Tell me about your chicken coop!

[danadear]

Did you buy a kit? Build it yourself? If you bought it where did you get it? Do you have pictures?

I am about to embark on my first chicken expedition and am hungry for information. I am so glad this forum is here..awesome!

I am planning to have 4-5 hens so don't need a very big coop. I can't build anything but my husband might be willing to. I am leaning towards buying a coop but there are so many choices. I'd love some guidance.

ETA: what kind of chickens do you have? Did you get them as chicks or as pullets? If you buy pullets will they still like you or is it better to get chicks if you want your chickens to be pets, not just egg producers?

 

[GG.]

we just have a little house with 4 nest areas - nothing fancy

then we built a shed with a shelf for the goat and deer to use and the chickens decided they liked it better and moved in


the climate where you are makes a big difference in how well built/insulated your coop needs to be

here, the winters are very mild, so neither structure is insulated, they both have a window and a door opening but no door - ours are in a large fenced area with 8 - 10 ft high fences so predators are not as much of a concern

they need something - either a 2 x 4 or pole or a shelf - to roost on at night and a place out of the rain and wind, preferably in some shade

 

[danadear]

I live in South Carolina where it gets very hot. Winters are usually fairly mild not getting lower than the 20s (rarely) and usually no lower than the 30s.

 

[GG.]

that is about the same as here, I have electricity out there and when we do get a 20 degree night, I either run a light bulb or little heater out there for them - they are as rotten as the rest of the animals here

 

[Budgiebonkers]

My coop is a back shed that has two doors.
I have 2 sexlinks hens a easter egger rooster 3 white silkies 2 amberlinks 3 pekin ducks 4 white chinese geese 2 runner ducklings and 9 newhampshire red chicks 2 turkey chicks and 9 other assorted chicks and 24 eggs in my bator.

 

[Celia58]

I dont have a coop per say.Its a small barn/shed and they sleep in the rafters.They have some nesting areas around between hay bales or back behind a dog pen.But they do have a big fenced in yard.I cant let them run free unless Im home because the neighbors dogs have attacked them in the past and killed one.
So I let them out during the day when everyone is at work.But after kids get out of school the neighborhood dogs usually run unchecked.
The winter before last it got so cold that I had to bring the chickens in the house and lock them in the entryway of our house for a couple nights.IT was gross but I couldnt leave them out in 0 degree weather..Otherwise I keep a brooder bulb out there for them to roost under but they never do, guess they rather get cold.