Says it is large enough for 5 chickens?
I like the coop, i'd just like it a lot better if it were six feet long. I think the price is fair enough if he builder would build that same coop six feet long. Four feet is just to small for five birds in my opinion. I think I would call him Melva and negotiate a six foot coop for that price. The difference in length would be very minimal ten bucks at most...Hay
Okay, this is only my opinion, so please take it as such:).
It's really cute closed up. I'd do the inside differently. If it's for 5 hens, it does look as if that one "living" side is kinda small. I'd eliminate those nest boxes, and relocate them to face into the coop, which would give more space overall. I don't see any perches, but that may be the resolution on my computer. I also can't tell what kind of wire is used. "Galvanized" can be chicken wire, which would not be safe enough (IMHO). I'd insist on either 1/2" hardware cloth, or 1/2"x1" welded wire.
I would go look at the coops, and talk to him. Might be that he could easily make changes to his basic design.
Oh, it may be just my chickens, but they generally pick one nest box, and stand in line to use it. I have built lovely multiple box structures, and currently have a 9 nest box out of which two have been used. My 12 hens in their own coop have two boxes, and I usually find all the eggs in one.
Please let us know how it goes:)
Personally I agree with Catmad, just a little rearranging and extended to six ft, could make all the difference in the world. She is so right about the nesting boxes. Five chickies, one nest box...Hay
Thanks for the suggestions...I am going to try to go this week and see his operation and I will talk to him.
http://dallas.craigslist.org/ndf/grd/2309092192.html
I sent an email to this person...
Sent an email to the man in Mansfield too.
Hello,
I am in Denton and would like to come and see your operation.
Think I would like a coop with just one nest box, (I have been told that the hens often will just use one of the boxes)...and I wonder if the coop can be made a couple of feet longer?
How much would those changes effect the price?
Thanks for your time,
Melva Wheeler
The place in Denton, that I emailed....they wrote back, and sent photos. Their coops are nice...but the prices!! They want $750 for a small coop....They do have free delivery since I am in Denton, too. That is worth about $20.00, since I would have to pay someone to go and get it for me. But $750!! I wrote them back and thanked them for the quick reply but that their prices were way too high.
They sent the picture as an attachmen
I got an answer from one of my emails. They have some cute coops...but the prices!!!
Melva,
We have the small mobile coop for $750.00 ($100.00 off of list price),
the small barn mobile coop (custom red barn paint job) for $870.00
($50.00 off of list price) and the medium mobile coop for $925.00
($125.00 off of list price). I'm including pictures of them. The first
picture is the small mobile coop with regular paint, the small barn
mobile coop and the medium mobile coop are pictured together. Either
would work for the amount and breed you plan on getting. We actually
even have some Silky Bantams and one Barred Rock Bantam right now!
Delivery is free within a 20 mile radius, so you should be included in that.
Please call if I can help you at all! 940-891-0100
Jennifer Sanders
The small coop, the one for $750, these are the dimensions.
The small mobile coop frame is 3x3x6 and the overall dimensions are
4x3.5x7.5.
man, wish it was not so high! I will send picture later..had to shut the server for the pictures down...we had a duzzy of a storm come through, tornado sirens were going off...I was thinking of the safest place in the house to go...I sure have a lot of windows!
Whew! Glad it missed you. Did you at least get some rain?
It rained really hard for about 15 minutes. We had some earlier in the weekend too and it is still predicted for tonight....why does it have to be all, or none? The yard is soggy...perfect weather for rooting rose cuttings though. But I know there are some out there in the yard, that are floating.
Personally, I don't like the looks of that tiny coop in the first link... I mean it might be great for a broody, but not to house layers or full size. I hate having chickens on wire..
Just MHO
I had not even thought about that, them being on wire...I plan to have one built...a friend says she has some 2 by 6's she will give me and am going to start collecting the materials.
I think you are way better off to build something, even if it's not the prettiest thing in the world.. They need roosting area... safe spot away from the weather to sleep and then to get out and on the ground.. At least that's my take on it. No matter what you do, you cannot replace the nourishment they will get free ranging if they are raised on wire.
This is my opinion and what I've found to be true through my experience. I hate to just blurt out factual sounding posts when others have their own opinions to the same thing.
Some people raise their birds on wire and swear they are every bit as healthy as a free ranger.. well, I for one, do not believe it. Try shipping their eggs! I believe in my theory so strongly, I went on a mission to buy only free ranged Serama eggs to be shipped. (since they are the worst for shipping) Once I found them, I got 5 out of 7 and 9 out of 12 to hatch.. which is amazing results for shipped Serama eggs in a styrofoam bator. Before that I got 1 out of 12 if I was lucky! Nutrition is more important than you think. :)
Sorry to go on and on.. can you tell it struck a nerve? LOL
If you can get out there every night to lock them up.. You can put a dog crate in a small fenced area and lock em in there at night... They can't roost, but at least they are safe, and you are not out a bunch of money learning if this is right for you.
What is the recommended space for chickens?? I mean if I have say 25 laying hens, how big should the pen be?? just wondering as I am embarking on building one new pen for all the girls to hang out in...
I have never measured, or paid attention to measurements of recommendations.. I just eyeball it... AND I let them free range often, so it's not 100% confinement..
Wow.. I was a lot of help.. LOL Sorry!
Now after all that ranting from ZZ's everyone can understand why I love her so. It just so happens that I agree with her almost a hundred percent of the time. Nothing speaks like experience...
Miss Jester the key for raising chickens is to understand every breed is a little different. Some do very well in confinment, and some not so well. I will tell you that most books will tell you two square feet per chicken is the minimum, I believe that chickens do very well with approx five sq ft per chicken as long as they that lots of free range time where they can come into the coop at randam intervals. Remember they roost at night and don't move around for the most part. A twelve X twelve should work well for twenty-five birds for floor space...as ZZ's always says thats just my opinion...
LOL Haystack. l got a little carried away yesterday... Maybe too much coffee? eeekk
;~}