chicken coops on grab one

Inexile

Im wondering are these chicken coops offered on grab one any good.

http://www.grabonestore.ie/chicken-coop?utm_source=Store+Ireland&utm_campaign=ET_23136_ie-store_ireland_20140528&utm_medium=email&utm_content=main

We are always thinking about getting a couple of chickens but have put it off for one reason for another . But if we do decide wouldn't mind knowing whether this is a decent coop or are there better out there for the money.

Thanks

bluecherry74

There are definitely better out there for that price. Those ones look to be made from very thin timber that would most likely rot through in a couple of years.

I have one of these (plus the stand for it) and it's very sturdy:

http://www.greenhenworks.com/Alp%20Details.htm

It doesn't have an attached run, but to be honest those runs are far too tiny to keep hens locked up in all day. Once you have hens and you see how happy they are wandering around, you'll understand! You would either need to build a custom run yourself or allow them to free range, but if they're free ranging they would need supervision and would probably destroy your garden.

If you absolutely do want one with an attached run, these ones look pretty good:

http://www.chickencoopsireland.com/

If you got the 8 x 4 coop with the 6 x 4 run, that would give the hens an area of 14 x 4. It's still pretty small, but much bigger than the one in the ad.

Bear in mind that once you have a couple of chickens, you will definitely want more (trust me ) so make sure whatever you end up with will accommodate more than you think you'll need.

Inexile

thanks for that Bluecherrry. I sort of knew the grabones were just too pretty to be brilliant. I suppose I could also dickey up any coop if I ever do get one, using non toxic paint of course.

think it was this that got me thinking about getting chickens again.

http://mostamazingviews.com/cinderella-one-752-hens-released-first-time-heart-warming/

bought a book a few years ago. Might take it out and look at it again.

anniehoo

Inexile wrote: »

http://mostamazingviews.com/cinderella-one-752-hens-released-first-time-heart-warming/.

What a really moving video

aonb

Ive kept hens for years. They are addictive!! Given that a hen will ONLY go into the coop at night, or to lay eggs, the most important thing you can spend your money on is SPACE. FOrget about spending big bucks on a coop. Space to scratch, space to socialize, space to dust-bathe in, space to graze and do their chickeny stuff in - spend your money on a run. If you can let them free range in your garden thats FABULOUS, but if you cant (and if the garden is small enough, they will decimate it very quickly) then spend any money on making a run that they can move about in. Fence it well to protect it from foxes, buy a pond net to put a 'roof' over the run to keep wild birds out. A bored hen is a pitiful thing to see - put branches/dustbaths/hang cabbages in the run.

I had redmites :eek: :mad: last year - in a very des-res coop, couldnt bear the little horrors, so retired the des-res-coop and converted a plastic dog kennel ($50 from Dunnes Stores) - its the business! - a dream to clean and maintain - I have 2 other coops in use - both made by husband from scrap timber for very little $$$.