What do you think about this coop for four hens?

[poly]

Hi,

I'm hoping to get 4 ex-battery chickens later on this year and I've been looking at all the things I'm going to need etc! I'm going to have an run which will be 15x6ft (covered) and I really like the look of the coops from The Clever Coop Company, although they are expensive. I had thought it would be better to get the larger version of the two they offer but actually I think realistically I think four will be enough with the costs and the room etc. I appreciate the hobby is addictive ?but for the first few years at least I don't think we'd want more than four. Is this coop suitable for four ex-battery hens? I had thought about getting the larger version anyway but read that they'll keep warmer in a smaller coop and we live high up so it can get very cold in the winter so this would be important! What do you think?


https://www.theclevercoopcompany.com/product-page/standard-snaplock-chicken-coop

Thanks in advance for your thoughts! I have many other questions but I thought I'd just ask one for now!! 07

 

[Marigold]

Good morning Poly, and welcome to the forum - and to the wonderful world of chickens.
You’re right to spend care and time in choosing a coop, as a good choice will never need replacing or treating with preservative if it’s made of plastic, and will be unlikely to get redmite. But consequently, if you get it wrong you’ll be stuck with something that just won’t wear out!
I notice that the coop you suggest says it’s for ‘up to four hens’ which probably means it would be comfortable for 2-3 at most. The measurements given bear this out. It’s usual for coops to over-estimate the number of hens that can be packed in, and our advice is generally to go bigger than most manufacturers suggest.
The clever coop design looks a bit over-engineered to me. Insulated panels against the cold is not necessary for hens. They hate wind and driving rain, and appreciate screening from the elements round part of the sides of their run, but the main enemy is heat, not cold conditions. They wear their own feather duvets all year round, and they don’t need to be kept warm and cosy at night. In fact it’s very important that they have full ventilation in their coop, preferably from a door that is never closed at night so long as the run is secure from predators. If they’re shut up for hours in a stuffy coop, they will be breathing the same damp air and suffering from condensation and possibly exposed to shared bacterial or viral infections. My present lot if hens have the choice of roosting in a Green Frog coop, or on a high perch in a covered area of the run where they are protected from wind and rain, and they always go for the open high perch even in the coldest weather. I would go for a larger plastic coop of a simpler design, which may run out at about the same cost. I’ve been entirely happy with my Green Frog, which is now ten years old and functionally as good as new.
There are quite a lot of threads on here about coop and run design which you may find useful. Many people have contributed their experiences as they set out on their journey, and it’ll be great if you’ll do the same.

 

[poly]

Thank you for your reply Marigold I'd noticed that some coops seem to say they can house lots more than what is recommended such as the eglu Cube which is slightly smaller than this one I am looking at. They say the size is suitable for 6 large hens 11 . The Clever coop company seem to know what they are talking about so I was hoping that 4 was a more accurate number for this size? hmm very confusing 07

I'll have another look at the green frog coops - thanks again 17

 

[poly]

I've just been looking at the greenfrog coops and wondered if it would be easy to place the large chicken house (without the legs) onto a raised platform (2ft high) so the chickens could go under it and utilise that space? I'm guessing the ladder would then be too short? Seems a shame that there isn't an option to have it high enough up so the space isn't wasted? Any thoughts?

Thank you!

 

[chrismahon]

Ideally you would want the coop off the floor to make cleaning out easier on your back and to discourage rats, which have a habit of tunnelling under coops to make nests near a food supply. Ours are about 18" high, which is plenty for chickens to get underneath and the frame is of very simple construction- just 4 legs screwed to 4 pieces of planking . Can't see how this coop is accessed for cleaning though? You can always make a ramp for the chickens, or even steps. Another point is any gaps big enough for mice to get in, so more than 12mm square, need to be covered with weld mesh of that size.

 

[Marigold]

Yes I agree about adding extra height to the GF coop. I’ve done this simply and cheaply by putting it up on four hollow concrete blocks (half-blocks would be fine and would leave more room underneath.) You then either have to support the entry plank with another block, or simply use another wooden plank cut to size. They can hop up on to a raised plank, it doesn’t have to touch the ground, just be supported at the bottom end. I’ve found that it makes it easier to collect eggs and especially to get to the back of the coop for cleaning out, without having to bend down. Easier on your back if this is a problem, and as you say, the girls like getting under the coop for a natter and an afternoon snooze.

In response to Chris, to clean it out you simply open the two latches on the back end, visible in the photo, and lift it up and off, easy. The floor inside is flat and dirty bedding can just be swept out. A similar lid covers the nest boxes, and the whole nestbox unit can be removed and taken to bits for occasional cleaning.

I notice you mention the large lodge. Mine is the medium size, roomy for four hens, with two perches reaching side to side. It could take 5-6 if not from larger breeds.

 

[poly]

ooh...thank you..I hadn't thought of that!

Very tempting..I'll have a more thorough look later on. Thanks again 17

 

[poly]

Are there any examples online, of legs or a platform being made for the greenfrog Chicken house (one without legs)? Would it sit comfortably on a platform? I have plenty of wood I could make one with. I'd want to make sure it was secure though and not just going to slide about :shock: It's hard to tell from photos what the base is like.
Thanks

 

[Marigold]

If you have wood, tools and the necessary skills it would be easy to make a frame with legs and a top -either a flat table-top platform, or a frame to support the bottom edges of the coop. If you made a table-top platform it would of course improve access fir cleaning out etc, but it wouldn’t increase the height under the coop by so much, as you would shut off access from below to the area between the base of the frame and the coop floor. It might be easier to get your coop first, make it up, and plan it from there. You can see from my photo that the body of the coop is raised above the ground by about 10-15cms anyway, and that the bottom edges of the frame are about 1cm. thick. The whole thing is solid and heavy and would be as stable on a raised area as on the ground. It certainly wouldn’t slide around.

 

[Icemaiden]

We stood our Green Frog coop on breeze blocks- a stack of four under each corner. Because the ground in the run slopes (which helps with drainage), we dug out the ground where the blocks needed to go, to make them level. That way the coop sits flat. There's enough head room for the girls to use the space under the coop. It's especially popular when birds of prey fly over!

 

[poly]

Thanks, plenty to think about! I'm keen to make sure the space under the coop can be used so if I go for the greenfrog coop I'll see if I can make my own stand. The clever coop company have a template to use for making a stand for that coop and it doesn't look hard.

I have another question but I think I'll start a new thread!