My suggestion for a Super Cheap Coop!--- Whats yours?

[Amitist]

I am not the most skilled coop desiger, I am still an ametuer with chickens but I have a good idea for a kinda like "coop"... I put my chickens in a coop just for the night, then I let them free range all day. I want a cheap coop and It might only cost me $0-$30 I know a freind that can give me FREE Priority mail cardboard boxes... I was thinking if I could cut one side of the boxes and connect them (duct tape, staple) in a bigger box, then I could place a few Heat lamps in there when its cold... Cut out a window, get wire, etc. I HAVE NO PREDATORS. Would it be good enough just to keep them for the night? I mean like you guys are the pros at this stuff lol. O yea it might be possible for me to keep them INSIDE during the night.. maybe in the garage? Thanks

NOW POST YOUR SUGGESTION OR PICTURE

 

[Robo]

you could keep them like that in the garage.

 

[Amitist]

Alright cool. Hopefully it turns out as good as I am anticapating it

 

[Rare Feathers Farm]

That would maybe last a few days and then the boxes would get poopy. What if it rains? If you don't have predators now just wait a few days and the chickens will bring them in!

 

[lothefarmer]

no predators? i'm sure you have dogs, cats, raccoons, opossums, skunks, coyotes, foxes, or other carnivorous animals that would love some chicken for a meal.
i personally have never had any PROBLEMS with predators so far, but we have a raccoon family living on my property, my neighbor feeds feral cats, and there are opossums from time to time... anyhow, i think it's a very bad idea. the predators will come, if not tomorrow, someday.

another good alternative may be to find some cheap or old wood somewhere? we used a lot of old wood from around our property on our coop/runs.

 

[LilBizzy]

Heat lamps inside a cardboard box could be very dangerous.

 

[Ema]

I wouldn't use boxes either, trust me when we tell you if you think you have no predators now, you will real soon. chickens will peck the cardboard and there will be holes all over it.

you definitely need a coop, if you want to go as cheap as possible do what we did. get pallets from hardware stores, which go to the dump anyhow, and use those to make a coop. buy some chicken wire and some staples and nails and off you go. our coop cost us under 100 bucks, we only bought chicken wire, nails, and staples. I got the pics just haven't posted them yet.

our coop is 12X11 we didn't separate any of the pallets cause they were all in good shape. we just placed 2x4's in between each pallet that we had laying around from the old coop we tore down to add structure and then chicken wired all around the bottom and top. added a few roosts and they are happy and safe chickens!!

 

[Katy]

Anyone can get the priority boxes free from the USPS so your friend really isn't doing you any favors.

As far as your idea I don't think it will work too well......not at all outside and probably not too well in a garage either. You may think you have no predators, but everyone has them....it's only a matter of time before they make themselves known and a cardboard box would last about 2 seconds against most all of them.

 

[ZombieChickens]

Keep your eye on Craigslist. We got a doghouse for free, used scrap wood and came up with this:

It was free. We spent a few bucks and replaced the roof since the old roof was way too big and heavy. Probably less than $20, but you could try to get those supplies for free.

 

[sheila3935]

This was our first coop my hubby made for me for Mothers Day for free. He and his brother went scrounging for free wood that people were throwing away. Both sides of it was privacy fence, The roof was tarp til my son brought over shingles and roofed it for me. We have since added on and secured it more still a work in progress.

and now