ideas for economical coop...

[Anny]

Some places will give you pallets for free, and some of them have nice wood on them. I also go to reuse centers and habitat for a home places that have old windows, wood, vents, fenceing and stuff from burned down/torn down/or what ever homes.

 

[eggzettera]

I work @ a printing company & we get paper delivered on pallets so we have a ton in the back. Call around to your local printers see if they have any to get rid of. We have a ton here..

 

[morelcabin]

If you go around to construction sites where they are building new homes they will often give you scrap wood. Here's an idea from way up Northern Canada. They take leftover 2x4 pieces and build sheds with them simply by using them as you would use building blocks or bricks. You can use longer peices, but stagger them. This also adds 4" of insulation value to the wall. It is time consuming but the result is actually quite stunning once it stained or painted.

 

[Chirpy]

Craigslist can be a treasure site if you keep a close watch on it and are the first to respond to ads. You can also post a wanted ad there for the things you are looking for.

Freecycle is also a great resource but, again, you have to stay on top if you want to be the first one to respond.

Building sites, especially commercial buildings, are great. Just talk to the job foreman and get permission and you can often find lots of pieces of wood for free.

 

[mom wewantchicks!]

im in the same baot as you! we had what i thought was a perfectly good coop right on our property until i started looking on here!!! now i think my chicks will be living in a dump lol! we just need to do a few "renovations" and i have called all the local lumber yards, tell them what you are doing and they will probably be more than happy to let you come and pick stuff up for free! at least they have with me! im off tommorow to see what i will find!

 

[smom1976]

so tonight we went to soccer and one of the kids parents is a contractor.. good source for the future too

but anyway he had a bunch of shingles about 3/4 of a pallet at the bottom of his truck he is going to the dump tomorrow and is going to save the rest of the shingles for me for the coop.. I thought that was nice but I am going to start asking around.. I also found another source.. for those looking for 5 gal buckets .. I was told fast food resturants get their pickles in them and either give them away or sell them for like a dollar .... so try a fast food place for the plastic buckets..

 

[digitS']

I built a shed and a coop about 10 years ago with cedar fence boards so as to match my fence. The technique used is called "board and batten." The fence boards were new but they certainly didn't need to be.

In fact, the original fence is beginning to show its age and I'm thinking of replacing it. When I do, I'll have enuf fence boards, rails, and posts to build 2 more coops.

Steve

 

[dangerouschicken]

I needed low-cost, too, so this is what I did.

I found the med-large doghouse on Craig's List for $5 and repainted it with plastic-use spray paint to look like a little barn. It just goes inside whatever run or pen you build. It was first used for 5 bantams, and now it is in the duck pen. 3 full-sized chickens would be fine in it. I assembled the chicken's no-wood run with hog rings, then set it firmly in place with rebar for support. The duck pen was made in 2 hours using ripties and metal fencing posts. I recommend the second method, as it was VERY easy and quick to do. The wire was found around our farm, but buying a roll or two won't cost you much. Close your wire doors with mini-bungee cords (found at Home Depot) or carabiner clips or a combo of both. Good luck!

 

[conny63malies]

check your local craigslist or freecycle for leftover building materials or put a request for them in. The house we bought came with lots of extra siding a glass. I gave all the glass away for free.

 

[Anny]

Another idea that I am planning on doing to save money that might help you, is I'm planning on building my coop into the walls of my garage. So I'll will not need at much wood.

Plus I have alot of scrap wood around my house.

Hit up constrution dumpsters for wood and nails.