Chicken Coop cost

[rugbyman]

I want to build a chicken coop in my backyard. I want to have like 4-5 chickens. I don't want anything fancy i just want a coop. How much would it probably cost me?

 

[ARose4Heaven]

Ahh! a newbie. WELCOME. Have you raised chickens before?

I am sure someone will give you the minimum requirement per hen ( I can't remember it just now) When they do, keep in mind that Coop size should ALWAYS be twice the size recommended for the number of birds you plan to keep. This is due to a natural phenomena called "chicken math". It matters not what you plan to do... your flock will expand.

Cost is another matter. There are those that have spent $0 on their coop, and it is just beautiful. There are some that buy ready-made coops and they are beautiful as well. Then there are those of us that just start with a little bit of nothing...putter at it over time and end up with function, but still just an ugly old henhouse. As seen on my BYC page. I think most budget somewhere between $100 and $2000. It all depends on how meticulous and dedicated you are to the task. More important than the cost is the fun! Chickens are definitely FUN.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=4271025
I think you would like this thread.

 

[Egg Rookie 2010]

I do everything ridiculous over board and Im spending like $600. But the last few days I have seen some WAY awesome coops made of pallets! They are nearly free with a little elbow grease and really neat looking too! Something for everyone!

 

[patandchickens]

Anywhere between free and hideously expensive.

Seriously.

If you are on a tight budget for this project, spend some time first scrounging up materials (pallets, plywood, 2x lumber pieces, and anything else relevant you can find.) Then take stock of whatcha got and figure out how best to make it into a coop.

The hardest thing to scrounge, especially in urban or suburban areas, is wire mesh suitable for the run. So you may have to buy that 'full retail'. Cost will depend on what size run you want, and what kind of mesh you use, but you could go price it in your area now so you know what ballpark you're in. I would recommend STOUT 1x1 or 1/2"-hardwarecloth for a small knee-height run; for a walk-in size run, if you are on a budget I would recommend using good stout 2x4 mesh fencing with something smaller-holed added along the bottom. Also remember to figure in the cost of some means of keeping digging predators out -- an apron of wire mesh or scavenged pavers/rubble is often good.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[lighthawk]

Welcome to BYC.
Fact is you can spend as much or as little as your budget allows. I highly recommend going to the coop section and looking at all the coops that fit your size requirement and see what others have done to build thiers. You may also want to go and look at other coops in your area and talk to the owners. They can give you excellent advice for the specific weather conditions in your area. If you don't know anyone personally you might talk with the local feed store clerk and ask them if they could refer you to someone. Don't be in a big hurry because you only want to have to build it once and there are a ton of factors that you need to consider prior to driving the first nail. I spent an entire winter just looking at others coops before I came up with a coop to fit my own needs. Good luck.

 

[sheila3935]

We started with a 6x8 coop my DH made me with bits of wood we had lying around. He made it for me for mothers day. Got me 2 RIR's from my neighbor. Then we went to an auction and bought 6 more RIR's. I wanted some different ones, so I went to a farm and bought 6 BR 10 day old chicks. Didnt have a brooder so used an old bird cage to raise them in. When they were ready to go outside we found a lady that was getting rid of a large 3 side cage made of hardware cloth that was on the side of a pigeon coop, so that became my first grow out coop. As the babies grew and needed more room I took over DH metal shed and converted it to the grow out coop. I ordered 10 chicks from Ideal hatchery but it was too hot for shipping chicks and they all died, so I went to another farm and got 5 more 2 BA's and 3 mixes. We got a wooden shed give to us for free needed a little work but with an add on became the grow out coop. Added on to the original coop to make it 16x6. And the shed coop in 14x6. With chicken math we now have 23 chickens and 2 ducks outside and 3 cochin bantams 2 bearded belgin D'anvers and 2 ducklings inside and 14 eggs right now in the incubator. I have hatched out 35 chicks this winter and sold most of them. So see chicken math does happen so prepare in advance for it. We have spent probably about 200.00 on adding onto the coops.

 

[Morgan7782]

I am currently building my own 8x8 chicken coop, well a friend is building it for me and I am helping where I can. So far we have spent about... 400.00 and we have all the wood, primer paint, hardware, ect. We just got the rest yesterday. Well, the roofing is going to be the kicker, corrogated roofing is about 100.00 off the bat for the size roof I will have, so we are still trying to think of some good roofing idea's that won't cost so much.

All the wood was bought at home depot, and it is good quality. 400.00 includes all wood needed to build 8x8 coop, floor roof everything. I will probably finish with closing costs of about... 525.00ish or around there somewhere depending on what roofing costs. But coops that are 8x6 or 8x8 sell for 1800-2500 EASY so I am pretty happy with what these expenses have been. And it is well built with good quality wood (because it is a walk in shed type coop)

 

[speckledhen]

I have a cute little hexagonal coop made almost entirely from scraps from a log home building site. Bought roll roofing and paint and that was it. Cost about $60 total and is super cute, I think. We call it The Firetower because it look like some forestry service towers we've seen around here.

 

[Morgan7782]

It does totally look like a little fire tower in the forest! LOL Awesome. I wonder if putting a little Smokey The Bear statue would scare the chickens hahaha