Coop idea to work through

[SandraMort]

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Of course. I just was trying to give info on my current level of experience.

 

[SandraMort]

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That sounds promising, less ugly and potentially cheap... where do I find information on such a beastie? How do I clean inside it after I procress?

What I would do is to pick up enough bales to go maybe three high.

How tall is that? I don't know the dimensions of the things at all. How heavy are the bales? How do I lift them on top of each other? What do I make the roof out of?

To make it a bit more safe, nail furing strips togather to form wood strapping around the bales. Make a simple frame to sit on the top with hardware cloth and covered with a tarp. Secure this with rope, wire, screws, ect.. to the framing around the bales and add a door of some sort.

I'll have to re-read this after I've slept.

Cheap, simple, and very warm is done right. Minor things can be done for security so that the bales stay togather and can not be pulled down.

Yes... but cool was my concern, too. Are these one shot deals that get replaced with each batch of meaties? In which case,, hwo much does hay cost?​

 

[SandraMort]

OHHH and how do you put a door on straw bales?

 

[chickenannie]

Sandra,
As someone who is completely inept at carpentry or handyman stuff who insists on re-using and re-cycling (me), I can totally relate. This is what I came up with -- consider these pics of my most recent "coops" a clear and graphic warning... take the chicken lady's advice and learn how to do it better!!! (scroll down to the bottom) https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=77624&p=8

 

[pkeeler]

A 4x8 SmartPanel is about $17. OSB can be had 4x8 for $7 (would have to be painted).

What's that in English? LOL

Two types of paneling. A SmartPanel is an engineered product which is about as easy as it gets. It looks like wood siding, is pre-primed, and has overlapping edges. You just nail it on. OSB is a new competitor to plywood. It is great as long as you can keep it from getting wet (use it under a roof or paint it). You can get a 4x8 1/2" panel for around $7 at Lowes or HD.

That was the original intention, but we were thinking it would end up being too warm for the summer. Do you disagree?

Yes, you would have to cut in windows with hardware cloth on them.

Putting siding on the pallets will make your structure stiffer than with hardware cloth covering. You could put plywood on the north and west walls and hardware cloth on the south and east walls. If you don't want to cut in windows. If your winters are warm, you could keep the west wall open too.​