1000 (11).jpg

You may want to ask the hubs before you barrow all his tools and scraps.
I was given free rains to the tools and materials. ;)


This is a 1 day project. If you paint the frame first, 2 days.

I have a batch of chicks that will need houseing untill they are large enough to add to our current flock in the main coop. I also had no money to spend, hmmmm. time to get crafty. We just got a new bed and I was wanting to do something with the queen sized boxspring. Got a frame allready and didn't know it. This is my fist big build on my own, 100% on my own. I like it that way though.

So here's what you need:
Any sized boxspring stripped down to the wood.
Plywood and or metal sheet.
Screws.
Chicken wire.
Some scrap boards.
Paint.
Staples and staple gun.

Tools:
Saws and lots of them, lol.
Drill.

Saws that I used:
Skill saw. (circular)< For the long big cut of the plywood.>
Sawzall. <For the perch.>
Table saw. <To split the boards to size.>
Jig Saw. <To cut the small spots on the plywood and to be honest, recut where I mismeasured.>
Mitre saw. <This cut the boards to length.>

What I would do differently!
Paint the frome first. ;)


Here are some different angles of the finished product. Remember, my first by my self build!









Here goes.

Strip the material and padding off of the bed. Remove a couple of the top slats to use for raiseing it.
Measure how highh you want to raise it and cut some of your pieces of slats to size. Make sure you measure out where you want them places so you will have enough of the. Split any larger boards you find for extra materials to same width. You will want extras for the braces.



Attatch your pieces, see pic. At the top and end of the frame there may not be a board to attatch the piece to. I just used one of my extra pieces to add one.





Now, add some corner support with those extra pieces.



Now it's time to measure out and cut the wire. Be sure to leave skirt to either burry or curl down to protect the chickies from preditors. Leave room at the end where you want the little gate to go.
Attatch it all.


Measure out some rabbit wire or whatever you want to use and attatch a flap. I put a wood strip at the end for weight and to use as a handle. I'll be useing a bunge coard to keep shut. You may be able to come up with a better plan. If you use the flap, leave plenty fence around the sides to lay over the frame to help protect from preditors.





Now the enclosure.
Measure and cut your plywood and or metal to cover the back and sides. Attatch.


Now the inside. You want to leave enough of an opening when you measure for them to go in and out.
Cut your piece and measure out where the slats will need to be cut out. Grab some of those extra pieces of wood to brace it in place. Attatch those where you want them and then attatch the board.



Remember those end braces in the middle you had to attatch? You will want to add another brace to the top on top of the wire to support it.



Let's scrounge the burn pile for a nice branch. Measure how long you want it and be sure to cut a small piece to attatch it at the free end to the roof-perch. Screw it in well. You will want to make it low enough so there is plenty head room.


Time to paint! Paint it on thick. :)


Now, if you want this thing moveable, some training weels work great!







Let the paint dry and enjoy a free home for the bitties to fill in safely! Pat yourself on the back for repurposeing so many materials, saveing landfill space, and doing it all by your self!

I wanted a strip of wood to add to the bottom of the wire. But i had 2 reasions for not adding ti. I not only didn't have enough wood, but the main reasion is because our land it extreamly hilly. Not at all flat! I can move the coop and adjust the levalness of the wire to the height of the ground. I may later on add it, but higher off the ground. About an inch or two. That way it will have extra support and still have my skirting to adjust.

Now I just need some more materials!​