Cost of building my own coop?

[djackjr]

This won't be till the spring but thought I would start asking questions. Figureing the coop will be for about 8 hens. Will a 10x12 building be big enough? May convert my old shed then add a covered run of about 10x10? Just have to figure out where to put all my yard tools then lol. Anyways new to this chicken stuff, had em as a kid a long time ago and tired of paying over $3.00 bucks a dozen for eggs. Figure the extra eggs I will sell on the side to supplement feed costs. What should the covered run be built out of? to protect from raccoons my biggest problem out here in the woods....

Thanks
Dennis

 

[LynneP]

I'm so glad you will have a covered run. If you surround it with hardware cloth and bury some below the frame (underground) you should have great bioprotection. We have a raccoon living in our barn (Mary) and we raccoon-proofed against her with an indoor porch between the barn aisle and the coop and by using hardware cloth. You can see how we did this in the link below.


You probably understand that even using some recycled materials that this is a substantial investment. Our first egg was worth about $1200, but we have a secure coop and great eggs!

 

[cjeanean]

That's a HUGE coop! Just think of all the extra chickens you could fit in there....LOL! I built a 4x4x16 coop with OSB and 2x4's, and without the shingles it came to about $250. It's as simple as can be, 2 thick pieces of osb for the floor, four for the 16 ft sides, 1 cut in half for the 4ft side, and 5 sheets for the roof. Plus all the framing stuff. It's not cheap!

 

[Sugar Sand Farm]

Hi Dennis and Welcome Take a look at the coops and runs here on BYC We live in the woods as well. Our runs are 2x4inch welded wire. We also dig down 2 feet and bury the wire so nothing can dig in. You will also need a top. Coons can climb as well as dig. The top of our run is also 2x4 inch welded wire. We also put 2 feet of 1 inch chicken wire on the inside of the run so they cant reach inside the wire. I have heard of many chickens losing their heads that way. Start checking for recycled building supplies now. We just finished a 22'x12' coop that is divided into three separate coops and a 15 foot attached run divided into three separate runs for under $700.00 Alot of our supplies were recycled and it really saves you a bundle. Check out Craigslist and freecycle.org in your area We got enough roofing shingles to roof the coop,rabbit hutch,goose house,duck house and three goat houses for free. Hope this gives you some ideas Micki

 

[Heather J]

I wish I had been able to get freecycle stuff like micki did, but we're very rural and don't have a local list. We're still working on an 8x12 and we're upwards of $1,500 right now, but we're separating it into three coops plus some feed space and a loft overhead for storage.

 

[patandchickens]

I think a 10x12 shed would be a WONDERFUL coop for 'just' 8 chickens. I know most people around here figure 4 sq ft per chicken (or even less) of indoor space, but I just really think they look MUCH happier with a lot more room. That would give you like 15 sq ft per chicken, indoors (plus more space in the run), which is comparable to some of my pens and better than others, and I really think the chickens enjoy themselves a lot more that way. So I would ENCOURAGE doing it

For the run, either put an actual roof on it, or some sort of rafter-like supports (can be much further apart) with 2x4" welded wire mesh on 'em. You could go with 1x1" welded wire if you also wanted to keep out sparrows and squirrels and such, but it is more expensive.

Have fun

,

Pat

 

[djackjr]

Thanks for the info everyone. I was thinking of taking the back 3 feet and walling it off with a new outside door to store feed and stuff. So that would make more 10 by 9 instead maybe go up to 12 chickens..more eggs that way

 

[Chick_a_dee]

Expensive.

Lol, We're renovating an existing building, an old ice shed from the early 1900s, and we've already spent over $1000.00 doing it, that includes paint, sheathing (osb), siding, windows, cement, etc. We haven't even done the run yet, but we have some materials left over from re-doing our front porch, and fencing at our old house, and we still need a front door for the coop, lighting, get the electrician in to hook the coop up to power again, install lights, etc.

 

[Renee]

Hi there and welcome!

I put a materials list and prices at the end of my coop page. The henhouse proper is 3x5 and the run is 7x5.

Here's the link:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=10059

Your idea for storage is excellent. This is one thing we did right: building in storage.

Be sure to read about chickens per foot ratios here in detail before buying any peeps. My neighbors have a big coop, 12x12, with 16 chickens and they have a feather-plucking and cannibalism problem. Oh, I guess it's 15 chickens now.

Renee

 

[djackjr]

Thanks for the tips guys. Ok out cleaning the shed today first time in 6 years. Had to go by a mask found mouse ick everywhere in the back where I never go lol.... Found five nests all dead though...no live ones!!! Going to have to find where they are getting in at and plug the holes!!!