Originally Posted by
Beekissed 
Never heard of a Roto-zip...could you post a pic?
Here's a portable coop I just finished~took me 10 days. Now, I must tell you that this is a "lady-build" coop, so there isn't a square angle or level board in the whole thing, I'd wager~I've no discernible carpentry skills.
I used a hammer, drill, and a sawsall. Most of the materials are new but some odd pieces of scrap lumber are in there as well.
This is the first coop I've ever built, so I made quite a few mistakes but I've found that chickens don't care. It's 8x 10 and will have hay bales along the inside walls this winter, will house 20 birds but will only be holding 8.
I haven't done the final tally on the cost as of yet but it falls just over $200, give or take a dollar or two. It would have been more expensive in just additional wire overlay but I don't have to worry about preds so much as just holding in the birds when I wish to, so plastic mesh was used. They will be free ranging out of this, so no run necessary.
The base is treated lumber, the cap has plastic attached to firring strips, then the tarp, also secured with firring strips. I used some old tongue in groove to frame the outside access doors and some old tomato stakes for bracing. It's pretty heavy, so must be moved with a vehicle to new locations. The nest boxes are lined with thick cardboard for insulation and their front comes completely off for cleaning. Roosts, waterers and feeders will be added later when the layers are installed.
The first residents will be 50 CX chicks that will free range out of it...they are currently ensconced in it, as we speak, in a brooder formed of hay bales.
, however it took a weekend to put it together (not including the building it was a standing shed), however I did build a run.
