Pawhut Coop Kit

[Alyssa Bates]

Hello! I am doing my research before starting our own backyard chickens in the Spring of 2018. I would like to purchase and assemble the coop and run in advance, and keep it in storage until we need it next spring. I am not as handy at building things from scratch as I'd like to be, so I think my best bet would be to purchase and assemble a kit. I would like to have a coop that my husband and I could move around our lawn during the spring, summer & fall, and then keep in a more stationary spot closer to our home in the winter. We would also allow the chickens some free range time in our yard when we could supervise them. I am looking at getting this model:
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Pawhut-D...hicken-Coop-Poultry-Hen-House-w-Run/121455497
We live in Minnesota, so our winters get VERY cold. We would only have 3 Australorps max (as our city ordinances only allow 3). I was wondering if I could get some tips from some of you with backyard chicken experience. Here are my questions:
1) Would a coop/run like this be large enough for 3 Australorps if we moved it around the yard regularly and gave them daily free range time?
2) Would a coop like this really keep them warm enough in the winter without any heat lamp/mat? I've had a couple of folks at the local farm store tell me it would, but I'm just having such a hard time believing they won't freeze into little chicken popsicles!
3) Does anyone have experience with this sort of setup when it comes to product quality? I understand it won't last forever, but I also don't want something that will rot out/fall apart after one year of use.
Thank you all for your advice!

 

[SunHwaKwon]

Given the size and quality of those coops, I would not pay that much for one. I got one about the same size to use as a brooder and paid less than $100 since it was last year's model, and frankly I think that's about all is worth. The wood is very, very soft and thin. It will definitely rot out within a few years. They are extremely easy to assemble. The only reason to assemble in advance is so you can put some good paint throughout to buy you a bit more time before you throw it away or burn it. They take about 15-30 minutes to put together depending on how handy you are.

As far as size, the coop is small but even worse is the run size. Three Australorps will barely have enough room to get out of each other's way.

Temps wise, they will acclimate as the seasons change. The biggest concern is ventilation and snow load.

 

[Alyssa Bates]

Thanks so much for responding! I had some reservations myself, but it's nice to know my worries weren't completely unfounded. I will look for a larger, higher quality option.

 

[The Moonshiner]

You'll be hard pressed to find a decent coop that comes in a cardboard box.
Once you get one and start putting it together you'll soon realize it looks more like a toy version of what you thought you were buying.
The materials are cheap and the construction is cheap. The wood is really thin, not enough stain to protect it at all. Latches and hinges will soon fall apart. Best thing on them is the hardware cloth and its usually held on with small staples. It wont stop many predators.
The biggest concern is always the size. They are tiny. The one you mentioned is only 28" wide. Thats barely over 2 foot. I think the coop is about 2' x 3' which is the recommended size of about a hen and a half. And I agree the run would be a bigger concern then the coop. With 3 hens what could they really do? Take about 4 or 5 steps then turn around and repeat.
Always check dimensions closely when shopping online. Find out what the dimensions include. Such as whether coop dimensions include nest boxs or not. Understand the run dimensions will include the space under the coop. Check that height. Can a large chicken even fit under there without being cramped.
With the amount of time you have until you'll need it I'd be looking for someone with some skills to build you one.

 

[NorthTexasWink]

I'm copying my own post from another thread for you @Alyssa Bates

Example of ad for cheap or free second hand coop I see a lot:
"Beautiful chicken coop for 4 to 6 chickens. Used for 1 year and kept under cover. Comes with nesting box that opens outside to get eggs, chicken door, people door, perches, feeder and water bowls. Paid over $1000. Just asking $$$ obo. Will add almost 2 whole leftover bales of hay we didn't use up for their nests. The chickens are already gone to new homes. Need it moved this weekend. " Attached will be photo of a colorful Victorian dollhouse of a coop, or maybe a mini-barn type.
I've answered several local ads from folks giving away or selling cheaply their now unwanted coops. Every single one was flimsy crapola from China. Looked great in photos, but made of lightweight materials, some kind of heavy cardboard, with brittle plastic and bendable metal fittings. Can't even call that stuff hardware, as there was nothing hard about it. Already melting and falling apart, even after sitting under covered patio or deck. And TINY! Chinese chickens must be smaller than bantams. The "fits 4-6chickens" might fit 2-3. Seriously. People that think they want backyard chickens then get birds into these. Their pretty birds die from overcrowding, disease, inadequate protection from the elements or predation. Heartbroken, out a lot of money, they vow never to do it again. It makes me so angry and sad. I could build these folks the Taj Majal of coops for $1000.

Ok I feel better now. End of rant.

Please, you can hire someone local or even build a MUCH better coop yourself, no matter your skill level, for less than any kit will cost. Really, YOU can! It needn't be perfect. Paint will cover a multitude of construction imperfections. The chickens won't care one bit as long as it can be kept clean, dry, and safe. Keep them dry and they need little help to stay warm enough.

Explore this site for coop ideas. There are many, and lots of them have been constructed by novices and first-timers! You CAN do it.

 

[Alyssa Bates]

Thank you everyone for getting back to me which this great advice! Based on your feedback, I have decided to totally scratch my initial idea and revamp my approach to starting chickens. Rather than going the transportable coop/run kit approach, I have decided to get a much larger permanent coop within a MUCH larger permanent run. I honestly believe you all kept me from making a very big mistake resulting in some very unhappy birds. This online community is so fantastic!
I'd really like to try and find a coop I can purchase, rather than building my own (a serious lack of skills and proper equipment needed on my end). I am now considering purchasing this model of coop instead...
http://snaplockchickencoops.com/standard-coop.html
and completely enclosing 1/2 of the space under our 2nd story porch as their run. The space under our porch is tall enough to stand under without having to bend over (so I'd say about 7 feet tall), and would provide 12x7 feet of floor space for them to move about in. The coop would be inside of the run, elevated on a stilt frame so the chickens could walk under it. With this new approach, I have a new set of questions:
1) Is a run of this size adequate for 3 Australorps?
2) Does anyone have experience with this sort of coop? My biggest concern is whether or not this style provides enough insulation and ventilation for 3 Australorps to keep warm in our extremely cold Minnesota winters (without the use of any heat lamps or mats).
3) How about the size of this coop? It need to be large enough for 3 Australorps, but cozy enough to 3 Australorps to stay warm in during the winter, right?
4) Is having chickens under our porch a terrible idea? It is a large and airy space, and I would fill the run with sand, but will smell be a big problem?
5) Lastly, during the winter, should I keep their heated waterer and feeder inside the coop, or outside of it? (I'm concerned about coop size if the answer is inside).
Again, thank you all for being such an amazing resource! I want to make sure I don't move ahead with anything on impulse.

 

[IdyllwildAcres]

That snaplock coop looks pretty small too.
Have you considered buting a garden shed and convert that? You could get something from home depot and pay the assembly fee.

Bigger is better. Size matters.

Good luck

Gary

 

[Alyssa Bates]

Shoot, I was concerned about this size as well. They have a larger vesion, and the prices seem comparable to what I would pay for a converted garden shed. Thoughs on this one? Is this overkill for 3 Australorps? Do you think they will stay warm enough during the winter in a coop of this size?
https://www.mypetchicken.com/catalo...Lock-Chicken-Coop-Up-to-8-chickens-p1269.aspx

 

[pennyJo1960]

Shoot, I was concerned about this size as well. They have a larger vesion, and the prices seem comparable to what I would pay for a converted garden shed. Thoughs on this one? Is this overkill for 3 Australorps? Do you think they will stay warm enough during the winter in a coop of this size?
https://www.mypetchicken.com/catalo...Lock-Chicken-Coop-Up-to-8-chickens-p1269.aspx

you could buy a small yard shed for less walk in get you eggs have healthier happy birds.. 5 gallon buckets make great nesting boxes or walmart plastic storage with the front cut out I used a dremel with a cutting head keeping clean shaving or sand on the floor they can have long healthy lives

 

[NorthTexasWink]

The thing is this: are you absolutely positively completely certain you'll never get more chickens? If so, build for 4 square feet of floor space per chicken inside the coop and 10 square feet per chicken in the outdoor run. Also allow one linear foot per chicken for roosting space. Those figures are for standard size birds, which includes Australorps. Your nest boxes (1 foot by 1 foot minimum) take away from the internal coop measurements if the floor space under them is not accessible by the chickens. More room is certainly better in both the coop and run.

Especially in Florida, ventilation is terribly important and cannot be overstressed. That ventilation issue is what stopped me from buying and converting a prefab shed. By the time I put in wooden framing for all the cutouts, I'd have paid too much for a thin metal siding shell. Just easier and cheaper to build new.

My location in Texas poses many of the same challenges you will encounter in Florida. Heat,rain and wind storms, need for superior ventilation, predators, all similar. I'm old. My HE is old. Neither of us is without our physical limitations and handicaps, but we can put together a coop and run with a few hand tools, a power drill/screwdriver, circular saw, and plenty of time. You can too!