Quote: The frame itself is a trampoline frame. My son's actually that he had since he was 2 (12yo now), my father bought it for him and he used it many years until it died (my son has autism, and we needed it for therapy, but couldn't get insurance approval at that time). The poles are actually from a canopy tent that the wind took during a major storm (the canopy itself was really nice, too bad it ripped when it flipped several times). I actually spent 350$ on just the wood, concrete, screws, nails, and some other needed tools (needed new drill bits etc), then I had to buy the chicken wire and wire to run across the top (hawks, owls, and other predator birds are a huge concern/issue here) which was another 70$. So it wasn't "cheap", but I got a lot more living area building it myself for a pretty reasonable price compared to the ones I was looking at that were prefabs. It's 6ft tall 8ft long, and 4ft wide. I want to expand it to an 8x8 when I can afford to, but right now it's not in the budget. I had odds and ends to buy too like the supports for the nesting shelves, supports to hang the feeder and waterer in the coop, supplies to make an interior latch on the exercise pen door (to keep them from escaping since I have a few that liked to try my patience with that), caulk, etc.
I DID repurpose a lot of stuff though, siding, windows, door, trampoline frame, poles, some plywood (plywood is expensive, thank goodness I had some laying around) to make the nesting shelves, baskets and bins to make the nesting bins, some hooks I had laying around to secure feeder/waterer in the coop.
I still need to buy paint, but I found some I can order for 15$ a gallon that I really want. It's on hold right now d/t the water heater dying (replaced) and now the water has decided to completely go (the pump was surging) and it's either the welstril tank and control box (which is still under warranty thank goodness) or it also ruined the pump so sorting through that right now.
I'm money poor (rich in love though), BUT I like to think outside the box and repurpose things rather than just throw them out. Once the rest of the camper is broken down we're going to see if we can save the trailer part, fix it, and maybe sell it to someone with a big truck who needs to haul stuff. IF it's not worth fixing it will just have to go for recycle or something.
