Building a NEW Coop. Suggestions?

[lorijohnson823]

I am going to start building a new coop over the next couple of months. I was thinking about accumulating pieces here and there. Any suggestions where I can get cheap supplies for this new project of mine? Suggestions would be MUCH appreciated! I want to try to keep the cost as low as I possibly can.

 

[Erin~TheChickenLover]

Keep an eye on Craigslist. Sometimes you can pick up some great finds from there.

 

[SunnyAlberta]

How many birds do you want to keep?

 

[lorijohnson823]

I am getting 6 new chicks this fall for my new coop. But I definitely want room to grow. I already have 12 Silkies in my first coop, but I am excited to get some Large Fowl birds!

 

[SunnyAlberta]

You could build the coop from free pallets and the run from a dog kennel.

 

[ShakeragSusan]

The Habitat for Humanity Re-Store often has useful and inexpensive items. My primary chicken roost is an old oak banister railing that I bought for $5. I used the rest of it for a handrail by the people door to the coop. I've also bought hinges there. I know there are Re-Stores in Madisonville and Bowling Green. I don't know about Owensboro.

My other roost was a redbud tree we cut from the yard.

If you know anyone with a sawmill (WoodMizer or the like), you can probably get some less than perfect lumber or waney boards or slab wood for next to nothing. My dad has a Cook Portable Saw Mill.

Lowe's often has good paint discounted as "mistake paint." Walmart does, too, but the quality is lacking, IMO.

As for inexpensive nesting boxes, I am going to be using icing buckets from Walmart's bakery. My girls won't be laying for a couple of months so I haven't built them yet, but I do have the free buckets. There are plans everywhere for how to do a bucket nest box.

I wish I had bought more vinyl flooring as remnants. That's what I have under the roosts, along with Sweet PDZ.

We covered our run with 2" netting. I found it on Ebay and the prices varied considerably. So it might be worth watching and waiting. As I recall, I got 50' * 100' for under $100. It's great piece of mind, although it was a pain to put up.

I second the Craigslist or Freecycle.

 

[BigRooNTN]

You could also go around your local community's construction sites and see if you can have some of their scrap pieces. Tell them you will haul them off for free for them

. They have to pay to deposit it in the landfills so why not? I'm just saying............................

 

[Tony K T]

You can also go to home depot and lowes and buy their culled lumber.Don't pay the price they have marked,make them a reasonable offer.I got 10-2x12x16 pt for 120.00.These go for 35.97 ea,and they culled them at 180.00.I offered 120.00 and they sold them.Our store puts the culled lumber on the side of the building by the lumber door.
In N.H.,Tony.

 

[Monster 550]

If you have the time build a wall here, a wall there, a floor here, a roof there etc. This may not completely cut the cost down, but gives you time to save for more lumber and watch for deals. I built a 8'x7 1/2' coop and started with four 2x4's.