Building a cop cheap?

[nanirose]

Thank you for the advice. I am in Southern Oregon. I posted on Craigslist and free cycle. I have had one response with someone who has someone who has to 4X4s and some 2x4's So it is a start! I am going to check and around for some pallets also. I figure I have a couple weeks still till before this HAS to be done.

 

[rainbowgardens]

Don't worry about you and your son having no knowledge about building. Neither did I.

I just looked at the pictures people have posted showing their coops in construction and figured it out. Draw up rough plans of what you're shooting for.

Start with the floor framing, support and covering and move on to the walls next. Figure out where you want openings and put in studs for that. If it's a small coop, you may not need support studs for windows and doors.

You can do it!! It may not be as fancy as some of the coops here, but the important thing is that your chickens like it. Have faith in yourself. With your brain combined with your son's, you'll come out ahead of me!

 

[ducks4you]

I agree with joebryant---there are a lot of us who would happy to help you--where do you live?

Go right now to PROFILE/Personal, and type that in. It will immediately post with your login on ALL of your posts after you save it. Then we'll know...we're waiting.

DO you KNOW anybody close to you that can build, but needs a favor, like babysitting? I'm SURE that you are really stressed out with illness in the family.

Some folks are just gifted builders, and you could do a trade.
I'll be praying for your DH!

 

[CurlyLindsay]

Habitat for Humanity takes donations of construction leftovers and organizes and sells them cheap at their "re-stores" http://www.habitat.org/cd/env/restore_detail.aspx?place=73 there are quite a few in Oregon. That would be a good place to look.

I don't know what existing structures you already have, but I built my coop using heavy gauge horse-fencing panels (horse panels have small holes) and not a single screw or nail- it's all held together with zip ties.

I just arched a 16ft panel up and slid it into a 10ft wide opening in an old open-fronted out-building, and then used scraps of heavy gauge fencing panels to secure the front. Added a door out of the same and wa-la. Materials new would have been only about $75- but it has to have some kind of structure to go inside.