Is this coop worthless??

[SuperNewbie]

We bought this coop and we’re supposed to pick it up tomorrow. It was advertised to hold 4-5 hens, we planned on having 3-4. The more I look around online, the more I’m thinking this coop is horrible. It’s about 4x4 ft, but that includes the nesting boxes. And the roosts are practically on the floor. So it seems like none of this floor space counts right? Is there I can do to modify this to fit 3 standard sized birds? Or should I just get my money back?

We can’t free range here but we plan to build tunnels and let them out in a tractor run often. But I’m thinking the coop itself might not work either way. Thoughts? I’m spiraling

 

[nuthatched]

Good instincts.
It can hold one bird, exactly.
It's a cheaply made, undersized and not made by anyone who knows anything about chickens.

 

[CalgaryFarmer]

You could build/create a next box and place it in your run near the door and perhaps the chickens can use the nest box area of the coop as coop space. You might have to remove the divider in the nest box.

With coops the more space the better. I have no experience with these types of coops.

 

[rosemarythyme]

You can modify it so the entire unit becomes a larger coop but you will need to add a much bigger run regardless. The simplest idea would be to modify this and then place the entire thing in a 10x10 dog kennel.

CONVERTING COOP

To turn it from 2 small "boxes" (tiny coop above tiny run) into 1 bigger "box" you'll want to remove as much of the inside coop wall as possible, plus the floor. Take out the old roosts too.

Nests might be able to stay as is, or may need to be relocated elsewhere or replaced - depends on the structure of the coop and how things inside stack up once done.

Run a new roost(s) lengthwise or widthwise across the newly open space, depending on how much roost is needed. Ideally you’d like 12” per bird but 10” can suffice in many cases.

Board up some of the external wire walls so that the roost area is protected from winds and rain. Do NOT fully cover up all the wire, you need ventilation and natural light, so at the very least a few inches under the roofline should remain open. If your climate allows for it, you can leave entire walls open with just the mesh, or make it convertible for the season by covering up open walls for winter, and then uncovering for summer.

Example of a modified prefab: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/my-renovated-prefab-coop.1440258/

 

[FrostRanger]

You could modify it, but I think you'd be better off getting your money back and getting a small used shed. It'll be larger, have easier access for you to clean and will likely have room for you to add more (chicken math is real and you will need to add new birds once your original girls stop laying)

 

[CalgaryFarmer]

You could modify it, but I think you'd be better off getting your money back and getting a small used shed. It'll be larger, have easier access for you to clean and will likely have room for you to add more (chicken math is real and you will need to add new birds once your original girls stop laying)

I agree.

 

[SuperNewbie]

Thank you all so much!! This was very helpful! I will probably get the refund and plan better for a different set up. I appreciate it!

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Welcome to BYC! Where the finest minds in chickening flock together! (And some of us are very proud of that. Lol!)

 

[rosemarythyme]

Thank you all so much!! This was very helpful! I will probably get the refund and plan better for a different set up. I appreciate it!

That's a better plan. I didn't know if you could return it so I wanted to give you an option in case you had to make it work somehow.

 

[McChooky]

The best advise I ever received was to build or buy the biggest coop I could afford because the size determines how many chickens I can have, how happy the chickens are, how fast it gets dirty and how often I have to clean it. Having one big enough to hold a brooder and grow out pen for pullets, feeders, waterers, medication and feed is a plus but isn't required. A walk in coop prevents you from being out in bad weather doing chores and makes raising chickens more fun