That old wire coop my neighbor gave me vs the $400 kit from Tractor Supply

I started with a nice prefab coop from Tractor Supply about 3 years ago and it looked great but the wood rotted out in like 18 months. Then my neighbor down the street in Portland said he had an old coop built out of welded wire and salvaged cedar fence boards that he'd used for 12 years. I took it home, pressure washed it, replaced 2 roosts for $15 total, and it's been solid through two rainy winters now. Anyone else had better luck with hand-me-down gear than the shiny new stuff?

2 comments

2 Comments

angela8903d ago

Oh man, the shiny stuff is just not built like it used to be. I swear those Tractor Supply coops look amazing in the box but fall apart so fast. Your neighbor's old wire coop sounds way smarter since it's mostly metal and cedar already. A little elbow grease and you've got something that'll probably outlast you. I'm totally with you on the hand-me-down stuff being way tougher.

tessa_rivera3d ago

My dad's old hen house from the 90s is still standing strong with just a few patch jobs, so I had the same thought when I saw those cheap kits at the store. A little sanding and some fresh paint on that cedar and you'll have a fortress.