How much did it cost you to build your chicken coop?

[injunjoe]

Quote:
Wow they look wonderful! Great job, both design and paint! Very nice!

Joe

 

[SandraMort]

Stupid newbie question time here: I was thinking chickens would *SAVE* me money! Is it even possible? My family eats at least 2-3 dozen eggs a week, sometimes more, so I was thinking 8-10 chickens for us and a few to share.

 

[mudshark]

Mine is 6 1/2' x 5' and was pretty much free as wood from skips and freecycle:

Build on my thread here:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=52779&p=1

 

[dangerouschicken]

Sandra, sounds right, actually. I think you'll do well. Remember, when they start laying, you can supplement the cost of feed by giving them grasses, dandelions, table scraps, windfall fruit, etc. Doing this does save us money. And you can always sell a few eggs rather than give them away

1. How big is your coop?

Main coop is 6' x 8' with a 3' x 9' run.

2. How many birds does it fit comfortably?

12- 15

3. How much did you pay for it/or how much did it cost you to build it?

The coop, nesting boxes, and roost were all free. I only had to pay for the 1/2" hardware cloth for the run. Total cost was about $25.00

4. Did you have to buy retail for supplies or did you use any free/recycled parts?

Coop free, nesting boxes/roost free, hardware cloth from Home Depot.

5. Post a picture of the outside and the inside.

Outside:

Inside:

Edited to add: my BYC coop page has more of my coops/runs and their stories

https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=1971

 

[Hangin Wit My Peeps]

Nice topic! We spent right around $800 bucks to build our 8x8 coop/run area with insulation double walls (live in WI) electric run to it, and a large run. Here is a link to the pics of that coop run area.

You will have to scroll down to the end of the entry as the pic of the coop is at the end.

http://journals.aol.com/breakaway1968/hangin-wit-my-peeps/#Entry2522

Here is links while it was in progress:

http://journals.aol.com/breakaway1968/hangin-wit-my-peeps/#Entry2520

http://journals.aol.com/breakaway1968/hangin-wit-my-peeps/#Entry2522

Forgot to add that all this was purchased new at Menards except the paint sealer which we got from the inlaws. And we are planning on keeping 15 - 20 chickens in there...some bantam.

 

[speckledhen]

Quote:
Wow they look wonderful! Great job, both design and paint! Very nice!

Joe

Thank you, Joe.

Forgot to mention that there is electricity in the original coop and the addition. I have another L shaped shed we built that eventually had an 8x8 section turned into another coop and broody pen.

 

[teddiliza]

This is so much fun reading! I never thought when I read that original 'Free range eggs in your backyard' article from Mother Earth News that I'd ever spend this much money on having my own chickens! I guess it's no more expensive than some of my previous hobbies.

I am loving all these pictures, it's like the coop catalog for window shoppers. Thank you all for your responses thus far!

 

[Anny]

I believe I have bought all the material I should need.

And Its come to a total of about $160

Although the coop isn't done being built yet and I might have some building surprises that increase the cost, hopefully I wont.

My coop is 4'x6' designed for about 3-4 hens. It's build inside of my garage. Which saved me some money.

I bought a small window at a recycle reuse center for only $8

I got a huge pile of 4 foot 2x4's for about $5 from a construction site.

I also already had a bunch of screws and nails and other hardware laying around.

I plan on using left over paint from the living room to paint the outside.

the coop is only this far done though haha. Hopfully I will not have to buy anything else.

 

[Jubaby]

The Hen Hilton is 8 X 10, run is 20 X 10. It houses about 20 chickens. We went a little overboard and spent about $2000 on it.

Here's some photos:

 

[teddiliza]

How cute! I see you have a windbreak for them. $2000 is still cheaper than most of those 'precut/predrilled sheds' I gotta love the weather vane.