We will be starting a new and our final coop in a few weeks. While I would like to say that we will spare no expense, the budget does need to be minded. That said, I will save where I can, so I can put money into things like hardware cloth and a good foundation and so forth.
We will have to buy 4x4s, cement, cinder blocks, hardware cloth, siding, plywood, hardware and roofing, so I will be trying to save money in other areas. We will be doing the siding of the coop in the dog ear fence boards as they are reasonably priced and will look cute. I have 4 vintage windows I salvaged from a 1930's mountain cabin and 4 screens as well that could be lined with hardware cloth or even have glass installed in them which would then give me 8 windows. I also have an old, long narrow window circa the 1940s that I saved from our cottage.
I have an old wooden ladder that was free, that I currently use for a roost and will be painting that and putting it in our new coop as well. We do have some 2x4s that we saved when we took down an old shed on our property and I am hoping they can be used in framing out the coop or on the roof. As for nest boxes, I will be using an old dining room hutch that I got for $20. I wanted exterior nest boxes, but I know that would drive my husband nuts trying to build them so I will settle for inside nests with outside access doors. We also have an old picnic table bench in our current coop that several of the girls like to perch on, so that too will be getting painted and brought to the new coop.
We will make a screen door for the run out of some other wood we have laying around and will line it with hardware cloth. I will look for some vintage hardware, but will buy new if I can't find what I want used. As for paint, this coop will be part of our garden and very visible, so we will be painting it the same color as our house. Since we are in the process of painting our house, we will just buy extra to paint the coop. I will be checking out the habitat store for roofing as that doesn't have to be anything particular.
Unfortunately, we will end up spending more than I would like to on this coop, but we will never have to build a coop again, so I think in the long run it will be worth it. I wish I had more items I could re-use or re-purpose. I will be checking Craigslist daily during the summer to see if I can find any of the things we need cheaply or for free and hopefully reduce the cost that way.
We will have to buy 4x4s, cement, cinder blocks, hardware cloth, siding, plywood, hardware and roofing, so I will be trying to save money in other areas. We will be doing the siding of the coop in the dog ear fence boards as they are reasonably priced and will look cute. I have 4 vintage windows I salvaged from a 1930's mountain cabin and 4 screens as well that could be lined with hardware cloth or even have glass installed in them which would then give me 8 windows. I also have an old, long narrow window circa the 1940s that I saved from our cottage.
I have an old wooden ladder that was free, that I currently use for a roost and will be painting that and putting it in our new coop as well. We do have some 2x4s that we saved when we took down an old shed on our property and I am hoping they can be used in framing out the coop or on the roof. As for nest boxes, I will be using an old dining room hutch that I got for $20. I wanted exterior nest boxes, but I know that would drive my husband nuts trying to build them so I will settle for inside nests with outside access doors. We also have an old picnic table bench in our current coop that several of the girls like to perch on, so that too will be getting painted and brought to the new coop.
We will make a screen door for the run out of some other wood we have laying around and will line it with hardware cloth. I will look for some vintage hardware, but will buy new if I can't find what I want used. As for paint, this coop will be part of our garden and very visible, so we will be painting it the same color as our house. Since we are in the process of painting our house, we will just buy extra to paint the coop. I will be checking out the habitat store for roofing as that doesn't have to be anything particular.
Unfortunately, we will end up spending more than I would like to on this coop, but we will never have to build a coop again, so I think in the long run it will be worth it. I wish I had more items I could re-use or re-purpose. I will be checking Craigslist daily during the summer to see if I can find any of the things we need cheaply or for free and hopefully reduce the cost that way.
