My "Free" Eggs are costing me a FORTUNE! - ITS DONE!! pg 15 pics

[latebloomer]

i went to help "clean" a co-workers barn and ended up with most all the lumber that i'll need for framing.

there were some solid core doors that were salvaged from a local university that my office had in storage, i'm using those for the floor.

another co-worker has some metal roofing that i'm taking away

i'm hoping to keep my construction under $250

we'll see....

 

[Daphne16]

I was just told last night that MIL's boss is giving us all the wood for our coop

now we will only have to pay for the wire, paint and hardware

So dh now gets his way of no used materials. MIL works for a pallet making company and can get us wood in any size/style we need.

 

[GiddyMoon]

We went to my inlaw's for dinner and my SIL asked me if I could use a 4x4 wood open box surrounded by chicken wire they used for thier puppy, for a second brooder for when they leave the laundry room...one by one..it shall come.

 

[fireguy56]

Hi, I hope this helps with how you are feeling. Here is my story. I too am into our coop project pretty deep dollar wise. And it's not finished yet. However it's by my own choice. I decided that if I am going to build a coop, it would be one that I will be happy to look at, easy to maintain and clean and safe for the girls... I decided to do it right. Vinyl siding, double glazed windows, auto chicken door, congoleum flooring, electricity, etc... Must say, I do have construction experience and did my research. BYC was instrumental in my design after looking at every coop submittal on the site. I didn't just jump into it.
Family thinks I am crazy, but then again they know I am.....so, what! I did all the work myself along with help from a few of my Firemen buddies. Yes, ours is over built..over the top and I figure by the time I am finished my eggs will be costing me around $10.00 a dozen. Sooooo what! It is a hobby. It is for my wife and grand-kids. They love it and the girls we have so far... love it too.
So, hope that my story helps take alittle of the frustration away. By the way, as soon as I get the whole project finished I will be setting up a page and posting complete construction pic's as well as some neat things I did for "easy to clean" poop boards, auto door, nest boxes, etc...
Good luck and enjoy your girls.

 

[eds500]

The problem I ran into was running out of reclaimed and recycled material and waiting on or finding more material. I started out with a load of wood my father-in-law reclaimed from tearing down some privacy fencing which set me right for most of the chicken house and half the run. Then the waiting game of getting more reclaimed material versus finishing the project and getting on with the chickens. And I'm convinced some material won't be found economically depending on where you live. I'm in the city so to get some reclaimed material such as tin roofing required that I drive 40 miles each way. Burning gas to pick up marginal savings didn't pay. So while my intentions at the onset were good, the project got to the point where if I was ever going to finish it the way I wanted it, I had to buy new. The continual searching on craigslist, freecylce, and scoping the habitat for humanity restore took alot of time with very little to show for it. Some people either have the patience or great sources for material. I used what I could from where it came and then I went with new and even with new I finished in 11 months.

Good luck with what you have and savor that first egg.

Ed

 

[mariel37]

Quote:
Well, if we look at it from this perspective, the $2400 we've spent on the coop and run so far, compared to the expensive "hobby" of owning and playing with horses ... chickens are far more economical!

 

[miraclz5]

Quote:
Well, if we look at it from this perspective, the $2400 we've spent on the coop and run so far, compared to the expensive "hobby" of owning and playing with horses ... chickens are far more economical!

LOL....yes, some of us are dually blessed....chickens AND horses! LOL wouldn't trade any of it!

 

[whitehousechix]

I tell my husband that horses and chickens are still cheaper than therapy, he's bought that one so far.

 

[miraclz5]

LOL....I tell my husband the same thing!!!!!

 

[Bearing1]

The eggs will be cheap. it is just the first egg that is expensive my first egg cost as if it were solid gold and almost 2 ounces in weight.
After that about $1.10/ dozen. So keep that first egg.