A couple of questions for coop

[ChickenSahib]

So my pallet coop is under construction and I'll post some pictures eventually.

A few questions before that though:

I want to put some sort of clear material on the roof so the light can shine in rather than putting in windows since they are a bit expensive. What material could I use for this? Keep in mind I want it to be cost effective as I don't have much cash to work with.

And... What are some cheap roofing material that I could use?

Also, where could I get some good sand for the coop? I've decided to use sand for easy of cleaning.

Furthermore, how would I construct nest boxes and then attach them to the coop?

And...what's the cheapest run that I could build? I have a ton of extra pallets and I plan on taking them apart to get at the 2x4 in them. Should I go all hardware cloth? Chicken wire and hardware cloth apron?


Thanks!

 

[Hawkeye95]

Quote:
Lowes has clear corrugated roof panels that are Clear plastic for like $15 a piece. I don't know if that will make the coop too hot though? Just think about it. Lowes also has Ondura roofing which is like a corrugated tar paper kind of roof- looks like tin. The (clear and solid color) plastic roof sheets are even cheaper- and you might want to check out their corrugated metal. It was all pretty reasonable. They also have sand... or you can check with your local rock quary. However, I'd want 'clean' sand that wouldn't have bugs, etc in it. So I'd probably buy the sand in bags at your farm store or some place like Lowes or Home Depot.

I just finished framing out my nest boxes... if you look under my Profile picture, and then click on "View my BYC Page" you can see how I built mine. I'm going to cover it in plywood.. which will then have siding over it. There are a lot of other nest boxes people have built- check out the Coop section for more great ideas! Personally- one of the best built (IMO) is called the "Wichita Cabin Coop". Here is the link: https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=66725-wichita-cabin-coop Check out how he made his nest box.

Here's a GREAT picture of someone's apron that I am in love with! Check this out: https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=5772535

Hope that points you in the right direction and gives you some more ideas.

 

[ChickenSahib]

I was thinking more along the lines of something like a permanent sunroof sort of thing?