Rant: I had to choose between a cheap coop kit or building my own from scratch

Back in 2015, I was setting up my first flock in Lansing and faced a real choice: buy a $200 prefab coop or spend a weekend and about $150 in lumber building my own. I went with the kit, thinking it would be easier. It fell apart after two Michigan winters, the thin wood warping and the latch breaking. I ended up rebuilding it myself anyway, but with heavier materials. Anyone else regret their first coop decision and have to start over?

2 comments

2 Comments

williamh4812d ago

Did you look at any of the kit's hardware before buying it? Those little screws and thin hinges are always the first thing to go. I've found they never use outdoor-rated fasteners.

nancy41812d ago

Remember that cheap greenhouse I got from a big box store years ago? The frame was fine but the hardware turned to rust after one wet season. I had to replace every single hinge and latch with stainless steel from the hardware store, which cost almost as much as the kit itself. It felt like buying the same thing twice.