In Ohio, anyone have an estimated cost of building a coop?

[OhioClucker]

this is one grow out tractor i use, it is approx. 8 feet by 8 feet. estimated cost of construction if you have to buy everything cost is about $50-60. this is just a grow out pen however, for older birds you would have to add a couple nest boxes. personally in your case i would build it taller, and enclose the bottom 2 or so feet up. if you build it 8x8 2 sheets exterior osb or plywood will do that just fine. i would add a door, and put on a metal roof (can be done later) overall cost is about $150-175 complete as mentioned. i have used these pens over the winter, you have to keep the snow knocked off. with the low design they hold in heat pretty well, i just used some old osb to block off 3 sides and faced the opening out of the wind. in southern ohio i didn't have any comb freeze in these pens with no added heat.


sorry i didn't take this picture to show the coop, only the chicks. i can get a better picture tomorrow.

edited to add: i do not use these for young birds over the winters. in early spring i do add some heat with younger birds (light shown on side of pic).

It doesn't need to match anything. Of course I would like to be pretty but I realize "pretty" means more money right now.
I like this idea. Is the access to the pen via the roof? I worried about them having somewhere to go for shelter but with summer coming they don't really need much shelter.

 

[aart]

Forgot to mention...it typically costs me about $150.00 to build a 4' x 8' coop/run.

Could you post a pic of your $150 coop/run?

 

[wayne hulgan]

I'm in Ohio (heart of Amish Country!) and needing to build a coop for a good price! I got chicken wire on sale for $20 for 36" by 50ft (nabbed two of them!). I have six chicks and I know I need a minimum of 36 sq ft.
So can anyone give me an estimated cost of materials?
OR suggestions on how I can do it step by step and complete it during by the end of August?

you will need hardware cloth to cover your windows in the coop, if you have coons, they will just tear out the chicken wire. or reach through and grab your chickens.
chicken wire is good to keep chickens in but it will not keep varmits out.
cost of building just depends on how hard you want to work. Do you want to go down to the Home Dept and buy everything? Do you want to invest time and hunt around and pick up free things. (scrap lumber and such) I have 2 coops, one was built mostly with store bought materials, (4x8) wife says $400 bucks. The other was built using mostly used stuff. I only bought hardware cloth, screws and wheels. (its a tractor). The wheels and wire cost about 50 bucks at the TSC. Guess what I am saying is, the coop will cost as much as you want to put in it. My wife says $400 is too much for a chicken house, but it sure looks good, even she thinks so.

 

[RollinWithTheStones]

Craigslist is a good place to get cheap materials or even a free shed.

 

[loveourbirds]

It doesn't need to match anything. Of course I would like to be pretty but I realize "pretty" means more money right now.
I like this idea. Is the access to the pen via the roof? I worried about them having somewhere to go for shelter but with summer coming they don't really need much shelter.

yes, the access in this is through the roof. if I make any more I am going to make them 4 feet tall and put in a small door. to build an 8x8 run as shown with new materials you would need, 11- 8 foot 2x4s and a 10x12 tarp 1 roll of 2 foot wire. I use bungee cords to hold the top down on the opening. to make it 4 feet tall, the difference would be 1 more 2x4 and 4 foot wire instead of 2.

as far as coon go, pee around your coop. most coon will not cross that smell as they realize its not their territory. dogs also help, but can get your chickens. if I were worried about coon or other animals getting into my coop I would buy a cheap fence charger and run a line close to the ground and a foot or so up. make sure to keep it insulated from your poultry netting.

again this will cost a bit more. but you can get 1x2 wire 2 feet and 3 feet wide from tsc, menards, or rural king. this wire is 16 gauge (typically). it would keep out pretty much anything but a weasel or aggressive dog. unless you can find a good grade, I would not recommend hardware cloth this close to the ground-its great for windows, but its not much heavier than poultry netting and fairly easy to break through for larger predators.

one other trick I use is buying 2x4 welded wire and putting poultry netting against it. the 2x4 wire is fairly inexpensive for its durability, but it allows a lot through. the poultry netting against it will defiantly slow down a predator.

another idea I thought of for you last night, if you can find pallets (usually free or cheap) you could simply nail some of them together. I do recommend covering it with something as (here) I find more of my predators come from above than on the ground.

pens can definatly vary in cost, I have some trio pens I built for $25. I have a breeder's set up that's not finished and im in over $10,000.

 

[Aime137]

Could you post a pic of your $150 coop/run?

Here it is. It is 4 x 8 with varied height for the sloped roof, the highest part, I think, is 5'. I initially housed bantams in it but now have 2 juvinile LF Cochin cockerels using it. They are starting to get too large though and are pooping in the feeders when they are on the roosts, so I'll be making some coop swaps soon. The slope it sits on causes the feeders to hang too close to the roost.

 

[OhioClucker]

you will need hardware cloth to cover your windows in the coop, if you have coons, they will just tear out the chicken wire. or reach through and grab your chickens.
chicken wire is good to keep chickens in but it will not keep varmits out.
cost of building just depends on how hard you want to work. Do you want to go down to the Home Dept and buy everything? Do you want to invest time and hunt around and pick up free things. (scrap lumber and such) I have 2 coops, one was built mostly with store bought materials, (4x8) wife says $400 bucks. The other was built using mostly used stuff. I only bought hardware cloth, screws and wheels. (its a tractor). The wheels and wire cost about 50 bucks at the TSC. Guess what I am saying is, the coop will cost as much as you want to put in it. My wife says $400 is too much for a chicken house, but it sure looks good, even she thinks so.

I was so excited to find the chicken wire for cheaper then what I originally priced. Dang! This morning I did put some feelers out on FreeCycle to see if there is anyone in the community who has building supplies they would like to get rid of. I did wander out to an company who makes chicken coops today. $900 was the cheapest without tax or delivery fee. AH!

I did check out Craigslist, but didn't come up with anything. I am going to keep checking back daily to see if there is anything new posted.

 

[OhioClucker]

yes, the access in this is through the roof. if I make any more I am going to make them 4 feet tall and put in a small door. to build an 8x8 run as shown with new materials you would need, 11- 8 foot 2x4s and a 10x12 tarp 1 roll of 2 foot wire. I use bungee cords to hold the top down on the opening. to make it 4 feet tall, the difference would be 1 more 2x4 and 4 foot wire instead of 2.

as far as coon go, pee around your coop. most coon will not cross that smell as they realize its not their territory. dogs also help, but can get your chickens. if I were worried about coon or other animals getting into my coop I would buy a cheap fence charger and run a line close to the ground and a foot or so up. make sure to keep it insulated from your poultry netting.

again this will cost a bit more. but you can get 1x2 wire 2 feet and 3 feet wide from tsc, menards, or rural king. this wire is 16 gauge (typically). it would keep out pretty much anything but a weasel or aggressive dog. unless you can find a good grade, I would not recommend hardware cloth this close to the ground-its great for windows, but its not much heavier than poultry netting and fairly easy to break through for larger predators.

one other trick I use is buying 2x4 welded wire and putting poultry netting against it. the 2x4 wire is fairly inexpensive for its durability, but it allows a lot through. the poultry netting against it will defiantly slow down a predator.

another idea I thought of for you last night, if you can find pallets (usually free or cheap) you could simply nail some of them together. I do recommend covering it with something as (here) I find more of my predators come from above than on the ground.

pens can definatly vary in cost, I have some trio pens I built for $25. I have a breeder's set up that's not finished and im in over $10,000.

Thank you for your help!!!

 

[el pollo rey]

yes, the access in this is through the roof. if I make any more I am going to make them 4 feet tall and put in a small door. to build an 8x8 run as shown with new materials you would need, 11- 8 foot 2x4s and a 10x12 tarp 1 roll of 2 foot wire. I use bungee cords to hold the top down on the opening. to make it 4 feet tall, the difference would be 1 more 2x4 and 4 foot wire instead of 2.

as far as coon go, pee around your coop. most coon will not cross that smell as they realize its not their territory. dogs also help, but can get your chickens. if I were worried about coon or other animals getting into my coop I would buy a cheap fence charger and run a line close to the ground and a foot or so up. make sure to keep it insulated from your poultry netting.

again this will cost a bit more. but you can get 1x2 wire 2 feet and 3 feet wide from tsc, menards, or rural king. this wire is 16 gauge (typically). it would keep out pretty much anything but a weasel or aggressive dog. unless you can find a good grade, I would not recommend hardware cloth this close to the ground-its great for windows, but its not much heavier than poultry netting and fairly easy to break through for larger predators. 

one other trick I use is buying 2x4 welded wire and putting poultry netting against it. the 2x4 wire is fairly inexpensive for its durability, but it allows a lot through. the poultry netting against it will defiantly slow down a predator.

another idea I thought of for you last night, if you can find pallets (usually free or cheap) you could simply nail some of them together. I do recommend covering it with something as (here) I find more of my predators come from above than on the ground.

pens can definatly vary in cost, I have some trio pens I built for $25. I have a breeder's set up that's not finished and im in over $10,000.

. Does the wife say it's over 20 k lol

 

[aart]

Here it is. It is 4 x 8 with varied height for the sloped roof, the highest part, I think, is 5'. I initially housed bantams in it but now have 2 juvinile LF Cochin cockerels using it. They are starting to get too large though and are pooping in the feeders when they are on the roosts, so I'll be making some coop swaps soon. The slope it sits on causes the feeders to hang too close to the roost.

Nice, thanks! All new material?