Costs of a coop?

[speedy2020]

If you don't plan to keep your chicken long, the pallet would be fine. I think the wood at the bottom would rotten within 5 years. For that reason, I did not use pallet on my and would refer it is 20-24" off ground with cement blocks support. I just like thing to last 20+ years so don't have to deal with it for long time. I also utilize the bottom for mother hen with chicks, sick chickens, rooster, chicken hiding place for rainy day, etc.... .

 

[morgan36]

I have several coops thatI made of whole pallets I coverd the side with some old wood that I got from taking down one of my neighbors old barns and I left one with it open for the hot summer and just put wire around it

 

[BCollie]

So, a coop with 3 sides being pallets, one side being open(covered with wire) ..And then just nail a tarp or something over it in winter? How does that work?
We get VERY hot summers here

 

[BCollie]

If you don't plan to keep your chicken long, the pallet would be fine. I think the wood at the bottom would rotten within 5 years. For that reason, I did not use pallet on my and would refer it is 20-24" off ground with cement blocks support. I just like thing to last 20+ years so don't have to deal with it for long time. I also utilize the bottom for mother hen with chicks, sick chickens, rooster, chicken hiding place for rainy day, etc.... .

Why would the wood on the bottom rot?

 

[3KillerBs]

It really depends on your climate.

Here in the steamy southeast wood in contact with the ground is either eaten by the carpenter ants and the termites or rotted away by the abundant bacteria and fungi that thrive in warm, damp soil.

In cooler climates neither the wood-eating insects nor the bacteria and fungi are as aggressive.

In very dry climates wood in contact with the ground will last much longer.

 

[BCollie]

I'm not planning on having my coop on the ground, I want it a couple feet off the ground. Especially because when it rains here, it POURS, so if the coop was on the ground it would get flooded. I've heard a good way to raise it up is with cement blocks? Are those expensive?

 

[NightHawk123]

2-5 dollars per block. Not to bad. Ground contact treated 4x4 would work to. Blocks would be a bit easier to set up.

 

[BCollie]

2-5 dollars per block. Not to bad. Ground contact treated 4x4 would work to. Blocks would be a bit easier to set up.

That's what I was thinking. How high off the ground should my coop be?

 

[NightHawk123]

Any height that keeps it dry is great. I like to build my coops high enough a chicken can walk under. It makes good shade. Good place to put feeders as well.

 

[BCollie]

That is exactly what I was thinking! Nice weather-proof, shaded spot. So maybe 2 or 3 feet up?

How about access to the coop? I know the chickens don't need a huge door to get in/out, but I will obviously need access to the coop for cleaning. So how big should the door be?
And nest boxes...Is it best to put them inside the coop, or hanging out of the coop as a kind of attachment?
I was thinking of using 3 milk crates inside a 4x6 coop?