Did you see my earlier post about the new chicken coop? Well, I thought I would share a few observations now that we have been using is for a few weeks.
I purchased the coop online and my lovely partner in chicken captivity assembled it. It seems solid and 3 weeks of opening and closing and general rough housing hasn't loosened anything or given my any concerns.
It has a type of "apron" around it to prevent easy tunneling under the sides. That, accompanied with it being easy to move, makes me think it is far more secure than the previous coop we were using (where we had trouble with rats tunneling).
The chickens took a few days to learn to use the nesting area (it's not boxes). But now they are laying their eggs daily in right spot, easy to access. Then they go back to standing on the slotted floor, which as promised is 1) easy to clean and 2) giving them the sense of roosting in a small and cozy space. It is well ventilated and I haven't worried about them in the recent hot weather. Also, I am confident they will be cozy when it turns cold (though we don't live in a particularly cold climate.
My only complaint?
I don't love the food or water dish. This is an area where I think there is form over function.
The food dish is not easily "readable" - I have to bend down and look carefully to see if it needs refilling. It doesn't hold very much, so it frequently does need food. I miss my large, once a week hanging feeder.
The water dish is also a bit minimal and the girls empty in in 2-3 days. Somehow it gets dirty, and needs a good scrubbing to get clean again. I don't think the coop can support my 3-gallon nipple feeder that I was using before, but I miss having clean water for the girls that I only had to fill every 10-14 days. The lightweight coop does not have the structural integrity for such a piece, but I will likely find a way to have something like that in my yard, because it makes it easier to ensure constant access to clean water.
There you have it! Has anyone else had experience with the coop? I found it hard to find reviews of this coop before I bought it. It is one of the few plastic coops on the market, which I wanted for durability and cleaning. I hope this helps someone else who might be considering this for all their chickening needs.
BeriBeri Quite Contrary
Advocate for Natural Health Care for Babies
Parent of Free Range and Slightly Neglected Toddlers
Promoting Preschoolers and Hot Glue Guns
Chicken Mamma
Encouraging Gambling Kindergarteners
I thank you for this review after enough use to see how it is working out for your needs.
Not having the hanging feeder and waterer is a problem. I am glad it is safe though as this has been a problem for us.
It does look like a childrens' play house but I am glad you are finding it sturdy and easy to keep clean.
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Interesting concept. I used to raise chickens in Idaho, this would be worth a try. I've upvoted, Reteemed and followed. #prepper helping #preppers.
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good post
plise followback..
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I guess you must have invested some fortunes in this Chicken's cage. It's looks more like a play ground for school children. It's so cool.
Nice post
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This is a really interesting type of chicken coop and I have never seen anything like it before! I am glad to see that it looks like its working for you.
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good post
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I am in love with these little coops! I think they would serve a great purpose in breeding pairs or trios.
However, the run portion is a joke - though it's probably fine for three hens? Haha. It's so small, and now that I've seen it a bit closer, it does look pretty dinky! I can see why it may not hold a feeder/waterer. And they may take up too much space? However, runs are super simple to build! And so making a better run would be pretty easy and a real good addition, in my opinion. Also, if your land is uneven, the skirting on the bottom would be pointless unless buried or secured in some other manner.
But I love the coop portion a lot! Looks like it could be cleaned out so easily with a hose! And the mobility!! Awesome! The real downside to this coop is the price. But, if it works for you, you love it, and you can make small changes in order to make it work best for you, then it's a great purchase! I have been drooling over this coop for a little while. Thank you so much for sharing! I really appreciate the review!
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A few comments -
They do sell them with much bigger runs (and once you are already spending too much money on the coop, what's another hundred or two to extend the run?). Our hens have a yard they go into almost every day, so I didn't think they needed much of a run. We did lock them up for 4 days a few weeks ago, and I didn't feel too bad about that (we have 3).
The skirting comes with stakes to hold it in, which isn't necessary for us. Thanks for taking a careful look at my post!
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I'm sorry, I wasn't trying to be argumentative or put down the coop or anything, I promise, just noting my observations and had concerns when initially seeing the coop going around. I'm sorry if it came across as rude, that was not my intention. I was excited to comment on it and see it shown by a real person who has used it.
Yeah suuuure, what's another $300 on the bigger run? hhahaha.
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Oh gosh no - the internet is terrible at tone. I didn't think you were rude at all - I really did appreciate that you took a careful look at the post. It's hard to have real conversation on here, and I love a comment that has a little meat to it.
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Oh good!!! I worry and then need to make sure! Because I really enjoyed it! Haha and I'd love to have more convos with you! :)
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