My first coop! Total cost: $0.00

[DaddyMcChicken]

Ok.

 

[bigoledude]

Hey DaddyMac
If a coon can reach a latch 37 inches off of the ground with nothing to stand on, I'd seriously suspect a bear did it and not a coon! There is not a scrimshin of difference between the difficulty factor of a barrel latch and a carabiner.

Your coop appears to be cock-strong. However, this thread couldn't be a better example to prove how ridiculous some folk's replies can be. Really!!! Using a pig to climb.

Don't be discouraged. The vast majority of the folks here will bend over backwards to help you. As ridiculous as it may sound, I believe the folks with the goofy suggestions and ridiculous videos, were originally trying to help. But, if you don't drink their Koolaid, they go postal on you.

Used gear oil might have small metal particles in it. But, metal shavings have practically no possible poisonous or toxic effect on us or birds. Unless, of course, if the particles were large enough to cause intestinal damage. This is not the same thing as the heavy metal toxicity present in human sewage.

Everything that makes used motor oil toxic is the deposits from burned and unburned fuel. You have not used it on the interior of your coop so, it is a moot point anyway.

When coons become able to pull off 2X6s screwed with 3 1/2 torx screws, I'm moving, Even if it means moving to the arctic! Just about every coop you'll find in the "coop building" area of this site has ventilation covered with hardware cloth. Why would this one in particular, be susceptible to being ripped off by a coon? Has anyone here ever heard of a coon ripping of hardware cloth that was fastened securely?

I thought leaving that poop crack was ingenious! No shoveling. No fuss no muss. Just hose it right out of the coop. I'm pulling the bottom board off my coop and doing the exact same thing.

Now I'm worried that the coons might pick my Master lock or figure the combination to my other locks. And, we already know that they can hover in mid-air to manipulate latches.

 

[turboscooby07]

I left a poop crack in my brooding coop less than an inch tall, had two large snakes in there today. 1/4 inch wire is going in, should stop snakes and still let me clean up. I use a gate latch with a hook from a ratchet strap in it at the moment and havent had coons get in, I shot one in the yard yesterday and my dog got one two weeks ago near the coop.

 

[TalkALittle]

DaddyMac, the coons won't be reaching up from 37" to undo the latch. They'll be scaling the side of the coop. They won't need a ladder. Or they'll walk along the top of the fence, cross to the roof and climb down that way.

While I think your birds are safe in your coop, you may be surprised to hear some of the feats of strength and mental dexterity of racoons.

Glad to hear you covered all gaps with hardware cloth. Is it real secure at the eaves?

 

[Coyox]

Love it.

I see how you seat the roost and would offer my system. Run a strip of plywood with notches vertically. The roost becomes adjustable.

Btw, where is the nest? Why is the feeder on the floor?

These comment intrigued me-- since I'm in the middle of building a coop myself at the moment. I had never heard that feeders shouldn't be on the floor. Can anyone explain the best place for a feeder? I'm curious now...


Also--- Cheers on this beautiful coop. Looks pretty nice for being entirely free. I love the recycling aspect of it... I recently tried to tear apart some old palettes myself but failed miserably.... So instead I spent all last weekend putting down a concrete foundation (Which.... I will never EVER do again without a concrete truck).

This is very creative!

 

[ECBW]

Coyox,

Elevating the feeder is to keep bedding material out and food in. Not a hard rule.

With mature birds, feeder can be at their shoulder level. If your birds are younger, the feeder should be lowered accordingly.

 

[bigoledude]

Hey Coyox. Taking pallets apart can be skulcramping hard! The best way I know to accomplish this is with a reciprocating saw (Sawsall). It will go from being a miserable experience to a rewarding effort and a large pile of free wood!

Try it before you go buy wood. We got the grandkids involved and they had a blast. That pallet wood is tough and hard to drive nails through. If you have them, use screws.

 

[bigoledude]

I left out a few important details on recycling pallets. Use the sawsall with a metal cutting blade. Dismantle the pallet by cutting between boards and cutting through the nails holding them together. It will go quicker than you might think.

Once the boards are separated, if you want to, you will have an easier time driving the head-end of the nails out. Easi-ER, not necessarily easy.

 

[FlyWheel]

If the wood is tough and hard to nail then consider yourself lucky; your pallets are probably made of oak, which is a very durable wood.

 

[77Penner]

This is great, I am planning a Pallet coop with pallets from my husbands work. I think its going to be a PITA to deconstruct them all, but hopefully it'll shave off some significant costs in the end. I've decided to let the kids pick out the paint colors though, and I want to make it an 8*8*4 A frame, so I'll have to find a few 2x4's around for the framing so I may have some costing... HOWEVER I'm hoping to find them free from some people doing renos.
AND maybe eventually a pop can tin roof... lol

Yours looks great!!