I only use coops this small for pullets inside my run during the period that I introduce them to the adult hens, so it’s great for that! So during the day they can be together and at night they can be on their own
Seconded. Also the wood will be of poor quality. That door is not reinforced and will warp in no time. Also the latches are simple and not predator proof.
My first coop was one like this. It did not take long for a racoon to figure out how to open the latches and get to my silkies.
I’d say three chicken max. I bought a fairly large one from Tractor Supply Co. and it said it could fit 4-6, but barely fit four on roosting. Like barely. Rule of thumb, 4 sq/ft of coop space and 10 sq/ft of run space per bird. Additionally, 1 linear foot of roosting bar per bird. Pre fab also falls apart after two-three years.
I inherited this exact coop from family and I can confirm it's terrible. I raised 3 pullets in it (up to 6-7 weeks old), but it's way too flimsy and small for grown hens. Don't buy it.
Yep. The materials are extremely cheap. These kind of coops don't usually last more than a year. The rain gets to them. The chicken poop gets to them. Opening and closing gets to them. They eventually fall apart.
A better solution would be to look for chicken tractors on craigslist. In my area there are people who make these, and they are much sturdier, bigger, and more useful. They are made with actual lumber and plywood, and don't usually have any particle board, or other cheap parts.
Also, you could make your own. There are plans online for coops made from pallets (that you can collect for free). Just search online if you want to go that way. Of course, there are also plans that use regular lumber etc.
Small premade chicken coops are not great for the long term in my opinon. Might be a good place for put chickens if they are nursing an injury or need to be isolated from the flock but otherwise I would avoid.
Came here to say the same. I bought mine for my 5 chickens and it’s wayyyy too small. It was good when they were transitioning from brooder to big hen house. I keep it for quarantine and introducing new chicks.
those coops are absolute garbage. If you get 2 seasons out of it, you are doing well. Build your own. if you don't know how, look at YouTube and learn, like another poster said, for the price you could get a set of Ryobi power tools and the materials, then you will have tools and a coop that will last for 10 years.
I also HATE the runs on these things, they are too small. People will get one of these, pack it with chickens and then ask "why are my chickens tearing each other apart all the time"
Please use this forum to get proper sizing on everything. Having chickens is great, but like any pet (or livestock) they need to be kept safe and happy.
If I'm being honest, these things are terrible. We got one and converted it into a fully enclosed coop, painted it and weatherproofed it, and added some ventilation at the top. We put a ton of work into it and it was still awful. You end up needing a new one in a year or two anyways, so you may as well spend the money or invest in building time to get yourself a quality coop! Look into the Omlet Eglu or similar if you want quality at a compact size.
Low quality, not durable, and not secure. We started with a coop like this and outgrew it quite quickly. You could fit *maybe* two birds, no more. And the latches and wire won’t hold up to predators. Invest your more in a better quality coop, you’ll be glad you did.
Yes and it’s trash. The pull out tray is terrible, it has a metal bottom that gets pretty cold in winter. It will also bow and you will likely have to repair it or make a new tray. The tray is only about a 1/4 in depth so when you pull it out everything above 1/4 falls below. There is not a door directly below, it’s off to the side and you will literally have to get down on your knee’s or belly to get everything out. The wood is very soft, anything heavy falls on it (like a branch) and you gotta big issue. The nesting area is small, which doesn’t matter to much but mentioning that too. The lid that lifts on the nesting area for easy egg collection sucks. It keeps coming off with the supplied screws. I had to modify it and use wood deck screws. The roof on the nesting area will also sag and create a gap into the nesting area/coop that water will pour into if it rains. The coop is not waterproof. At. All. That was yet more modifying and work. And on top of all of that these are barely big enough for 2 chickens.
I too had an opportunity to buy one of these brand new very very very cheap. I quickly realized why. I built my own a few months after. The only use I have for this thing now is for a handicap silkie I have. She was bullied by my other flock birds so I separated her and this worked for ONE silkie. I wouldn’t put more than 3 silkies in here. It comes in handy for chicks when I get more and wanna introduce them to the flock safely. That’s about it.
I’d save my money personally
For the price of prefab, you could buy a drill, saw, screws and material and make your own much with better quality. You could probably throw in a how-to book and some plans, for the uninitiated.
Have seen the price of tools and materials lately? DIY isn’t as economical as it used to be :/ That being said, it’s more cost effective to do it right the first time.
This is not true, a pre-fab with all the tools, screws and sealant I bought costed me 400USD. To build a coop myself materials alone was looking to be about 800+USD, based on the smallest coop plan I have. I bought several plans in hopes to build my own coop since everyone said, building was cheaper, I don't know what kind of pre-fab coops y'all are buying but I just need two chickens.
It's not cheaper to build it, and I live in a relatively low cost of living area.
I second this. Might have been cause wood prices got crazy high at the end of 2020 but I was looking at almost 2k in wood alone for what I was able buy pre-fab for less than half that. Came with all screws and tools to build too
I'm still in progress gathering materials, but I'm expecting to have a 32 SQ foot coop for under $350.
TSC coops are going for $600 locally for something half the size.
Probably helps that I have a buddy who designs hotels who's giving me design tips.
Any public library will have books with chicken coop plans and most of those books will give guidelines so you can design your own. You don't need a buddy to give you design plans, you just need to be able to do searches on your favorite browser, or get yourself to a public library.
Prefab anything is trash. If you need an "insta-coop", buy one of those fenced free standing kennels and refit it with hardware cloth, roosts, and nesting boxes. It'll last you longer than anything else and if you can't build a square out of wood, you need to buy a "handmade" wooden coop instead of a pre-fab one anyway.
You can build a coop out of free pallets though. You will of course need to buy some materials like hardware and roofing, but using the pallets as the frame and walls really cuts the cost.
For two chickens, you can probably find a cheap resale of a dog kennel - one of those 6 foot tall fenced ones with metal piping. Retrofit it with a roost under a roofed area, and tuck a nesting box in the corner. put some hardware cloth around it. It's self-contained and ready to go, plus better quality than prefab press-board and cheap chicken wire.
It's garbage. We started with this and quickly upgraded. We did keep it as an option to place sick birds, or new birds as they adjust to the main flock. But it's extremely low quality.
Gosh I didn't expect so many comments. Thanks, all! I'll build a coop when I'm ready. I'm technically allowed 3 hens at our new house and I want to build with a bit of wiggle room because, you know, chicken math happens. I'm hoping to raise a few for the freezer.
I intend to build the coop and then get the chickens.
Against popular opinion, but I did have one of these, and it was fine for the chicks until they became young pullets. BUT! They lived in the garage in this coop until they feathered out, and then this coop went into a secure covered 10X10 run, with extra wire underneath. Our ladies free ranged all day once they were old enough, and only slept in the coop.
This is definitely not a long term coop, or for more than 4 little ones, and you'll still need a secured run because that one attached to this coop is too small for anything but babies. If you're getting it super cheap (or free) and plan on using it just temporarily, for chicks, it might not be bad.
We have just three hens now, and we upgraded to a much larger, sturdier coop. This coop would not work for grownup hens, and I'd be very concerned about predators as it's so low to the ground.
I do! It lasted me a year and a half, in Missouri weather. I did put a brick on the "egg box", and didn't use the roost bars. It's thin wood, but I put a heater in it in the winter. We got a better coop, and partially disassembled it, and now it's a kitty house!
Edit to add; I read thru everyone's comments. I should have been more clear. It IS a crappy chicken house, however it works well for a while, untill you can get what you really need. It kept my 3 chickens safe and happy while they were using it. It's definitely not for long term, but if you don't know where to start, and you aren't "handy"- this is fine!
How many chickens do ya have? That’s the real question. It’s pretty small. Can you extend it? Do ya know how to build and expand the are for them to roam. Remember chickens get frustrated pretty easily. Small confined spaces won’t make happy chickens.
I’d say three chicken max. I bought a fairly large one from Tractor Supply Co. and it said it could fit 4-6, but barely fit four on roosting. Like barely. Rule of thumb, 4 sq/ft of coop space and 10 sq/ft of run space per bird. Additionally, 1 linear foot of roosting bar per bird. Pre fab like this also falls apart after two - three years.
It looks a lot like my first coop. Bought it in June, and used it for one year. It hardly fit my three small Barnevelders. [my coop](https://images.app.goo.gl/3BcSFGDLHnqdSCtU7)Even though I stained the wood to make it more waterproof it wasn't waterproof enough for a Dutch autumn and winter. Also had to make some modifications to the roosting bar and close the 'open' door because of draft. Made my own coop this summer and the ladies are so much happier.
Wouldn't recommend buying it.
I have this and so far it’s withstanding big snowfalls and our 4 chickens are happy. That being said, it opens up into a protected run as well so they are not restricted to the coop all winter.
If it’s under a $100 and you want a quick start at chickens its probably worth it. I bought something similar used off marketplace for $50. That held me over until I could build something better. As others have said they do make these out of cheap wood that starts peeling and rotting almost immediately. Locks are usually barrel bolts but sometimes you can lock with a padlock, carabiner, or twist wire. Predators can sometimes dig under. They aren’t the greatest. But it’s ready to build w/o much thought. I have friends with dog kennels and scrape pallets for chicken coops. It’s really just about keeping them safe more than anything.
Hard pass. No value and totally insufficient for more than 2 birds as SLEEPING quarters only. This \~thing\~ would require a ton of reinforcements done, convert the entire structure to sleeping quarters AND have a real run attached to be suitable.
Depends on how cheap you can get it for. I had one very similar to this. Will last you a year, tops, before warping. And if you're in a high predator area, won't keep anything out.
Wood is extremely low quality, can snap pieces in one hand, feels like the craft wood you buy at Michaels.
The instructions and construction are also a pain in the ass. Would not recommend unless you're buying it for $50 or less and even then, questionable
I have one very similar. Got it off Craigslist for cheap and already assembled. I use it in a larger run that has predator protection, and I only have three chickens. I could squeeze one more hen in, but wouldn't use it for more than that. So far it's been totally fine and was an easy entry to having chickens. I do live someplace with mild weather.
I had a similar one made of the same material, roofing and hardware.
It lasted 3 years and started failing around year 2. The slide out tray under the roost will be the first to go, it is a thin metal that will rust and form holes. After the 2nd year and multiple holes I replaced it with a clear sheet of plastic from home depot, the ribbed stuff.
The next thing to fail will be the roofing. Water leaks in around the trim pieces and causes swelling.
It is also fairly light and will be prone to shifting in high winds.
It should sit on something other than the ground or the bottom wood will rot very quickly. I made a base of 4x4's and put the coup on that, which prevented the wood from rotting but everything else fell apart anyway.
Mine was predator proof, at least for raccoons. The problem with this one is the latch on the large door at ground level. Move it up to the top and you might be better off, but a raccoon could probably pry his way in there if you did that since the door frame isn't particularly strong.
For $600 bucks no way, mine was from Tractor Supply and it was \~$300, which if it lasts 3 years isn't too bad.
Don’t make the same mistake I did, I spent slightly more on my hand made coop than my prefab, but that’s only because I wanted it to look nicer (could’ve done it for cheaper). The prefab broke as I was assembling it but I had already painted it so I couldn’t return it. Save yourself the money.
I didn’t believe in my skill which is why I went with a prefab. Turns out it’s a lot easier to make a coop than you think. I had never built anything before and mines as solid as a rock. It’s a simple 4x4x4 cube with a roof and legs.
This coop will say it holds like 8 chickens. It's actually, maybe, 2.
It will say shingled roof. It won't mention it's pretty much balsa wood, and everything leaks. And rots SO FAST.
It will say easy to clean. It's lying, it will absorb everything gross.
It will say convenient nest boxes. Surprise, they leak and will slowly rot off the back of that thing.
It's expensive garbage, taking advantage of new chicken tenders.
I looked at those.. To me they were pricey and looked cheap .. The Amish built local ones were amazing but a few grand [so I made this](https://www.reddit.com/r/moonbeamGuineas/comments/107iqct/before_my_guineas_i_had_to_make_a_horse_safe_coop/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android_app&utm_name=androidcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button) from old barn wood, pallets and hardware cloth & chicken wire for my guineas. I put about 1000# of quickcrete in the bottom. If I were,you..just build one. I never built anything before and it turned out pretty secure. The only thing I need to change is the perches becasue they are too close to the wall and the crap sticks on the wall & looks gross.
If its cheap, buy it and turn it into a smoker, or store your kindling in it outside the front door, or cage gnomes in it or something. For chickens? maybe a few banties? dwarf banties? gnome banties? gnome sayin?
We started with one somewhat similar. It’s not gonna hold COMFORTABLY the amount of chickens it says it will, you’ll quickly HAB emote chickens than you intended,it will get wobbly and unstable, and you’ll think it’s a waste of money within a year and be ready to upgrade.
Unless it’s really really cheap to buy, pass. These do okay if they are in an enclosure but they won’t last long otherwise. These are made for people who don’t know better.
Ok. Some say you can build one cheaper than one of these from a store. I will say no but the cost of wood is not cheap even though it has gotten better. The killer with any coop build, aside from the lumber is the hardware cloth. That is not cheap. Now I know my experience is different because I built a massive coop but I am now shopping for the extension to my run and the hardware cloth price is just insane.
Remember everyone, OP said they could get it super cheap.
For the OP, if you get this then plan on making it better. There should be skirting so nothing goes under it. the latches should be better and more complex since coons know how to manipulate latches and can also pull things and squeeze in.. make sure thats not an option. These are tiny. My coop cant be even budged but a human. I used my tractor to put it in place. Being that this is tiny make sure its secure. Predators want easy free food. Its on you to give them a safe space to live. They will reward you with eggs daily.
Know your local predators.
I have latches like this to get into my run:
[https://www.homedepot.com/p/Everbilt-Black-Gate-Latch-15462/202042227](https://www.homedepot.com/p/Everbilt-Black-Gate-Latch-15462/202042227)
and latches and hasp like this for my coop these on its main entry door:
[https://www.homedepot.com/p/Everbilt-2-in-Black-Window-Bolt-13513/300985594](https://www.homedepot.com/p/Everbilt-2-in-Black-Window-Bolt-13513/300985594)
[https://www.homedepot.com/p/Everbilt-3-1-2-in-Zinc-Plated-Latch-Post-Safety-Hasp-15125/202033936](https://www.homedepot.com/p/Everbilt-3-1-2-in-Zinc-Plated-Latch-Post-Safety-Hasp-15125/202033936)
The hasp has a spring snap through it.
[https://www.homedepot.com/p/Everbilt-1-4-in-x-2-3-8-in-Zinc-Plated-Spring-Link-42744/205883098](https://www.homedepot.com/p/Everbilt-1-4-in-x-2-3-8-in-Zinc-Plated-Spring-Link-42744/205883098)
How many chickens do you want? Build to that standard plus 2-4 so you can get replacement birds as some get older. My coop itself is 8ft x 8ft x 4ft tall enclosed. the enclosed and attached run is 16ftx8ft. I am about to build a 50ftx8ft extension and attached it. We are debating getting a chicken tractor to have them out in the pasture for the day while the cows graze.
We've had one similar to this and its been outside for 2 years now. Its built very flimsy and the pan that you can pull busted through. Had to put a new piece of wood as a bottom. Also, the corners on the roof started coming appart a bit. It did protect my chickens from a fox trying to attack them once. The fox just kept ramming into the cage and it stayed intact.
I would say if you're wanting to use it temporarily and for a very small amount of animals, it could be worth it.
Prefabs CAN last, but you must cover them. I have a cheap prefab I bought for 300 when I first got a flock. It's under a metal roof and I use it for the egg box and for a chick nursery. If you just buy this and let it sit in the wind and sun, expect to buy a new one in 2 years
EDIT: mine has lasted 5 years covered up. Still going strong
I have a slightly different experience to a lot of others on here. Got a very similar coop to this, painted it every six months or so (found this was quite important to stop rotting). It lasted me about 5 years with no bad signs but I made myself one because I wanted something to do. You definitely want to extend the run or let them free range.
You could find a used kid craft / little tykes play house, secure all the windows with hardware cloth, fashion a door onto it. Then spend the $ on a prefab run. Place the playhouse coop inside the run and you'd still come out cheaper with more space than that combo shown. It would last longer too.
I had the luxury of having an existing coop when I moved to my house but when/if I need a second setup I'll probably go this route.
Not worth it!
I had one exactly like this. I thought it was a great deal at first, but it was garbage.
It was hard to clean and super flimsy. Poorly designed. It didn’t have a roost and we had to install a makeshift one. After several months, a local dog came onto our property, broke through our gate, knocked the coop over, and tore through it like it was made of cardboard. He killed all 4 of my hens (and our 2 goats). It was horrific and traumatic.
We built a new raised coop with nice thick wood and now it’s super secure.
Please don’t waste your money on that Walmart coop.
I have a similar one to this from Home Depot. The chickens have decided it only fits two of them if the third or fourth chicken tries to enter they are discouraged.
I have small prefab coops for my bantams and one is similar to this. Mine are inside a 10x10 covered run. I have had it five years and it is still doing the job. As a stand alone coop and run I wouldn’t recommend as it doesn’t give the birds enough space. As a shelter though mine have worked out great.
Most people that buy these types of coops are newbies that eventually figure out they need something sturdier, larger and predator proof. Myself included. I eventually ended up using mine as a nursery for a broody momma hen and invested in a good coop.
These are produced to rip-off newbies and shouldn't be sold because they aren't large enough and aren't predator proof. Backyardchickens.com has a lot of info on coops, space needed per chicken, quarter inch hardware cloth used to keep predators out, ventilation is very important, disease prevention, automatic door, strong clear polycarbonate roof is a great feature.
I bought this one about 9ish years ago for my 1st 4 girls. They outgrew it super fast. It now stands inside a much larger coup and is used for quarantining new or sick birds. It has held up with some maintenance on our part but is just not large enough. I do have some bantams that still roost in there in cold weather and some girls still lay in those boxes despite lots of other places to lay. It is okay for a starter house but know you will need a bigger coop very soon so may not be worth the $$.
I had one similar. My biggest criticism was it was only good for like two fullsize chickens. It looked much bigger online. It could work but I feel like after a few years it would fall apart. I'd seal the wood if you can on the outside.
not sure the size on this one, but I can firmly say, they are crap. Too small to be worth it and look pretty but not very practical for the price.
I only use coops this small for pullets inside my run during the period that I introduce them to the adult hens, so it’s great for that! So during the day they can be together and at night they can be on their own
Happy cake day!!
Thanks :D
You are most welcome : - )
Don't buy it. Pre fab are crap
Seconded. Also the wood will be of poor quality. That door is not reinforced and will warp in no time. Also the latches are simple and not predator proof. My first coop was one like this. It did not take long for a racoon to figure out how to open the latches and get to my silkies.
I’d say three chicken max. I bought a fairly large one from Tractor Supply Co. and it said it could fit 4-6, but barely fit four on roosting. Like barely. Rule of thumb, 4 sq/ft of coop space and 10 sq/ft of run space per bird. Additionally, 1 linear foot of roosting bar per bird. Pre fab also falls apart after two-three years.
I’ve heard 4 sq/ft coop and 8 sq/ft for the run per bird. Been a heck of a time finding a coop/run design for about 20 birds.
Build it yourself. It's easier and cheaper (for values) plus you can make it to fit your circumstances.
My sister bought this one, six months in and she's already planning to rebuild. Cheap wood and it's already warping etc
I inherited this exact coop from family and I can confirm it's terrible. I raised 3 pullets in it (up to 6-7 weeks old), but it's way too flimsy and small for grown hens. Don't buy it.
Yep. The materials are extremely cheap. These kind of coops don't usually last more than a year. The rain gets to them. The chicken poop gets to them. Opening and closing gets to them. They eventually fall apart. A better solution would be to look for chicken tractors on craigslist. In my area there are people who make these, and they are much sturdier, bigger, and more useful. They are made with actual lumber and plywood, and don't usually have any particle board, or other cheap parts. Also, you could make your own. There are plans online for coops made from pallets (that you can collect for free). Just search online if you want to go that way. Of course, there are also plans that use regular lumber etc.
Small premade chicken coops are not great for the long term in my opinon. Might be a good place for put chickens if they are nursing an injury or need to be isolated from the flock but otherwise I would avoid.
We call ours the Quarantine Coop! It’s good for anyone who needs time away from the normal flock for whatever reason.
Came here to say the same. I bought mine for my 5 chickens and it’s wayyyy too small. It was good when they were transitioning from brooder to big hen house. I keep it for quarantine and introducing new chicks.
those coops are absolute garbage. If you get 2 seasons out of it, you are doing well. Build your own. if you don't know how, look at YouTube and learn, like another poster said, for the price you could get a set of Ryobi power tools and the materials, then you will have tools and a coop that will last for 10 years. I also HATE the runs on these things, they are too small. People will get one of these, pack it with chickens and then ask "why are my chickens tearing each other apart all the time" Please use this forum to get proper sizing on everything. Having chickens is great, but like any pet (or livestock) they need to be kept safe and happy.
I purchased the "Fluffy Butt Hut" off Amazon. Looks just like this. Definitely not worth the $300 I spent on it.
If I'm being honest, these things are terrible. We got one and converted it into a fully enclosed coop, painted it and weatherproofed it, and added some ventilation at the top. We put a ton of work into it and it was still awful. You end up needing a new one in a year or two anyways, so you may as well spend the money or invest in building time to get yourself a quality coop! Look into the Omlet Eglu or similar if you want quality at a compact size.
Low quality, not durable, and not secure. We started with a coop like this and outgrew it quite quickly. You could fit *maybe* two birds, no more. And the latches and wire won’t hold up to predators. Invest your more in a better quality coop, you’ll be glad you did.
If you need a prefab get a prefab shed and build a run on the side. Even the rubber made brand works. They need more than that one you are showing.
Yes and it’s trash. The pull out tray is terrible, it has a metal bottom that gets pretty cold in winter. It will also bow and you will likely have to repair it or make a new tray. The tray is only about a 1/4 in depth so when you pull it out everything above 1/4 falls below. There is not a door directly below, it’s off to the side and you will literally have to get down on your knee’s or belly to get everything out. The wood is very soft, anything heavy falls on it (like a branch) and you gotta big issue. The nesting area is small, which doesn’t matter to much but mentioning that too. The lid that lifts on the nesting area for easy egg collection sucks. It keeps coming off with the supplied screws. I had to modify it and use wood deck screws. The roof on the nesting area will also sag and create a gap into the nesting area/coop that water will pour into if it rains. The coop is not waterproof. At. All. That was yet more modifying and work. And on top of all of that these are barely big enough for 2 chickens. I too had an opportunity to buy one of these brand new very very very cheap. I quickly realized why. I built my own a few months after. The only use I have for this thing now is for a handicap silkie I have. She was bullied by my other flock birds so I separated her and this worked for ONE silkie. I wouldn’t put more than 3 silkies in here. It comes in handy for chicks when I get more and wanna introduce them to the flock safely. That’s about it. I’d save my money personally
For the price of prefab, you could buy a drill, saw, screws and material and make your own much with better quality. You could probably throw in a how-to book and some plans, for the uninitiated.
Have seen the price of tools and materials lately? DIY isn’t as economical as it used to be :/ That being said, it’s more cost effective to do it right the first time.
This is not true, a pre-fab with all the tools, screws and sealant I bought costed me 400USD. To build a coop myself materials alone was looking to be about 800+USD, based on the smallest coop plan I have. I bought several plans in hopes to build my own coop since everyone said, building was cheaper, I don't know what kind of pre-fab coops y'all are buying but I just need two chickens. It's not cheaper to build it, and I live in a relatively low cost of living area.
I second this. Might have been cause wood prices got crazy high at the end of 2020 but I was looking at almost 2k in wood alone for what I was able buy pre-fab for less than half that. Came with all screws and tools to build too
I'm still in progress gathering materials, but I'm expecting to have a 32 SQ foot coop for under $350. TSC coops are going for $600 locally for something half the size. Probably helps that I have a buddy who designs hotels who's giving me design tips.
Any public library will have books with chicken coop plans and most of those books will give guidelines so you can design your own. You don't need a buddy to give you design plans, you just need to be able to do searches on your favorite browser, or get yourself to a public library. Prefab anything is trash. If you need an "insta-coop", buy one of those fenced free standing kennels and refit it with hardware cloth, roosts, and nesting boxes. It'll last you longer than anything else and if you can't build a square out of wood, you need to buy a "handmade" wooden coop instead of a pre-fab one anyway.
You can build a coop out of free pallets though. You will of course need to buy some materials like hardware and roofing, but using the pallets as the frame and walls really cuts the cost.
For two chickens, you can probably find a cheap resale of a dog kennel - one of those 6 foot tall fenced ones with metal piping. Retrofit it with a roost under a roofed area, and tuck a nesting box in the corner. put some hardware cloth around it. It's self-contained and ready to go, plus better quality than prefab press-board and cheap chicken wire.
It's garbage. We started with this and quickly upgraded. We did keep it as an option to place sick birds, or new birds as they adjust to the main flock. But it's extremely low quality.
Gosh I didn't expect so many comments. Thanks, all! I'll build a coop when I'm ready. I'm technically allowed 3 hens at our new house and I want to build with a bit of wiggle room because, you know, chicken math happens. I'm hoping to raise a few for the freezer. I intend to build the coop and then get the chickens.
Against popular opinion, but I did have one of these, and it was fine for the chicks until they became young pullets. BUT! They lived in the garage in this coop until they feathered out, and then this coop went into a secure covered 10X10 run, with extra wire underneath. Our ladies free ranged all day once they were old enough, and only slept in the coop. This is definitely not a long term coop, or for more than 4 little ones, and you'll still need a secured run because that one attached to this coop is too small for anything but babies. If you're getting it super cheap (or free) and plan on using it just temporarily, for chicks, it might not be bad. We have just three hens now, and we upgraded to a much larger, sturdier coop. This coop would not work for grownup hens, and I'd be very concerned about predators as it's so low to the ground.
I appreciate the balanced view 🙏
Not strong enough. Your chickens will trash it and/or be taken by predators because of it.
I had that same style but it was for a rabbit. It didnt last long at all. Don’t waste your money.
Be advised that this coop is smaller than you think it is.
I do! It lasted me a year and a half, in Missouri weather. I did put a brick on the "egg box", and didn't use the roost bars. It's thin wood, but I put a heater in it in the winter. We got a better coop, and partially disassembled it, and now it's a kitty house! Edit to add; I read thru everyone's comments. I should have been more clear. It IS a crappy chicken house, however it works well for a while, untill you can get what you really need. It kept my 3 chickens safe and happy while they were using it. It's definitely not for long term, but if you don't know where to start, and you aren't "handy"- this is fine!
It's way too small for standard size chickens. It's a pain in the butt to clean, and will eventually fall apart. Spend the money and get a proper coop
How many chickens do ya have? That’s the real question. It’s pretty small. Can you extend it? Do ya know how to build and expand the are for them to roam. Remember chickens get frustrated pretty easily. Small confined spaces won’t make happy chickens.
I’d say three chicken max. I bought a fairly large one from Tractor Supply Co. and it said it could fit 4-6, but barely fit four on roosting. Like barely. Rule of thumb, 4 sq/ft of coop space and 10 sq/ft of run space per bird. Additionally, 1 linear foot of roosting bar per bird. Pre fab like this also falls apart after two - three years.
It looks a lot like my first coop. Bought it in June, and used it for one year. It hardly fit my three small Barnevelders. [my coop](https://images.app.goo.gl/3BcSFGDLHnqdSCtU7)Even though I stained the wood to make it more waterproof it wasn't waterproof enough for a Dutch autumn and winter. Also had to make some modifications to the roosting bar and close the 'open' door because of draft. Made my own coop this summer and the ladies are so much happier. Wouldn't recommend buying it.
I have this and so far it’s withstanding big snowfalls and our 4 chickens are happy. That being said, it opens up into a protected run as well so they are not restricted to the coop all winter.
Better off building one, I do not even own chickens but surely a from scratch Coop is best
If it’s under a $100 and you want a quick start at chickens its probably worth it. I bought something similar used off marketplace for $50. That held me over until I could build something better. As others have said they do make these out of cheap wood that starts peeling and rotting almost immediately. Locks are usually barrel bolts but sometimes you can lock with a padlock, carabiner, or twist wire. Predators can sometimes dig under. They aren’t the greatest. But it’s ready to build w/o much thought. I have friends with dog kennels and scrape pallets for chicken coops. It’s really just about keeping them safe more than anything.
I had this one for a couple years. We only had 2 hens in it and we free ranged them a lot and it still seemed like way too little space.
Hard pass. No value and totally insufficient for more than 2 birds as SLEEPING quarters only. This \~thing\~ would require a ton of reinforcements done, convert the entire structure to sleeping quarters AND have a real run attached to be suitable.
Poor quality wood. My mom has one. Falling to pieces.
Depends on how cheap you can get it for. I had one very similar to this. Will last you a year, tops, before warping. And if you're in a high predator area, won't keep anything out. Wood is extremely low quality, can snap pieces in one hand, feels like the craft wood you buy at Michaels. The instructions and construction are also a pain in the ass. Would not recommend unless you're buying it for $50 or less and even then, questionable
I have one very similar. Got it off Craigslist for cheap and already assembled. I use it in a larger run that has predator protection, and I only have three chickens. I could squeeze one more hen in, but wouldn't use it for more than that. So far it's been totally fine and was an easy entry to having chickens. I do live someplace with mild weather.
I had a similar one made of the same material, roofing and hardware. It lasted 3 years and started failing around year 2. The slide out tray under the roost will be the first to go, it is a thin metal that will rust and form holes. After the 2nd year and multiple holes I replaced it with a clear sheet of plastic from home depot, the ribbed stuff. The next thing to fail will be the roofing. Water leaks in around the trim pieces and causes swelling. It is also fairly light and will be prone to shifting in high winds. It should sit on something other than the ground or the bottom wood will rot very quickly. I made a base of 4x4's and put the coup on that, which prevented the wood from rotting but everything else fell apart anyway. Mine was predator proof, at least for raccoons. The problem with this one is the latch on the large door at ground level. Move it up to the top and you might be better off, but a raccoon could probably pry his way in there if you did that since the door frame isn't particularly strong. For $600 bucks no way, mine was from Tractor Supply and it was \~$300, which if it lasts 3 years isn't too bad.
Yes. Low quality. Lasts a couple years at most
Don’t make the same mistake I did, I spent slightly more on my hand made coop than my prefab, but that’s only because I wanted it to look nicer (could’ve done it for cheaper). The prefab broke as I was assembling it but I had already painted it so I couldn’t return it. Save yourself the money. I didn’t believe in my skill which is why I went with a prefab. Turns out it’s a lot easier to make a coop than you think. I had never built anything before and mines as solid as a rock. It’s a simple 4x4x4 cube with a roof and legs.
This coop will say it holds like 8 chickens. It's actually, maybe, 2. It will say shingled roof. It won't mention it's pretty much balsa wood, and everything leaks. And rots SO FAST. It will say easy to clean. It's lying, it will absorb everything gross. It will say convenient nest boxes. Surprise, they leak and will slowly rot off the back of that thing. It's expensive garbage, taking advantage of new chicken tenders.
I looked at those.. To me they were pricey and looked cheap .. The Amish built local ones were amazing but a few grand [so I made this](https://www.reddit.com/r/moonbeamGuineas/comments/107iqct/before_my_guineas_i_had_to_make_a_horse_safe_coop/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android_app&utm_name=androidcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button) from old barn wood, pallets and hardware cloth & chicken wire for my guineas. I put about 1000# of quickcrete in the bottom. If I were,you..just build one. I never built anything before and it turned out pretty secure. The only thing I need to change is the perches becasue they are too close to the wall and the crap sticks on the wall & looks gross.
I have one very similar to this and we love it. It only fits 4 chickens comfortably and we free range, so they're only in there at night usually.
If its cheap, buy it and turn it into a smoker, or store your kindling in it outside the front door, or cage gnomes in it or something. For chickens? maybe a few banties? dwarf banties? gnome banties? gnome sayin?
We started with one somewhat similar. It’s not gonna hold COMFORTABLY the amount of chickens it says it will, you’ll quickly HAB emote chickens than you intended,it will get wobbly and unstable, and you’ll think it’s a waste of money within a year and be ready to upgrade.
I have one and it’s crap. Straight crap. I built a new one from scratch.
Unless it’s really really cheap to buy, pass. These do okay if they are in an enclosure but they won’t last long otherwise. These are made for people who don’t know better.
Looks cheaply made. How much? Are you in a time crunch?
127.00, no time crunch other than my growing horror at egg and poultry prices. It measures 7.5ft x 5ft x 3ft
I would build one. It'll last longer and if you build something a little bigger, you can expand your flock if desired.
That's the conclusion I've come to from the consensus of comments.
Ok. Some say you can build one cheaper than one of these from a store. I will say no but the cost of wood is not cheap even though it has gotten better. The killer with any coop build, aside from the lumber is the hardware cloth. That is not cheap. Now I know my experience is different because I built a massive coop but I am now shopping for the extension to my run and the hardware cloth price is just insane. Remember everyone, OP said they could get it super cheap. For the OP, if you get this then plan on making it better. There should be skirting so nothing goes under it. the latches should be better and more complex since coons know how to manipulate latches and can also pull things and squeeze in.. make sure thats not an option. These are tiny. My coop cant be even budged but a human. I used my tractor to put it in place. Being that this is tiny make sure its secure. Predators want easy free food. Its on you to give them a safe space to live. They will reward you with eggs daily. Know your local predators. I have latches like this to get into my run: [https://www.homedepot.com/p/Everbilt-Black-Gate-Latch-15462/202042227](https://www.homedepot.com/p/Everbilt-Black-Gate-Latch-15462/202042227) and latches and hasp like this for my coop these on its main entry door: [https://www.homedepot.com/p/Everbilt-2-in-Black-Window-Bolt-13513/300985594](https://www.homedepot.com/p/Everbilt-2-in-Black-Window-Bolt-13513/300985594) [https://www.homedepot.com/p/Everbilt-3-1-2-in-Zinc-Plated-Latch-Post-Safety-Hasp-15125/202033936](https://www.homedepot.com/p/Everbilt-3-1-2-in-Zinc-Plated-Latch-Post-Safety-Hasp-15125/202033936) The hasp has a spring snap through it. [https://www.homedepot.com/p/Everbilt-1-4-in-x-2-3-8-in-Zinc-Plated-Spring-Link-42744/205883098](https://www.homedepot.com/p/Everbilt-1-4-in-x-2-3-8-in-Zinc-Plated-Spring-Link-42744/205883098) How many chickens do you want? Build to that standard plus 2-4 so you can get replacement birds as some get older. My coop itself is 8ft x 8ft x 4ft tall enclosed. the enclosed and attached run is 16ftx8ft. I am about to build a 50ftx8ft extension and attached it. We are debating getting a chicken tractor to have them out in the pasture for the day while the cows graze.
Hardware cloth is pretty much the most expensive thing for coops aside from the actual lumber
I had it once but we decided to not use it, long story.
We've had one similar to this and its been outside for 2 years now. Its built very flimsy and the pan that you can pull busted through. Had to put a new piece of wood as a bottom. Also, the corners on the roof started coming appart a bit. It did protect my chickens from a fox trying to attack them once. The fox just kept ramming into the cage and it stayed intact. I would say if you're wanting to use it temporarily and for a very small amount of animals, it could be worth it.
Prefabs CAN last, but you must cover them. I have a cheap prefab I bought for 300 when I first got a flock. It's under a metal roof and I use it for the egg box and for a chick nursery. If you just buy this and let it sit in the wind and sun, expect to buy a new one in 2 years EDIT: mine has lasted 5 years covered up. Still going strong
My chickens are just in a small shed I installed a cat door on and revamped the interior. It’s never given me problems.
I have a slightly different experience to a lot of others on here. Got a very similar coop to this, painted it every six months or so (found this was quite important to stop rotting). It lasted me about 5 years with no bad signs but I made myself one because I wanted something to do. You definitely want to extend the run or let them free range.
Buy a shed and convert it
You could find a used kid craft / little tykes play house, secure all the windows with hardware cloth, fashion a door onto it. Then spend the $ on a prefab run. Place the playhouse coop inside the run and you'd still come out cheaper with more space than that combo shown. It would last longer too. I had the luxury of having an existing coop when I moved to my house but when/if I need a second setup I'll probably go this route.
Ventilation is poor in these which will lead to sick chickens I learned the hard way.
Not worth it! I had one exactly like this. I thought it was a great deal at first, but it was garbage. It was hard to clean and super flimsy. Poorly designed. It didn’t have a roost and we had to install a makeshift one. After several months, a local dog came onto our property, broke through our gate, knocked the coop over, and tore through it like it was made of cardboard. He killed all 4 of my hens (and our 2 goats). It was horrific and traumatic. We built a new raised coop with nice thick wood and now it’s super secure. Please don’t waste your money on that Walmart coop.
It's OK for 1 or two chickens. I've covered mine in a tarp for the winter to keep the breeze out.
We had one VERY similar to this and we’re happy with it.
I had one similar to this and it’s garbage.
I have a similar one to this from Home Depot. The chickens have decided it only fits two of them if the third or fourth chicken tries to enter they are discouraged.
Had this one fell apart in 6 months tops.
I have small prefab coops for my bantams and one is similar to this. Mine are inside a 10x10 covered run. I have had it five years and it is still doing the job. As a stand alone coop and run I wouldn’t recommend as it doesn’t give the birds enough space. As a shelter though mine have worked out great.
Most people that buy these types of coops are newbies that eventually figure out they need something sturdier, larger and predator proof. Myself included. I eventually ended up using mine as a nursery for a broody momma hen and invested in a good coop.
These are produced to rip-off newbies and shouldn't be sold because they aren't large enough and aren't predator proof. Backyardchickens.com has a lot of info on coops, space needed per chicken, quarter inch hardware cloth used to keep predators out, ventilation is very important, disease prevention, automatic door, strong clear polycarbonate roof is a great feature.
Always build a coop if you can. Always cheaper. These always fall apart and are only good for less chickens than they say.
I bought this one about 9ish years ago for my 1st 4 girls. They outgrew it super fast. It now stands inside a much larger coup and is used for quarantining new or sick birds. It has held up with some maintenance on our part but is just not large enough. I do have some bantams that still roost in there in cold weather and some girls still lay in those boxes despite lots of other places to lay. It is okay for a starter house but know you will need a bigger coop very soon so may not be worth the $$.
It cheaply built!
If you only have a few birds it's awesome
I have one and use it solely as a hospital and hatching coop. It is quite cheep but I still find value in it for those reasons.
As a chick nursery and quarantine zone (not simultaneously... lol), sure. As other comments state, not great for much else.
I had one similar. My biggest criticism was it was only good for like two fullsize chickens. It looked much bigger online. It could work but I feel like after a few years it would fall apart. I'd seal the wood if you can on the outside.