Describe 'Super Frugal Chicken Coop' here
We didn't want to spend much on our first chicken venture so we made a secure enclosure and then used an old cupboard from the end of some unused bunk beds as the little henhouse. My husband turned it on its side and then used scrap and salvaged pieces to finish it. Literally the whole enclosure cost less than $150. We have to buy another roll of hardware cloth and the cover for shade and rain protection still. We decided to go over the chicken wire with hardware cloth for safety. The bottoms are done but we ran out of the first roll.
The house portion is basic and because we are in SoCal they will not have to be locked in other than at night to sleep. During the day they can come out of the house and into the run or the backyard for free ranging when I am watching over them.
We put five vent holes on the sides and top and will add one at the end too I think. Nesting boxes are under in the cubby underneath and one under the ramp. I come in here several times a day so I will check for eggs when I visit them. I lined the bottom with old vinyl flooring from the garage so I can slide it out for a scrubbing. They have 30 inches of head space inside and though high roosts would be ideal they seem to enjoy the logs and climb right on at night. I only have three hens. The cupboard is almost four feet long.
Don't laugh too hard I know it is sort of ugly but for now they are happy and maybe in the future we will improve on their home but I didn't want to spend a ton of money for first timers in case things didn't work out or we decided this wasn't for us. I don't think that will happen as I love those chickens and chicken keeping. Thanks for looking.
We didn't want to spend much on our first chicken venture so we made a secure enclosure and then used an old cupboard from the end of some unused bunk beds as the little henhouse. My husband turned it on its side and then used scrap and salvaged pieces to finish it. Literally the whole enclosure cost less than $150. We have to buy another roll of hardware cloth and the cover for shade and rain protection still. We decided to go over the chicken wire with hardware cloth for safety. The bottoms are done but we ran out of the first roll.
The house portion is basic and because we are in SoCal they will not have to be locked in other than at night to sleep. During the day they can come out of the house and into the run or the backyard for free ranging when I am watching over them.
We put five vent holes on the sides and top and will add one at the end too I think. Nesting boxes are under in the cubby underneath and one under the ramp. I come in here several times a day so I will check for eggs when I visit them. I lined the bottom with old vinyl flooring from the garage so I can slide it out for a scrubbing. They have 30 inches of head space inside and though high roosts would be ideal they seem to enjoy the logs and climb right on at night. I only have three hens. The cupboard is almost four feet long.
Don't laugh too hard I know it is sort of ugly but for now they are happy and maybe in the future we will improve on their home but I didn't want to spend a ton of money for first timers in case things didn't work out or we decided this wasn't for us. I don't think that will happen as I love those chickens and chicken keeping. Thanks for looking.
