500.00 coop and run for 8 chickens? Can it be?

[Ms. Cluckingly]

HI yall!

So I'm just gunna get right to it. I have been pouring over the net for WEEKS looking for a coop for my girls. I have 8, and I'm not giving any of them up.

I need a coop that is large enough for all of them, especially in our Colorado winters. We can't make it ourselves because my husband is leaving next week for 2 months for training in Maryland, and I dont build. I tried to build a run a LONG time ago, and it came out lopsided (after a solid 150.00 worth of materials). I've looked all over craigslist, freecycle, and even the storage sheds at Lowes and Home Depot. I've even been calling around to try and find a HUGE plywood shipping crate.. and no one has them here. I'm SO burnt out, anyone have any ideas for the carpentry impaired who just wants to BUY one and be done with it, yet get it all for 500.00?

 

[sune42]

Hire someone to build it? I was looking for a decent 4x6 coop and couldn't find one for under $500, not to mention shipping would be insane. I have someone that DH works with that I am paying to build my coop. Good Luck.

 

[MotherJean]

Check out your local high school or community college. If they have voc-tech training in building/construction the instructor might be willing to take on the coop project as practical experience for the students. Give them $500 budget to cover labor and materials. I haven't done this with construction, but I have enjoyed inexpensive car repair that way. Perhaps you could contact your local 4H group? Maybe you can find a young person or several to take it on as a 4H project.

 

[Chickens-246]

If you find a shed offer on freecycle try offering some cash for it, this will set above the others that want it for free.

 

[wsmoak]

Find something you like online, then post a WANTED ad on your local Craigslist for someone to build it (or something similar) for you. Also post ads on community bulletin boards, etc. Somewhere there is a handyman who would like to earn some extra money.

But keep in mind... the chickens won't care if it's lopsided, and you'll get better at it with practice.

 

[fiberart57]

I live in the Grand Junction area and built a 4'x6' coop and a 60 sq ft run last year. I made it secure with hardware cloth and insulated in the house. I spent over $500 on materials alone and I don't think I could have paid any less.

I tried one with recycled lumber but I'm an amateur builder myself and trying to fit lopsided, twisted pieces of wood together was beyond me.

You might try Freecycle, put wanted ads on Craigslist or the newpapers. Good luck. I'm just telling you that I tried it with used materials and found it frustrating. Labor is expensive; people deserve to get paid for their time and energy. Do you have family or friends willing to barter labor for eggs or other things?

You might try to do it in stages. Get the house and run up, insulating the house can wait until fall.

Good luck, Mary

 

[rubyrogue]

I contacted the woodworking program at my college. One of the students built me my 6x6 coop for the cost of supplies. To cut down on the cost I collected pallets to use for the walls. I also shopped at my habitat ReStore. Then I used tpost and welded fencing for my run. It cost me a little over $200 for the coop and probably around $130 for my run. You can see pics on my BYC page.

 

[NellaBean]

My local Home Depot has a simple 8x8 wooden shed for $499.

 

[sune42]

Oh, I forgot to add. I was talking to a guy yesterday that owns a construction company. He said, go to where they are building a subdivision or something of the sort. Wait for them to finish framing the house, then dumpster dive. He said 99.9% of the time they don't care if you take stuff out of the dumpster, you can get good sized pieces of lumber and there usually isn't anything scary in construction dumpsters. Never thought I would say it, but I can't wait until my next off day so I can go dumpster diving.

 

[vfem]

I know someone in your neck of the woods... she may know someone who could build one for you. Her husband built her's but he is going off to Iraq for a year already and he won't be able to do it. But knowing someone who knows someone would probably work! If you were closer I know my husband could build you one.

Look here on BYC for user Heather88 she uses BYC sometimes and lives in Colorado springs.