hey guys,I don't have chickens yet, and I haven't built a coop. I'm still in the planning phase and wondering if I might be overthinking this.
Most advice says to build the coop first, then bring birds home. But I've also heard that once you actually raise chickens, your understanding of space, airflow, cleaning, and predator protection changes a lot.
I've looked at ready made coops from brands like Omlet, SnapLock Formex, OverEZ, and even some budget options on Garvee just to study layout ideas. They all look thoughtfully designed, but I'm curious how they perform after months of weather, cleaning, and daily chores.
So I'm curious:
Is it better to design carefully before getting birds, or start small and adapt after observing them?Did your first setup end up being very different from what you thought you needed?Any advice would be appreciated!