Here is a few pics of my coop and hen house that I built this past spring. The total cost was about $130.00 out of pocket expense but the cost of a feeder and a waterer drove the cost up. Then I ordered my chickens from the net and that was another $45.00.
Imfo:
I went to lowes and I bought 3 pieces of cattle panels for about $25.00 each. Then I layed them out on the ground and stitch welded the pieces down the length (4 feet wide x 19 feet long). then using a ratchet strap I raised one side and wrapped the strap around it to give that domed shape. Then I built a wooden frame around the bottom which are recycled 2 x 6's from an old mobile home that we tore down. Then I bent and welded old 3/4 inch water pipe (also from the same mobile home) into a semicircular shape on both ends. At which time I also made the door which pivots on two old bolts that I inserted into a section of pipe and then welded the bolts to the top and bottom of the cross bar, so that the door will swing or hinge on the two bolts. On the side where the hen house is located I welded on about 15 metal tabs cut from 3/4 inch flat metal bar stock. Which I drilled a 1/4 inch hole to attach a 3/4 inch sheet of plywood. Then I cut out the hole for the hens to enter the hen house. Then with some leftover scrap wood I made a ramp to attach to the bottom of the doorway. Then after the coop was built I wrapped the whole thing with dog fencing (2 x 4 inch) making sure to turn the wire so that the squares in the wire were turned to the 2 inch heigth and 4 inch long.
The Hen House:
This hen house is made from recycled wood from the company that I work for. The planks were used on large rolls of shrink wrap that we used to shrink wrap packages of gas cans. They separated the large 100 lb rolls of plastic on the pallet.
And last but not overlooked the best of all I got a solar powered electric fence charger! I bought this at a yard sale for $20.00. I cut short pieces of 2 x 6's and nailed them to the bottom of the frame to support the fence wire. I was in "cheap mode" when I decided the heck with using ceramic insulators for the wire. So I went to the plumbing section at lowes and I used 1/2 inch pvc elbows. The caps were a few cents cheaper but the elbows will allow the rain water to drain away from the electrified wire. So if anyone has anything similar Id like to here about it! Also Id appreciate any feedback!
sticks22
oklahoma
Imfo:
I went to lowes and I bought 3 pieces of cattle panels for about $25.00 each. Then I layed them out on the ground and stitch welded the pieces down the length (4 feet wide x 19 feet long). then using a ratchet strap I raised one side and wrapped the strap around it to give that domed shape. Then I built a wooden frame around the bottom which are recycled 2 x 6's from an old mobile home that we tore down. Then I bent and welded old 3/4 inch water pipe (also from the same mobile home) into a semicircular shape on both ends. At which time I also made the door which pivots on two old bolts that I inserted into a section of pipe and then welded the bolts to the top and bottom of the cross bar, so that the door will swing or hinge on the two bolts. On the side where the hen house is located I welded on about 15 metal tabs cut from 3/4 inch flat metal bar stock. Which I drilled a 1/4 inch hole to attach a 3/4 inch sheet of plywood. Then I cut out the hole for the hens to enter the hen house. Then with some leftover scrap wood I made a ramp to attach to the bottom of the doorway. Then after the coop was built I wrapped the whole thing with dog fencing (2 x 4 inch) making sure to turn the wire so that the squares in the wire were turned to the 2 inch heigth and 4 inch long.
The Hen House:
This hen house is made from recycled wood from the company that I work for. The planks were used on large rolls of shrink wrap that we used to shrink wrap packages of gas cans. They separated the large 100 lb rolls of plastic on the pallet.
And last but not overlooked the best of all I got a solar powered electric fence charger! I bought this at a yard sale for $20.00. I cut short pieces of 2 x 6's and nailed them to the bottom of the frame to support the fence wire. I was in "cheap mode" when I decided the heck with using ceramic insulators for the wire. So I went to the plumbing section at lowes and I used 1/2 inch pvc elbows. The caps were a few cents cheaper but the elbows will allow the rain water to drain away from the electrified wire. So if anyone has anything similar Id like to here about it! Also Id appreciate any feedback!
sticks22
oklahoma
