach to anything: t-posts, trees, etc. without a lot of hardware, and it's black, so it's less of an eyesore, too.

 

[rosemarythyme]

There's a ventilation hatch on the other side of the coop, probably around 12" x 4". I know that's not enough by itself, but there were also a few small gaps along the edge of the roof (the roof is still attached well and there's no way anything bigger than a garter snake could get through them), so I'd say it comes in at about 2' square of ventilation. As for the slide out tray, it was around 2" deep, so I think it would be enough with a thin layer of shavings.

Ideally you want at least 1 sq ft of ventilation per bird - which you can imagine is very difficult to achieve in a smaller coop simply due to the amount of wall space. It's even more crucial in winter if it gets cold enough to freeze, as risk of frostbite increases if moisture can't rise and escape the coop.

Are there any prefab coops that you would recommend, maybe some sort of mobile one so they don't soil the run? I don't think that I can build one myself, and I'd like to avoid spending thousands on one of those Amish-built combination coops. Ideally, it'd have enough space to keep around 4 standard breed hens. Thanks for all the help!

As difficult as it was for me to do maintenance in it, I had no issue keeping 4 standard birds in my old prefab (as coop only, we had a run built) but it's no longer manufactured, so that's out.

I'm not knowledgeable about tractors and space recommendations for those, so not sure what would be a good suggestion on that front.

 

[gtaus]

If you'd prefer a wooden coop @gtaus has a thread on pallet projects, and there are plenty of threads by people who used pallets and/or scrap wood to save money building a coop.

I built my chicken coop a few years before I ever started getting into pallet projects. You might want to check out some of the pallet builds on Show Me Your Pallet Projects!. If you have access to free pallets or reclaimed lumber, you can save lots of money. The chickens won't care. Also, no matter what you start off with in a chicken coop, more likely than not you will want some changes in your design after you use it for a while.

Although I am still pretty happy with my chicken coop build, there are a few things I would rework if I started over today. Mainly, I am now leaning towards making a shed conversion into a chicken coop. That way, if you ever stop having chickens, you would still have a nice shed for your yard tools or storage. My chicken coop will only ever be good for use as a chicken coop.

Be sure to use 1/2" hardware cloth (HWC) around the run, including an apron to prevent digging by predators. Chicken wire does NOT stop predators.

I think that depends on your predator concerns. 1/2-inch hardware cloth is very expensive. I opted for 2X4 welded wire fencing. It's much stronger than chicken wire and much less expensive than hardware cloth. I got the 6-foot tall 2X4 fencing so I don't have to bend over doubled when I go into the chicken run. The 2X4 fencing has been good enough to keep out neighborhood cats and dogs. I don't have a predator apron, but my main concern was just passing dogs during the daytime. At night, I lock my chickens up in a Fort Knox chicken coop and that keeps them safe.

I have inexpensive bird netting stretched across the top of my fencing. That has worked for me over the past 4 years. I have not had any hawk or eagle attack yet, which is a big concern for me because I live on a lake and we often have 8-12 Bald Eagles overhead in the summer. Everything loves a chicken dinner.

For me, I had to weigh the cost of making the chicken run 100% predator proof and what I had in my budget. One of my big goals with a backyard flock was to keep costs as low as possible while still providing adequate security. I put my money into making the chicken coop very secure for night time.

 

[IVRN]

I've gotten a lot of peace of mind by using hawk netting and a solar-powered electric webbing fence to create a safe run. There are online stores that sell hawk netting by that name, but it's really fishing line-type string and I found it nearly impossible to work with. The type we bought came with really awful rope that had a lot of stretch to it and I quickly replaced it with light chain, which works much better because it doesn't sag with changes in humidity. In the future I'd shop some other style of netting, because the fishing line type is a nightmare to install. There are several places online that sell types of netting that would work a lot better. Even 5' wide plastic deer mesh that protects bushes would work, if you ran it in rows. It's cheap, light, easy to work with, easy to cut, doesn't tangle, and can be linked into larger pieces with plastic zip ties. Any hawk netting just has to be a visual deterrent to aerial predators. The electric netting's from Premier1 and came as a kit with 100' of fence and the solar charger. It was incredibly easy to put up and it's easy to move it to a zone of fresh grass. The birds spend most of their time in their covered, screened run, but they do hang out in yard, too, and with the hawk net and electric netting I don't have to worry about them there. It was $400 for both the netting and the fence (would have been a lot less if I'd used deer netting), but we haven't lost a bird yet, and we're very rural with plenty of predators and the barn/coop/run is nowhere near the house. I have 30 birds, but with two you wouldn't need a ton of the deer netting to create a really effective canopy to keep hawks out. It can attach to anything: t-posts, trees, etc. without a lot of hardware, and it's black, so it's less of an eyesore, too.

Yes! Do you have a link to this solar powered fencing ?