Is it just me?

[ChickBond 007]

Poultry housing is a "farm expense", and will contribute to lower my tax liability as I take a "loss" on my farm expenses this year. Basically a nice building will be a write off on my taxes.

So what do I get out of it? My farm looks nice, my chickens are well housed, and I am particular that my farm doesn't look "junky." And as far as charitable giving to those less fortunate, I do that through my church, a place where when people are down/out- they can get a hand-up instead of a hand-out.

I'm doing all I can to save my hard earned money from a government working hard to up my taxes. It takes a good tax advisor to get that done these days.

 

[oldchickenman]

heck our coops are built of the back of are outbuildings only need 2 sides that way we are building breeding pens off the back of one with palates we found for free old tin for roofs and solid wood doors we buy local habitat for humanityfor a few bucks we try to keep it cheep.

 

[aaronzclark]

You look at it like it is a bad thing for us to have fancy coops animals deserve a fairly decent home especially ones who give back eggs and meat but I am sure most of us worked hard to get up enough money for them in this day and age i am pretty sure no one could just go out and spend 1.5k on a coop most of us (I know I did) prolly had save up to get a coop for quite a while. some of us our in it for eggs and meat while others are in it for the hobby and for pets most people in it for the hobby would spend more money as they prolly enjoy them more. I hope and prayed what ever you situation is God will fix it

 

[Puck-Puck]

This is an interesting thread you've started, RoosterJerry. It's brought out a lot of well-reasoned responses that I wouldn't have guessed at...and some others not in that category, but I won't go there!

I think I understand your question, being really in two parts:
1. " Why go so far beyond a chicken's needs?" which many have answered well.
2. "Is there not a better use for the money, if one has it?" Perhaps you are thinking charity, or perhaps you are thinking of one's personal financial stewardship.

As far as the charity goes: some have given good answers, and others--well, you can't will people to change their viewpoints.

I do not envy being broke, but I value the resourcefulness it fosters and the creativity it engenders. You have happy hens and wholesome produce, and the opportunity to sell it. You're not likely to get rich from that, but the position you are in right now is a form of wealth in its own weird way. Your own resources and values are your best tools to success and independence.

As far as financial stewardship goes, I'm of the opinion that simply spending more money on something does not give it greater value. I'm not rolling in cash, so I try to reserve money for where it is needed, and use resourcefulness and creativity as far as they will take me--including building a chicken coop.

My coop-to-be was a saggy old shed full of junk that I emptied out. The junk is building materials that I have salvaged from demolitions, and I am using it to reconstruct the shed. The roof is re-used metal roofing, probably its third life. I had to buy more nails because I happen to have run low; and the hardware cloth wasn't cheap, but given the local predators, I consider it an investment in the chickens' safety. (What would be the point of having chickens if I didn't provide adequate protection?) With the fasteners, mesh, insulation, and building paper advised in my climate--or I would have dispensed with it--and the brooder bulb, I've probably got $150 invested in the coop, the run, and the brooder together. It's far more than I thought it would cost, though I could have bought the materials more cheaply if I'd spent more than the difference in gasoline!

Ah well. The coop is a one-time capital cost in a venture that will doubtless repay handsomely: if not in money (just hoping to break even), then in learning, health, neighbourliness, independence, and inspiration.

 

[Chicksdigit]

I am thankful everyday, that I was born and am living in America. In a country that is so awesomely wealthy that the ownership of chickens itself is not a measure of wealth. I am thankful that I can build a massive ornate expensive chicken house or as in my case a coop made of mostly recycled materials. I am thankful that we live in a country that allows us to do whatever it is that we want.
If our neighbors have made rules as in an association we can move. We can also build nice coops that are pleasant to look at and are appealing and cause others to maybe decide they want chickens as well.....

I believe chickens are esthetically pleasing and I am thankful I can have them.

Roosterjerry I hope your life improves to the degree that you can have a nice coop someday... then you can choose.

 

[JLMom]

Great question, and great thread!
I agree that I wonder about some of the really expensive coops out there.
I have a feeling that most of the beautiful coops we see on the BYC web pages were hand made, not purchased for $1500!

You also need to remember that it is not a scientific survey of what everyone's coop looks like. The nicer coops will be more heavily represented on the web pages. If you kill yourself for 3 months building the "Taj MaCoop" (as someone called them), you are WAY more likely to bother to put pics up for everyone to see. If you slap together something in a weekend with whatever you have lying around, you might not be so into posting a photo.
(Not to disparage the slapped together variety, I am into recycling/reusing)

And it bears repeating that many of these coops are in the suburbs. I really can't have my neighbors looking at some ramshakled thing everytime they go out to barbeque or have a party!

Just my $0.0

 

[melissastraka]

I wish i had pictures of my coops. I am a stay at home mom w/6 kids and my DH works very little and gets unemployment. with 6 kids under 8 money is always tight. we built all our coops from pallets, scrap boards ect. we live in an area that was booming before the economy fell so there is still a lot of unfinished homes that people give away the wood since it would b no good anymore for their uses. we are working on 10 breeding coops right now. all we bought was some nails,

 

[cindyanne1]

We do a lot of various building projects around here (we farm for a living) and have lots of materials like 2X4's, plywood sheeting, etc. left over that are stacked in barn lofts and other places around the farm. So, usually, my husband only has to buy a few things here and there when he starts a new project... and he never, never ever, buys anything like a chicken coop pre-made.

I would totally love to call up Lowe's and have them bring out one of those really nice wooden pre-made sheds with the window, etc. in it for $1200, but my husband would die.

Edited to add: about your point re: spending the money on something like charity instead. I have this issue myself, only MY pet peeve is professional sports. If, for only one month, all the money that would have gone toward professional sports in this country (players' salaries, money for transportation, money for tickets, tailgate parties, etc) went to something like cancer research... if only for ONE MONTH that happened... just imagine how much money that would be and what good that would do!

But... people spend $$ on what they deem important...

 

[chickens3]

I get what you mean i am not spending that much money on the coop i spent at least $30.00 and that is it.

 

[jenikay63]

RoosterJerry,
I understand your comments and also applaud you for finding a way to provide for yourself and others by raising fresh and local food.

With that said, raising chickens has been a desire of mine for several years. My husband is a skilled home builder so my coop is constructed very soundly and also is attractive and compliments the rest of the buildings on our property. I did feel bit guilty that I was spending so much on the chicken coop, run, chicks, feed, etc. so I have donated to World Hope International and the Rural Development fund to purchase several chickens for families in third-world countries.

http://www.worldhope.org/worldhope/aboutnew.htm


I would encourage others to do the same.