I need LOTS of help..

[havi]

Okay, looks as if DH is NOT going to help me! I am having to do this on my own. Here is what I have going on:

My run will be made out of cattle panels. I think they are 4ft tall by 15 ft long. I have 4 of these and then 2 utility panels. Which I think are 5 ft tall and 15 ft long? Not real sure, these were all bought at TSC. Then I will have the hardwire(1inx1in) on the panels.

The coop, Im not sure how big it needs to be. I have 6 chickens that will be living in there.


I have some wood in the backyard, mostly 1x6 boards. I also have long sheets of tin. And trying to save money and help the earth, I would like to somehow use these things first.

Does anyone know of plans that go into detail about everything. Like I said, hubby will not be helping me and I have NEVER done this kinda thing before! I have looked on the Coop Designs on here, but none really go into detail about framing and everything. I can only go so far on the pictures.


Any and all help would be great! Thanks

 

[LinckHillPoultry]

Is your hubby good with making plans?

For EX., you could take pictures of the runs supplied by BYC'ers and you can plan it out to suit the amount of supplies you have.

 

[havi]

Quote:
No he is pretty much clueless on this as well. Plus at this time, I dont think I can ask him to help with anything with these chickens.


Out of all the coops, this one https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=2328 is by far my favorite!! I would love to do something like this, but kinda low on money. And like I said, I have a bunch of 1x6's in the backyard. I was thinking where they used T11(or whatever its called) I could use tin.

 

[havi]

Okay here is a huge problem Im running into. I need to be able to get into the run and the coop. What I was originally thinking, was to just have two doors on the coop. Looking sorta like this..

But the 2nd door takes up room where nest or a perch could go. Which would be easier? Having two doors or just one on the coop and then somehow having a door on the cattle panels?

 

[Acre of Blessings]

You need to go with what suits you best. If it's easier for you to have 2 doors on the coop, then go that way. i dont see where you will loose much space. Maybe you can attach the Waterer or the feeder on the back of the 2nd door so that space will be useful. Just some ideas. I might do the 2 door on the coop myself.

 

[ascott1978]

Can you set-up one of the cattle panels so that it swings out. Basically having it serve as a pen wall and a door / gate at the same time.

 

[Tutter]

You can do it, I know you can.

So, how pressing is this? Do you have time to advertise for componants?

I need to build a new coop because we had snow...we usually get very little, and it caused 18 trees to fall, at once. They hit the coop. (We had no hens lost or injured, we were very, very lucky.)

My $'s are running low, too, and besides, I prefer to recycle where possible. So I'm putting an ad into a free paper here, asking for good, or even new, wood. Maybe people have leftover from projects, odd sizes etc. Also, hardware and hardware cloth, dog runs etc. I am trying for free, or not paying much. Sometimes people just want to make space by getting rid of things they aren't using.

I'm also going to a mill here, and asking about free/cheap wood, maybe wane. (sp?)

Could you do something like that, so you'd have more materials, without spending much/anything?

Also, I was thinking, what if you framed the walls and such, then had a couple of people you know/are related to, over to help get it together, like a barn raising? You could have some food afterwards, maybe a bar-b-que...?

I looked at the coop you gave the link to, and can see why you'd like it. If materials become an issue, there is a modification you might be able to make. Being that you live in what I imagine is mostly a good weather climate, you could not make the 'A' roof. Perhaps you could change it to a slanted flat roof?

The windows in the front are mobile home windows. Do you have a junk yard, or some place people send mobile homes, or even travel trailers, when they are being gotten rid of? They might let you take what you want off of one for free, or a small cost.

I do like those side windows, and might add them to my design.

Anyway, take anything I say with a handful of salt, I'm not an expert, which is probably very obvious

but I'll do my best to come up with ideas if I can, and maybe one will help out.

Keep talking, if we all do, this thing will get built!

 

[patandchickens]

It partly depends on how you think you'll set up and use the coop and run.

If the food and/or water will be outside in the run, you will definitely have to get into the run on a frequent basis; thus, i would plan for a Real Door into the run, be it thru the coop (harder to get a wheelbarrow thru) or thru the far end of the run (inconvenient if spare food, or water faucet, are located in coop, but no problem otherwise).

If both food AND water will be located in the coop, you won't necessarily have to get into the run so often, thus the earlier suggestion of having the end panel of the run be detachable to let you thru is a good one.

If you do end up with a door from coop into run, you will not lose much space for chicken furnishings if you make the door swing OUT into the run. Also, nest boxes can be made external to the coop (the kind that protrude out from the walls, you know?) if you are short on floor space.

Actually though, since you have materials for a pretty good-sized run, you could consider just making a reach-in (box) style coop, which would also be simpler to construct and take less materials. For 6 chickens, you would only need something on the order of a 4x6 box, I'd make it 4' high. Especially if you provide another source of shade for the run. If you raised the coop up on posts they could get shade underneath it as well. (The less time they *need* to be inside the coop, the less of a big deal small size is). It would have either a roof that hinges up or a side that hinges out, for you to reach in to clean, deal with chickens, etc. It would sit fully inside the run. That way the only real door you'd have to build would be to the run itself -- and I would recommend framing in an actual wood-and-mesh door for that purpose, since you would be using it at least once a day.

Good luck,

Pat

 

[ascott1978]

For freebies, check Craigslist in your area. People always getting rid of stuff there. Also check materials, a lot of discounts there.

 

[Cetawin]

Check freecycle and craigslist for materials

I would not use tin on the outside...I see you are in Texas and that tin may create a very hot environment for them. Just a thought for you.

Good luck....you can do it. You are a woman and therefore you can do whatever you put your mind to.