coop cost justification

[Blooie]

I think I have you all beat. I mortgaged my coop.
We built our house in 2010. All the material I used to build our coop is leftover from the home build project. The home (and the material to build it) was mortgaged. So by default, the coop is now part of our $100,000+ mortgage.
Just depends how you want to look at it.

 

[Whoops]

I was cost-conscious as well - I found a free huge dog house on Craig's list that I reassembled and I keep making improvements to.

Everyone has different factors to consider: I have a dog that would kill them, so the chicken enclosure has to be dog proof, but the three dogs keep most predators away. I have what the doctor suspects is gallbladder problems and no money for the tests and surgery. Eggs seem to be a protein source that my insides can handle, so a ready source of quality ones is much more valuable to me, personally, than the going rate of $3 or $4 a dozen.

It is a hobby, and they are pets for me, though. Plus, I have dogs that do agility, and flyball, so I guess I am somewhat inured to the idea of pets costing money. When I brought them home, I accepted responsibility for their care. So, I attempt to make the best choices I can with the resources I have available.

 

[meralgia]

I need to resurrect this thread... I just did the calculations on my reclaimed and recycled coop. It is anything but cheap. In fact my recycled coop is proving to be rather expensive:

bookcase 1 free $0.00 coop
coop framing (treated wood) 1 free $0.00 coop
garage doors 4 free $0.00 coop
legs (maple) 8 free $0.00 coop
plywood 1 free $0.00 coop
3" paintbrush 1 1.14 $1.14 coop
3/4" staples 1 2.98 $2.98 coop
3" paintbrush 1 3.97 $3.97 coop
2 deckmate screw 1 6.93 $6.93 coop
cedar fence boards 3 2.35 $7.05 coop
construction adhesive 2 4.57 $9.14 coop
1 5/8 deckmate screw 2 6.93 $13.86 coop
2" corner brace (four pack) 5 2.87 $14.35 coop framing in el and sunroom
1 qt exterior paint 1 17.98 $17.98 coop
5/16 x 3 lag screws 1 19.2 $19.20 coop
caulk (DAP 3.0) 3 7.48 $22.44 coop
2x4x10 treated wood, cedar-look 4 5.67 $22.68 coop framing in el
3 deckmate screw 4 6.93 $27.72 coop
1 1/8 x 1 1/8 pine edging 24.58 1.53 $37.61 coop
1 gal exterior paint 1 39.98 $39.98 coop
2x2x8 treated wood, cedar-look 12 3.77 $45.24 coop
15/32 x 4 x 8 treated plywood 2 27.97 $55.94 coop floor, roof, etc
2x2x8 treated wood 24 3.57 $85.68 coop framing
underground electrical wire 0.5 coop
box to house GFCI 1 coop
GFCI 1 coop
cover for box to house GFCI 1 coop
red lamp 1 coop
red lamp receptacle 1 coop
timer for red lamp 1 coop
bails of hay 4 free $0.00 enclosure
bi-fold doors (white, metal) 2 free $0.00 enclosure
posts (maple) 4 free $0.00 enclosure
rigid tie connector 4 0.88 $3.52 enclosure door framing
2x4x8 treated wood, cedar-look 2 3.87 $7.74 enclosure door frame
chicken wire 1 22.69 $22.69 enclosure
cedar fence boards 20 1.2 $24.00 enclosure
cedar fence boards 20 1.2 $24.00 enclosure
concrete deck blocks 4 6.4 $25.60 enclosure
shutters, burgandy 6 5 $30.00 enclosure
2x4x10 treated wood, cedar-look 7 4.57 $31.99 enclosure door framing

As you noted, the most expensive items are shingles and hardware cloth. I put them on the "returns" list (not listed here). I should be able to find the 25' length of hardware cloth (instead of the 50' length I bought... I still have some on hand from building the rabbit cages). Also, I hope to find shingles that someone bought too many of (at a reduced cost to me).

I agree with the comment "we plan on having chickens forever", and I know that I enjoy keeping rabbits, so why not the chickens as well! I go through a minimum of eight store-bought eggs per week so I know that the four or five hens that we're hoping to get in August will produce that amount soon. I am a crafter as well, and yes, we tend to spend way too much on yarn and fiber for spinning. I've sold items at a few craft shows, and few people really appreciates the amount of time and investment spent on what I'm selling. Nonetheless, I get the sense of satisfaction knowing that I've done it myself.

Those were the costs, now here are the benefits (the "justification" of the OP's thread title):

I tend to invest heavily in my hobbies and projects, especially during the winter as it offsets the cost of anti-depression medications! And although my early-forty-something body is frequently feeling achy, the exercise of building the coop, hauling feed year round, hauling water in the winter are the most important benefits of all. Farm work keeps my joints moving and my muscles strong. In fact, a friend about my age came over the other day to buy rabbit manure, and she could barely lift the 35# bag. Despite my aches and pains, I felt quite proud of my abilities to lift the bags without much huffing and puffing and hope that continues for many years to come! : )

 

[nayeli]

I need to resurrect this thread... I just did the calculations on my reclaimed and recycled coop. It is anything but cheap. In fact my recycled coop is proving to be rather expensive:

bookcase 1 free $0.00 coop
coop framing (treated wood) 1 free $0.00 coop
garage doors 4 free $0.00 coop
legs (maple) 8 free $0.00 coop
plywood 1 free $0.00 coop
3" paintbrush 1 1.14 $1.14 coop
3/4" staples 1 2.98 $2.98 coop
3" paintbrush 1 3.97 $3.97 coop
2 deckmate screw 1 6.93 $6.93 coop
cedar fence boards 3 2.35 $7.05 coop
construction adhesive 2 4.57 $9.14 coop
1 5/8 deckmate screw 2 6.93 $13.86 coop
2" corner brace (four pack) 5 2.87 $14.35 coop framing in el and sunroom
1 qt exterior paint 1 17.98 $17.98 coop
5/16 x 3 lag screws 1 19.2 $19.20 coop
caulk (DAP 3.0) 3 7.48 $22.44 coop
2x4x10 treated wood, cedar-look 4 5.67 $22.68 coop framing in el
3 deckmate screw 4 6.93 $27.72 coop
1 1/8 x 1 1/8 pine edging 24.58 1.53 $37.61 coop
1 gal exterior paint 1 39.98 $39.98 coop
2x2x8 treated wood, cedar-look 12 3.77 $45.24 coop
15/32 x 4 x 8 treated plywood 2 27.97 $55.94 coop floor, roof, etc
2x2x8 treated wood 24 3.57 $85.68 coop framing
underground electrical wire 0.5 coop
box to house GFCI 1 coop
GFCI 1 coop
cover for box to house GFCI 1 coop
red lamp 1 coop
red lamp receptacle 1 coop
timer for red lamp 1 coop
bails of hay 4 free $0.00 enclosure
bi-fold doors (white, metal) 2 free $0.00 enclosure
posts (maple) 4 free $0.00 enclosure
rigid tie connector 4 0.88 $3.52 enclosure door framing
2x4x8 treated wood, cedar-look 2 3.87 $7.74 enclosure door frame
chicken wire 1 22.69 $22.69 enclosure
cedar fence boards 20 1.2 $24.00 enclosure
cedar fence boards 20 1.2 $24.00 enclosure
concrete deck blocks 4 6.4 $25.60 enclosure
shutters, burgandy 6 5 $30.00 enclosure
2x4x10 treated wood, cedar-look 7 4.57 $31.99 enclosure door framing

As you noted, the most expensive items are shingles and hardware cloth. I put them on the "returns" list (not listed here). I should be able to find the 25' length of hardware cloth (instead of the 50' length I bought... I still have some on hand from building the rabbit cages). Also, I hope to find shingles that someone bought too many of (at a reduced cost to me).

I agree with the comment "we plan on having chickens forever", and I know that I enjoy keeping rabbits, so why not the chickens as well! I go through a minimum of eight store-bought eggs per week so I know that the four or five hens that we're hoping to get in August will produce that amount soon. I am a crafter as well, and yes, we tend to spend way too much on yarn and fiber for spinning. I've sold items at a few craft shows, and few people really appreciates the amount of time and investment spent on what I'm selling. Nonetheless, I get the sense of satisfaction knowing that I've done it myself.

Those were the costs, now here are the benefits (the "justification" of the OP's thread title):

I tend to invest heavily in my hobbies and projects, especially during the winter as it offsets the cost of anti-depression medications! And although my early-forty-something body is frequently feeling achy, the exercise of building the coop, hauling feed year round, hauling water in the winter are the most important benefits of all. Farm work keeps my joints moving and my muscles strong. In fact, a friend about my age came over the other day to buy rabbit manure, and she could barely lift the 35# bag. Despite my aches and pains, I felt quite proud of my abilities to lift the bags without much huffing and puffing and hope that continues for many years to come! : )

I know home depot often has the shingles on 1/2 off near me by the cull wood. You should look at yours!

 

[bustedchicks]

@meralgiaI was fortu thank you for posting the break down of cost. I was fortune enough with an existing structure and supplies to keep cost near zero. My problem is with in such luxury bird accommodations I keep buying more and more birds which means more feed cost!
Thats why the 2 turkeys are named Yummy and Lunch Meat haha

 

[RonP]

Ok, I estimate my coop and run cost me ~$500 to build.

At minimum wage, I probably invested $19,500 of my time these past 5 years enjoying my birds.

$4,000 a year to keep my family in eggs.....Priceless.