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hang on a sec...

well we got this bargain chicken coop with large underrun for some bantams but we're thinking of prehaps getting a pair of buns now

i've just measured it and the coop itself is just over 4 ft in length and 3 ft deep which comes to a grand total of 12 square ft the recommend size of 6x2 ft is also 12 square ft
so i know this isn't perfect( too short in length) and we hope to get a different accomadation in the future but they'll have access to the large under run at all times and we'll attach extra runs to that so that the set up will be massive it'll take up most of our small garden! what do you think?! they'll be fed on a small amount of pellets unlimited hay, water veg/herbs/forage/grass all introduced carefully ofcourse be vaccinated and hopefully neutered aswell. they'll be cared for well and have lots of stimulating things to play with like tunnels and willow balls.

surely the set up will do?! do you think buns would chew the wood badly because as it's a chicken coop it's got quite a few edges which in my eyes look perfect for bunny nibbling if so how can I deter them? the wood is pretty soft and easily damaged but it's sturdy and we'll put lino down, i'm not quite sure what kind of wood it is though :? the wood has been treated on the outside ( not sure what with though hopefully it's safe for buns) but not on the inside I think so we could treat that with something bunny safe
 
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I've always thought chicken coops were inadequetly sized for rabbits. Yours doesn't sound very big. Personally I would get a little play house or something instead more suitable.

I would just wait rather than putting them in temporary accommodation.

Have you changed your mind about chickens?
 
I never understand why people dislike chicken coops on account of their size.
When you look at a hutch, generally the majority of the front is only meshed, and only the 'bedroom' area is fully enclosed, so in my mind the chicken coop actually provides more internal space.

Will keep an eye on this thread though as I've wondered about this for a while so happy to be enlightened!
 
Maybe pics would help people see what you mean and what the lay out will be? I will watch with interest as well as my chooks coop is a pretty good size and very solid, I would imagine it would be fine for a small pair of bunnies.
 
Daft question maybe....
Is it a hutch type rectangular coop or an ark type triangular one?
The triangular ones have a HUGE amount of UNUSABLE space due to angles and stuff.
Rectangular would be better but still not enough for 3 hops I don't think?
(maths isn't my strong point though:oops:)
 
I never understand why people dislike chicken coops on account of their size.
When you look at a hutch, generally the majority of the front is only meshed, and only the 'bedroom' area is fully enclosed, so in my mind the chicken coop actually provides more internal space.

Will keep an eye on this thread though as I've wondered about this for a while so happy to be enlightened!

Just generally speaking all the ones I've seen don't have enough space. Particularly the indoor area is too small.
OP says its 4ft in length so by guidelines it's too small for rabbits.
 
Daft question maybe....
Is it a hutch type rectangular coop or an ark type triangular one?
The triangular ones have a HUGE amount of UNUSABLE space due to angles and stuff.
Rectangular would be better but still not enough for 3 hops I don't think?
(maths isn't my strong point though:oops:)

It's rectangular and would allow for them to stand up fully on their back legs(periscope)and do a few hops. They won't proberbly be able to do binkies in the coop (base) but will have PLENTY of room in the runs and they might be able to free range in the garden aswel as having 24 hr access to the runs.
 
This is not a chicken coop (though im sure it would be ideal :lol:) but it sounds similar to what your describing. The measurements on the mini shed are just over 4.5ft x 4ft. The run is 4.5ft x 9ft

newhutch001.jpg


newhutch004.jpg


newhutch030.jpg


If this is the style of accomodation you refer to, i find it great. It is not the 6ft length its meant to be for a hutch, however, the shed bit acts as a bed area only as the foster girls are out in the run come rain or shine (i was lucky it sits against another shed and a fence so its enclosed majorly. And the two girls can binky in it.

Depends on the shape of the coop i guess :?, like others have said, pictures would be handy :D, but dont be put off by the "hutch" area as such, as i believe the surface area is more important (i.e. if someone had a 3ft hutch, but a 10ft x 10ft run its bigger surface area than just a hutch can provide and the hutch therefore only makes a base for shelter) :D.
 
I think as long as part of the run was sheltered too, then that would be okay :) If someone posted here with a massive covered aviary run and a 4 x 3 playhouse or something in it then I think people would be congratulating rather than complaning :?

It's just when people see 4ft, brain automatically goes into 'ahh too small' mode, when in-fact the total area is the same as a 6ft hutch, plus more of it is enclosed anyway! I should think that is better than a 6ft hutch, as long as it is placed into a 24/7, sheltered large run :thumb:
 
Thankyou the under run has got a roof too but as it's a run it's not enclosed from the sides but as we'll put it next to our garage or something it will be sheltered from the back too. :D And the set up looks a lot like yours catherine09 except that the run slopes from an angle from the top of the coop so that the the run is very tall(abit like an aviary) except for the bit under the coop which is about the same height as yours, hope you can understand! :D I can't upload pictures where I am atm :( so you will have to make do with how I explain. Also we'll add extra runs proberbly metal as they are cheaper and we can attach more together to make one big space( we don't have foxes etc here where I am). The shelter would only act as a bed area and room to place a litter tray for me too, maybe a water bottle or something would be handy to hang up in there as well though... and then we could put toys, hide-out and a water bowl etc... in the run.

Thanks for all your encouraging words as we cannot afford and do not have the space to add another hutch and run setup or shed set up in our small garden. And I do think it would be big enough for a pair of fairly small buns, it's also much bigger than what everyone else I know provides! :D
 
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I think as long as part of the run was sheltered too, then that would be okay :) If someone posted here with a massive covered aviary run and a 4 x 3 playhouse or something in it then I think people would be congratulating rather than complaning :?

It's just when people see 4ft, brain automatically goes into 'ahh too small' mode, when in-fact the total area is the same as a 6ft hutch, plus more of it is enclosed anyway! I should think that is better than a 6ft hutch, as long as it is placed into a 24/7, sheltered large run :thumb:

Thankyou. Sums it up well I think. :thumb: I was concerned about the length as far as the RWAF hop system goes but they can do more hops all round really and if they want to run around and fully stretch their legs they can pop through the door, hop down the ramp and run around the runs.
 
I never understand why people dislike chicken coops on account of their size.
When you look at a hutch, generally the majority of the front is only meshed, and only the 'bedroom' area is fully enclosed, so in my mind the chicken coop actually provides more internal space.

I think it depends on exactly what it is that is being described as a chicken coop. Most coops that people talk about on here are about 6x3 in total and have an enclosed area of about 2ft square. Even if the rest of the coop is covered with a roof, the remainder is exposed to the ground, which makes a huge difference to the amount of comfort given. Yes a hutch has an exposed front (although many people make covers for these against rain or very bad weather) but regardless it has a floor and 3 walls, which keep the bunnies dry and comfortable. Even if the run part of a coop is covered with a roof, seepage will get the floor wet in rain,and frost in the air will make it damp in winter, and concrete type surfaces also get very cold in winter whereas the raised wooden floor of a hutch and the fact that it is enclosed on three sides means that the surface for sitting on is much warmer and dry. It means that the useable area in poor weather is much greater, whereas in a standard coop, the only indoor area is likely to be used as a toilet and the bunnies therefore have nowhere clean and dry to stay in poor weather. Also many people (not all!) who buy coops think that they are a hutch and run combined and therefore don't give additional exercise, but they are usually only about 18 sq ft in total so aren't really big enough for permanent accommodation.

Obsessedwithanimals, can you show us a photo so we can see what it is like and whether we think it is or can easily be made suitable for bunnies? :D
 
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I think it depends on exactly what it is that is being described as a chicken coop. Most coops that people talk about on here are about 6x3 in total and have an enclosed area of about 2ft square. Even if the rest of the coop is covered with a roof, the remainder is exposed to the ground, which makes a huge difference to the amount of comfort given. Yes a hutch has an exposed front (although many people make covers for these against rain or very bad weather) but regardless it has a floor and 3 walls, which keep the bunnies dry and comfortable. Even if the run part of a coop is covered with a roof, seepage will get the floor wet in rain,and frost in the air will make it damp in winter, and concrete type surfaces also get very cold in winter whereas the raised wooden floor of a hutch and the fact that it is enclosed on three sides means that the surface for sitting on is much warmer and dry. It means that the useable area in poor weather is much greater, whereas in a standard coop, the only indoor area is likely to be used as a toilet and the bunnies therefore have nowhere clean and dry to stay in poor weather. Also many people (not all!) who buy coops think that they are a hutch and run combined and therefore don't give additional exercise, but they are usually only about 18 sq ft in total so aren't really big enough for permanent accommodation.

Obsessedwithanimals, can you show us a photo so we can see what it is like and whether we think it is or can easily be made suitable for bunnies? :D

Thanks for the explanation - I hadn't thought about it all being exposed to the floor but I can see that now. As you say though it would definitely depend on what exactly was being proposed.
 
I think as long as part of the run was sheltered too, then that would be okay :) If someone posted here with a massive covered aviary run and a 4 x 3 playhouse or something in it then I think people would be congratulating rather than complaning :?

It's just when people see 4ft, brain automatically goes into 'ahh too small' mode, when in-fact the total area is the same as a 6ft hutch, plus more of it is enclosed anyway! I should think that is better than a 6ft hutch, as long as it is placed into a 24/7, sheltered large run :thumb:

I agree with Catherine.

Even before I attached the Wendy to my coop I liked it, there was lots of bunny hopping going on, and as for the wet weather/cold slabs/damp air etc, my lot mostly like to sit outside [in snow and ice] even tho there are lots of large snugly places to sleep.

My coop now tho...

2011-10-09130440.jpg
 
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