Today's post is a Product Review of a Tractor Supply chicken coop. Having raised chickens off and on (mostly on) for over twenty years no expert but definitely have a few tips on the subject. I'll get right to the review.
Disclosure: This coop was purchased by me. As always a truthful review no matter how I've acquired the item.
I love Tractor Supply!We were able to order and do curbside pickup on the same day! The convenience is out of this world besides it is a fun place to visit anytime! Now on with the Review.
Producer's Pride Sentinel Coop Product Review
PROS:
The coop is very cute!
Walls are reinforced for strength
The steel run should last longer than the types of wood offered in these hobby coops. It should give added strength and protection from predators. I really like the metal run it is a great safety feature and one of the best on the coop! Added predator protection and hopefully long-term stability even if it rusts.
The doors on each side of the coop make for easier collecting of chickens or doing daily chores inside the coop. Good idea!
I really like the placement of the nesting boxes it will be convenient when collecting all of the farm-fresh eggs. The closing lock latchon the nesting egg-laying box is great!
The metal slide-out tray slides with ease which is a plus in these small coops when cleaning. see *note below*
CONS:
No Ventilation Window or Vent!
The first and most important flaw with this particular coop is no ventilation window or vents at all! Ventilation is extremely important when housing the chickens inside.
You shouldn't have to keep the doors wide open on both sides to keep them cool enough for them to survive!
( I have baby chicks and they are panting daily in this SC heat of over 90 degrees this week! I've had to open both doors and prop something under the nest box just to keep them alive!)
Needless to say, I've had to run round and round to gather up the new chicks and put them back in for safety at night.
If you are handy and can cut out a window or vent with wire for predator protection then you are lucky because it will need one.
There is a gap underneath the slide-in bottom tray. A flaw and big enough that if you have snakes or mice they can get inside *however the good with this is it may offer a small amount of ventilation*
One of my roof sections came with puckered asphalt. It probably won't last long and may rot quickly. (update from writing this review yesterday the roofing on top of the nest box is puckering badly as well). Inferior roofing asphalt.
Crazy Run Door Placement Plus the Ramp Falls Down!
We actually need two, The coop run is extremely small and a small child would have trouble getting inside.
My current situation: The ramp's loose attachment slides off and falls especially when the chickens grow. Mine at the moment is down and I'm not crawling around on all fours in chicken poop to fix it. I'll have to come up with a better way to keep it secured. Maybe hinges and screws.
New Young Chicks Can't Be Shut Up In Coop To Get Them Used To New Environment!
They need to get acclimated to their new surrounding this makes it harder not to be able to shut them up or gather them in for the night.
They've been sleeping huddled underneath the house in the small underneath run and there is no way for me to get them in.
(I'm glad we have them inside of a 10 x 10 chain link pen which is inside of a huge chain-linked fence for all. We have many predators out here in the country.)
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So far so good hopefully they will learn to go up into the house and roost. **UPDATE: With perseverance, I've gotten them to go inside at night to roost.**
The door latches are extremely hard to maneuver! We had to also pry them out and straighten them up to make the even work.
The 'Hinge Support' underneath the sides of the nesting box topwhich holds the lid up issharp as a razor and I've cut several fingers! That is a hazardous situation. Even when you become aware of it if you are gathering up wild chickens you forget so be very careful when locking and unlocking them in!
The Roosting Bar Bracketsthat hold the bar in place in the coop are crooked so when they roost it falls easily! Not good!
The Coop Size will not be large enough at all for more than 2 large size chickens 3 small breeds at all! Any chicken would need more room to move around and live comfortably. The size is way too small. I'll add pictures with my chickens as they grow to show you what I mean.
OVERALL RATING:
I like the coop for this temporary situation and hope it will last for a while at least. It was not very expensive and easy to purchase and pick up.
Everything has its downfalls with time we will see with this product.
I advise you to cut a window or venting into this coop.
This will be a Fair Review with Additional Ventilation Work and forethought as to how to handle new chicks in the coop! Be sure if you are interested in this coop to read all of the notes.
I'll update this post if anything new develops for you to know.
Question: Would I recommend it? Answer: I'm not quite sure this one has me stumped knowing what I know now would I purchase again? I just don't know. Think about it read all of the notes and you decide.
RESULTS:
FAIR WITH STIPULATIONS: If you make needed adjustments to the coop.
I'll leave you with a video of the coop here
flexclip program helped in making this video easy and fun!
We own another Tractor Supply Coop he Homestead Coop and it is rated more highly. Not sure if they even still carry it but you can read more about that review here.
