Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Poultry and Pets => The Hen House => Topic started by: justasec on July 03, 2017, 23:21

Title: New coop - build or buy?
Post by: justasec on July 03, 2017, 23:21
Hi,
Hoping some wise people can offer advice - I've had a hunt in the forums but can't find anything recent.I'm wanting to start keeping around 6-8 max bantams and first step is organising a coop. It's almost impossible to find one to buy locally within budget (around £300) that is easy to clean (I don't just want an ark) and not sure I'm comfortable attempting to build.

Any suggestions for how to find a reputable online company or super easy to follow instructions?

All help hugely appreciated!
Title: Re: New coop - build or buy?
Post by: LILLILEAF on July 04, 2017, 05:55
Hi
If you are not confident about building a coop,keep an eye out on online auction sites for 2nd hand ones,it is coming to the time when people find they don't want to keep them in the colder months,or they just don't want them any more.
Or there is freecycle you may drop lucky and get one for nothing,check every day it changes all the time.
We have always built ours they have lasted a lot longer than ready made ones,my last one i had for 14yrs.
Hope you get what you are looking for be prepared to travel.Lillileaf
Title: Re: New coop - build or buy?
Post by: jededitor on July 13, 2017, 22:31
My coops are IBC containers. Bought a second hand food grade one and steam cleaned it with the wallpaper stripper. Cut a chicken entrance on the front and a cleaning access on the rear and used the cut out sections as the doors,

Good and large and very easy to clean. Just clean out the old bedding, open the drainage tap and wash out the bits. Nowhere for the red mites to hide either.
Title: Re: New coop - build or buy?
Post by: grinling on July 15, 2017, 08:39
bantams are cute but go broody very quickly and often, so not a lot of eggs. Have a couple of large hens for eggs.

My coop is from Ebay, but it has always been under a solid roof enclosure, the hens free range. I have had the coop for about 8 years.
Title: Re: New coop - build or buy?
Post by: Sassy on July 16, 2017, 10:05
My coops are IBC containers. Bought a second hand food grade one and steam cleaned it with the wallpaper stripper. Cut a chicken entrance on the front and a cleaning access on the rear and used the cut out sections as the doors,

Good and large and very easy to clean. Just clean out the old bedding, open the drainage tap and wash out the bits. Nowhere for the red mites to hide either.

I had to look up IBC containers I did not know what they are. Can you get ones that are dark inside? Were you able to fit a roosting bar and a nest box above that? How were they fixed? This sounds like a great idea.  :D
Title: Re: New coop - build or buy?
Post by: jededitor on July 24, 2017, 23:04
My coops are IBC containers. Bought a second hand food grade one and steam cleaned it with the wallpaper stripper. Cut a chicken entrance on the front and a cleaning access on the rear and used the cut out sections as the doors,

Good and large and very easy to clean. Just clean out the old bedding, open the drainage tap and wash out the bits. Nowhere for the red mites to hide either.

I had to look up IBC containers I did not know what they are. Can you get ones that are dark inside? Were you able to fit a roosting bar and a nest box above that? How were they fixed? This sounds like a great idea.  :D

I have ended up cladding it in wooden strips off an old fence panel. Roosting bars are just wood strips fixed by screw from the exterior. Nesting boxes are just cardboard boxes stuffed with the obligatory straw though I might change then to a type mounted on the access door. I'll post a few images sometime this week.
Title: Re: New coop - build or buy?
Post by: Sassy on July 26, 2017, 10:32
 It sounds great. Do keep an eye open for red mite behind the cladding.  :( :)
Title: Re: New coop - build or buy?
Post by: jededitor on September 29, 2017, 22:43
It sounds great. Do keep an eye open for red mite behind the cladding.  :( :)

The gap between the cladding and the tank is to big for them I think as I have not seen a sign of the red mite in over a year. Mind you when I clean it out I also wash down there as well.
Title: Re: New coop - build or buy?
Post by: RichardA on September 30, 2017, 17:38
There are plans out there for free especially if you google without being UK specific. WE have ducks so I am no expert on chucks but our ducks came to us as rescues so we had to act fast and we adapted a dog run. Be flexible in your thinking.
 Is there anyone near you or in the family who could DIY one possibly using scrap or salvage. Any retired folks with a kind heart and a few tools perhaps, shame you are so far away, or I would offer.
I have just sketched out a plan (by looking at what is being sold commercially) to use bits off an old summer house to build an arc  for 6 ducks with wheels (the arc not the ducks!!) so I can move it around the orchard and with a lift out side panel for cleaning out and checking for eggs.
Local buy and sell sites on facebook or ebay or gumtree or even a postcard in local shop or animal feed supplier might turn up a lead.
Best of luck
Title: Re: New coop - build or buy?
Post by: pekinpete on October 01, 2017, 12:07
all my housing for my birds are 6x4 sheds just raised off ground about 6 inches to stop rats getting underneath it's easy to put in perches and dropping tray and for nest boxes any wooden boxes that won't tip over all these can be taken out to be cleaned i would apply a wood preservative that's safe for birds inside and out they look nice and last a long time   
Title: Re: New coop - build or buy?
Post by: nerdle on October 01, 2017, 17:57
Coops need to protect against very cold and very hot, redmite, fox safe, easy to clean out etc etc.  Omlet are ugly things but they are cleverly worked out and if you love your hens as we do you'll want to keep them for years.  Scour your neighbourhoood for a good second hand one and you'll sell it on in the future for what you paid for it.

This might cost a bit more but the pleasure you get/hassle you save yourself will be so worth it.
Title: Re: New coop - build or buy?
Post by: Mr R Design on October 02, 2017, 08:48
I have just had a quick look on Ebay and there seem to be plenty within that price range that include free delivery.

Two tips:

1) If you go Ebay try and find whichever one takes your fancy on the internet and have a good read up first before buying

2) Where the adverts will say 'suitable for 6 bantams' read that as 4. Where they say 'suitable for 8 bantams' read that as 6 or for dead safety halve whatever the advert says
Title: Re: New coop - build or buy?
Post by: jcbuz1970 on October 02, 2017, 09:27
Interesting thread as i'm in a similar position, cleared some ground for a run and now thinking about buying\building a coop for about 6>8 birds. Should get it done over Christmas and the get some birds in the spring.
I wouldn't mind seeing some pics jededitor for inspiration.
Justasec keep us updated and a couple of pics of yours as well if you don't mind  ;)
Title: Re: New coop - build or buy?
Post by: New shoot on October 02, 2017, 11:23
Have you found this thread jcbuz?

Unfortunately Photobucket's new policy on third party hosting means some of the pictures can't be seen now, but still lots left :)

http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=73179.0
Title: Re: New coop - build or buy?
Post by: jcbuz1970 on October 03, 2017, 14:09
Cheers New Shoot, should have searched properly my self  ???
Title: Re: New coop - build or buy?
Post by: Tenhens on October 04, 2017, 21:59
Make sure you stay clear of any coup that has a felt roof, mites love living there.

The eggs are wonderful and the 'doings' help make good compost.
Title: Re: New coop - build or buy?
Post by: jcbuz1970 on December 06, 2017, 19:53
Hi all,
Just wondering how the coop building was coming along with you all ?
I started backwards, not got the ground cleared yet but started on the roof.
My Mrs wants the coop to resemble "Ripleys, believe it or not" building we saw in USA ABOUT 20 years ago.
Wonky, slanted, excellent cos I can't saw straight line if I tried 🤣🤣
Pics to follow....
Title: Re: New coop - build or buy?
Post by: Aidy on February 23, 2018, 11:08
Very late on my reply but someone new may pop by and read the thread so here is my input for the future...

I used plywood, had the timber peeps cut it to the dimensions etc, the whole thing took two sheets of 8x4 ply and a few CLS 3x2's if I remember about £30 ish, the roof was one 8x4 sheet of onduline and the whole coop was made less than £60.
I used ply as I had read and was advised to keep the little hiding places of mites to a min.
So here are some photo's...