$100 coop and run

[poultryluvr18]

I have a very difficult challenge. I want to build a new coop for my new breeding flock of Partridge Chanteclers to separate them from my layers. I want to have about 9-10 hens and a rooster. I'm thinking a shorter coop so it's up out of my Idaho wind and about 7'X6' with a slanted roof. The problem is, I can't spend over $100 on the coop and run combined. I think I have some ideas to keep the coop cost lower, so my main problem will be creating a sturdy run to keep out cyotes and wild dogs without spending a bunch of money on it. However, any advice people could give me would be greatly appreciated!! Thank you

 

[darkmatter]

Quote:
Look around for whatever you can find for salvage, then adjust your plans to use what you have.

 

[auto5man]

agree with darkmatter. Haunt craigslist, look all over for reclaimed materials, hafta think outside the box. I have two coop builds in progress using mostly palletwood that I took apart, also have stopped on many a curb to pick up what people have put on the street as trash after their remodel/addition/fence teardown is complete. I am about 3/4 done with both and have spent about 50 dollars so far. My big coop is 6x4 feet, smaller one is 3x4. Keep reading this site on the coop run and design forum as the ideas are tremendous, I got most of my ideas here. Linoleum remnant 10.00 from Lowe's, 1/2 gallon white semi gloss paint from home depot 5.00, re-using nails from the fences I took apart...lotta xtra work but cheap! I never even knew about looking for things like that till I started frequenting backyard chickens

 

[Urbanchickenranchers]

Craigslist, Freecycle in your area, ask friends and family to clean out their garage/storage sheds. Also habitat for humanity has local stores that sell off extra materials they gather for really cheap!

 

[chriscos]

In the unlikely event that there is new construction going on in your area, talk to the guys building. A lot of times they have a dumpster there and are throwing all the scrap wood in it. More often than not they are happy to let you pull out a few boards, pieces of plywood.

 

[Shayna]

If you know anyone in construction, see if you can go through where they dispose of the leftover materials they have. Craigslist is a great resource for getting scraps cheap or free. Also, many businesses, especially furniture places, have pallets free for the taking - often they'll post on CL too. I've seen amazing coop plans made entirely out of pallets. I think it's neat and I'd love to do it... Except I don't have the means to haul that many pallets easily and I don't have the patience to rip them apart one by one.

 

[poultryluvr18]

Well, I think I've changed my mind about the size and usage of the coop (and there's sure to be many more), but everything you're saying are good ideas!! There are actually lots of houses being built within 10 miles of my house so I can ask about scrap wood there. Especially since I know the guy that owns one of the companies that builds them

Thanks so much!

 

[inohio]

I just looked on craigslist and there's a free mobile home listed... people are tired of paying lot rent. They call it a 'fixer-uper' but I bet they'd be shocked if someone took it for a hen house...

 

[itom37]

You can sometimes find free pallets on the side of the road, in construction site trash bins, and I bet if you asked home improvement stores, they'd give em away. You can dismantle some to make the pallets "solid" wood, using intact ones as structure.