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Thread: chicken coops

  1. #1
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    Oct 2009
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    Default chicken coops

    I have put it off for the last 3-4yrs and now the wife is wanting one. Those that have them, let me know the ins & outs. Probably 6-8 hens. Wish I could go free range but the farm dogs and varmints say otherwise. are the tractor supply ones worth a crap? Pictures would be a plus. I know this crew has to have some elaborative setups. The kicker is that it has to be “decorative” too (her words) as it will be in the backyard by my tomato/pepper garden and in sight from the living room. She told me this morning she would look on pinterest. Took a breath, walked out the door, gritted my teeth, and had faith in scducks to sustain me. I told her chicken coops and pinterest were not in the same tax bracket.

  2. #2
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    Go to backyardchickens.com and have a ball. All the pictures you'll ever want. TSC coops aren't worth a crap.

  3. #3
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    What he said.

  4. #4
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    Leonard buildings had a pretty decent one.

  5. #5
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    "JUST BECAUSE I AM NOT A GOOD SPELLER DOESN'T MEAN MY JEAN POLL IS GONNA BE BAD."
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    I dabble in a lot of things, but don't get too technical with any of them.

  6. #6
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    And when she says 6-8 hens, she secretly means 16-80 hens and some roosters, or at least that's what you'll have in a year.

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by CurLee View Post
    And when she says 6-8 hens, she secretly means 16-80 hens and some roosters, or at least that's what you'll have in a year.
    Ding Ding Ding.


    Definitely build it bigger than the minimum for 6-8. And with the option to expand. We've had one for a while. I didn't go crazy on the house part of it. I've heard some crazy number for the space they need in a coop. No they don't. They'll spend all day outside and go sit on a bar to sleep and go into the nesting box to lay eggs. They're chickens. They don't go inside when it rains.

  8. #8
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    May 2015
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    Build a heavy one and put it on wheels if you have room. Move that sucker around every week or so that you don't get bare spots and stank. Build it larger than you think you want, and put less chickens in it than you think you'll need. Those poults turn into big chickens quickly. I built mine 14 X 6 X 6, have 6 hens and a rooster, and it's crowded. I do let mine out to free range for a few hours per day and most weekends, though.

    Oh yeah, make sure that you have access to the nest box from the outside of the coop so that you don't have to step in shit to get your eggs.

  9. #9
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    Feb 2011
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    If you want a decent quality coop you have to build it yourself. All of the premade models I saw were cheap junk. Its fun and I was surprised at how low maintenance the chickens are and they keep producing eggs!

  10. #10
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    Make sure you can add water and food from the outside. Here are a few pics of mine.

    1832B51C-B82B-4D9D-A746-7E69B5A47C36.jpg
    F3EE8A4B-C131-40AC-A4A2-7DFDCA12A24D.jpg
    EC3C60BA-0359-4488-BC47-22CDE8A12606.jpg

    There are two swings in there now and there is almost always a chicken swinging on one.
    Last edited by sftull; 02-28-2019 at 03:31 PM.
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  11. #11
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    My FIL built his damn chickens a mansion! I mean it’s nicer than some houses. He is on here I will tell him to chime in. I’m not sure how many of those nasty birds he has but it’s way to many.

  12. #12
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    First thing to consider is size. Next and most important is think about how you will be cleaning it. Make it accessible for easy cleanout. Then just start building...Im no carpenter but each one I build gets better than the last....

    Small one I built for a breeding pen. Good four three hens and a rooster. Roof is hinged for cleaning, getting eggs.
    20180415_202631.jpg

    This is a friend's. 8' ceiling. All future builds will be tall enough to stand up in.
    20180317_152526.jpg

  13. #13
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    yall are an amazing bunch. Now I have more ideas than I can handle
    @luvinlabs: Damn the time one can spend on that site!!

  14. #14
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    Why don't you build a quail flight pen with a chicken coop on one end?

  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by Palmetto Bug View Post
    Why don't you build a quail flight pen with a chicken coop on one end?
    then i’ll be in the quail business for you & chaos.

  16. #16
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    If you have quail I would keep them away from chickens. Mine are closer than I like but not next to eachother. Some people go as far as changing clothes from one area to the other. I'm not that uptight about it.

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