So you may be wistfully staring at our range of chicken coops, imagining your feathered friends roaming freely around The Penthouse or The Mansion - but your hubby has other ideas. He can build you one of course! It’ll be faster, and probably half the price of buying a pre-made coop.
Well unfortunately for hubby, building a coop requires a great deal more than a few bits of timber and some wire thrown together. Before your hubby gets out the hammer and nails, ask him these simple questions - we guarantee by the end of it he will be ordering the coop for you!
1. Will it have cleaning trays?
Removeable cleaning trays are an absolute necessity when it comes to keeping your coop clean as a whistle. Our coops come with 30mm deep steel tray inserts that simply slide out, allowing you to easily clean the waste your chickens have produced - prevented the dreaded ‘poo trap’. Trust us when we say that is not something either of you will want to clean. If your coops don’t have cleaning trays, keeping the flock healthy and free from bacteria is going to be quite an effort!
We’ve engineered our coops to have the most optimal design - something that’s taken us time to perfect.
2. Does he have 2 weeks to build one?
DIY building projects are easier said than done. Even building a simple structure always takes longer than initially thought. Not only that, it requires serious manpower and architectural know-how. Throwing that in the mix with the trials and tribulations of everyday life - kids, sports, family events - is a recipe for stress!
Therefore building a structure as stylish and economical as a proper chicken coop will take weeks out of your schedule. Even longer if he’s a ‘measure once cut twice’ kind of guy! I’m sure we’re all familiar with the devastating moment that a seemingly stable DIY structure decides to spontaneously fall apart.
3. Will it be permanently fixed in position or can you easily move it around?
Your hubby may think that whatever structure he builds can be easily maneuvered around the yard with a little shove and some muscle, but the reality is that coops often weigh a lot more than you think. And if you ever move house, think of the packing nightmare you’ll have on your hands.
With our coops, simply unscrew the panels and off you go! The only thing needed to assemble and de-assemble is a power drill. Plus we sell mobility kits that have wheel structures especially designed to be fixed at the bottom of our coops, so you can move it around to your hearts content.
4. Will it be vermin and predator proof?
Foxes, snakes, quolls, goannas - all animals notorious for ruffling feathers, and also a nightmare to try and keep out of improperly made coops. You have to consider whether animals can burrow under it, make sure there are no gaps in the structure for sly creatures to sneak through, not to mention checking the space between the wires isn’t big enough for snakes, rats or mice to weasel their way in….the list goes on!
Trust us when we say that engineering the perfect coop to keep predators at bay is no easy feat. Predators such as foxes and goannas, and vermin like rats and mice are a nightmare to plan for. So we’ve done all the heavy lifting for you by installing animal proof locks and bolts to keep your flock safe.
5. Will it look as pretty as ours?
Look at this absolute beauty of a coop.
Is your hubby capable of such architectural magnificence? Maybe he is, but does he have the time or the tools? Not to mention the cost of raw materials?! Our coops aren’t only the most functional money can buy, but they are also the most stylish! They definitely make great garden features, and are generally just pleasing to the eye. One of our customers even commented - “My next-door neighbour told me when he has visitors he takes them out onto his balcony to show people the chicken coop, he asks first what they think it is, no-one has guessed that it is a chicken coop.”
So before your hubby picks up the hammer and nails, make sure he reads this article first! He may not be so enthused once he realizes how many considerations and design specifications go into the creation of a chicken coop.
Plus, once you have bought your coop, maybe your hubby will cook you eggs for breakfast!
