Let's be honest folks!!!

[Dukeofhawg]

Don't it feel great GAPeach! I spent 3 days outside, in the pouring rain to get the run done... it felt great.. I came in last night to cook dinner. I was so sore... LOL But it's a feel good sore! I know my hens are gonna have a happy life.

 

[JiJis hens]

Well my bf finish my tiny coop in two days. He had some material since he does construction and so he only spend $60 more. This is only for three chickens so nothing big for my small backyard. I did post a pic in a new thread but for those who haven't seen it, here it is.

Hopefully when I finish school I can move to a house with acres and have as many chicken as I want and a big coop for them. Oh, and here's a pic from the inside.

 

[Dukeofhawg]

Great looking coop

 

[RollinWithTheStones]

1) Technically my coop is never finished

, however it took a weekend to put it together (not including the building it was a standing shed), however I did build a run.
2) No I wasn't, my husband wanted free. I spent about $20. It took a year to gather all my materials.

Let's provide insight to those who are thinking of quickly building a coop. Answer these two questions...
1) How long would you say it took you to actually complete your coop, start to finish?
2) Were you able to stay within your planned budget?

My answers...
3 months
Absolutely not!!!

 

[poultryrookie]

I think I have "fried green eggs" shed's little brother!

 

[fried green eggs]

I think I have "fried green eggs" shed's little brother!

LOL - Nice little barn

Yours looks to be in much better shape than what we started with! We had to cut off and replace the bottom 6 inches of the walls & the floor b/c it was all rotted. In the process, the shed dropped off the blocks on one end and both side walls and the end with the door tried to fall in different directions.

We got it kind of back together and solid again but, not perfectly square anymore

. We added 6'x14' leans off both sides with pallets and cut into the roof so leans can be walk-ins. We added the plywood to roof on the one lean side yesterday and discovered the pallets we used are not very square either

Oh well, the additions will make our little red shed barn into a 14'x20' big shed barn and I don't think the chickens will complain - if it's not purfectly square.

 

[scorwin]

Elibrd,

This is a wonderful coop!! Mine will be inside my garage so nothing cute like this one!!

 

[Silkie88]

.

 

[outdoorpodcast]

My first coop was built like a government project--Behind schedule and over budget.

Took about 2-3 weeks on my first 4x8 coop--Cost over $400
Took 3 days for my chicken tractor--Cost $150 but had a lot of matertial laying around

 

[EeyoreD]

Wow! It's amazing the variety of coops here and they're all fantastic!

Beekissed, couple of questions about yours because I think this might be exactly what I'm looking for! Roomy in the summer, cozy but smaller (stacked with bales) in the winter. And relatively simple to build!

How cold does it get where you are? Do you (or others) think it would be warm enough in a Michigan winter if I stack the bales inside like you're going to do? Do you have anything in/on there to protect from digging predators?

Never heard of a Roto-zip...could you post a pic?

Here's a portable coop I just finished~took me 10 days. Now, I must tell you that this is a "lady-build" coop, so there isn't a square angle or level board in the whole thing, I'd wager~I've no discernible carpentry skills.

I used a hammer, drill, and a sawsall. Most of the materials are new but some odd pieces of scrap lumber are in there as well.

This is the first coop I've ever built, so I made quite a few mistakes but I've found that chickens don't care. It's 8x 10 and will have hay bales along the inside walls this winter, will house 20 birds but will only be holding 8.

I haven't done the final tally on the cost as of yet but it falls just over $200, give or take a dollar or two. It would have been more expensive in just additional wire overlay but I don't have to worry about preds so much as just holding in the birds when I wish to, so plastic mesh was used. They will be free ranging out of this, so no run necessary.

The base is treated lumber, the cap has plastic attached to firring strips, then the tarp, also secured with firring strips. I used some old tongue in groove to frame the outside access doors and some old tomato stakes for bracing. It's pretty heavy, so must be moved with a vehicle to new locations. The nest boxes are lined with thick cardboard for insulation and their front comes completely off for cleaning. Roosts, waterers and feeders will be added later when the layers are installed.







The first residents will be 50 CX chicks that will free range out of it...they are currently ensconced in it, as we speak, in a brooder formed of hay bales.