Need help with coop plans.. why so expensive for so basic??

[jeaucamom]

I just don't have any way to make their pen secure.. so they will have a large area 20x30 each pen to run around in, but it won't be completely secure.. it will be in the chicken area. So thus the need for secure shelter.

 

[Patricia Jane]

Just a thought.... You can always place an add on craigslist for wood you are needing. I did that and got a terrific response, most of it was free and some I paid a low price for. It amost built my coop minus the frame. I also was able to buy used foundation blocks for a great price. Saved alot of money. That would help keep your cost down since you have to build two. Good luck

 

[jeaucamom]

Good idea.. I will do that right now.. I hadn't thought of that.

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

do I have to put plywood underneath it?

No.

Run your rafters on a 24" center and then run 1 X 4's perpendicular to them with one at the top , one at the bottom, and one in the center.

The metal will attach to the 1 X 4 with hex head screws that have rubber washers already installed

It will look something like this:

 

[Elite Silkies]

Some places will sell the cover sheets for the tin roofing pretty cheap. About a 1/3 of the cost of the actual tin roofing materials. Most of the time it's in all different colors, but you can always paint it.

We have a Haliburtons about 30 mintues away and they sell building material relatively cheap. I would ask the lumber stores if they have any wood that is not perfect, usually you can get it alot cheaper.

 

[Weiden Farm]

Find the cull section at your local Home Depot. Ask the associate in lumber. Yesterday I purchased 7 full sheets of plywood (4x8) and 5 2x6x16 and 5 2x4x16. The plywood had curves and the 2x4 & 2x6's had ends that were cracked. In the end i paid $2 each piece for a total of $34. Thats probably enough lumber for a small coop.

The curved plywood becomes un-curved as soon as you screw it in place and i cut the cracked pieces off the lumber and i have very usable new wood.

Find the cull section and vist it frequently.

 

[PapaChaz]

you don't have to put plywood or sheeting down for the metal roof, like bear foot farms said, you run purlins (battens, lathing, strips) along the rafters, start at the bottom and go up every two feet. also it's been pointed out, find your local metal roof people. they will have what's called 'galvalume' a 5v crimp metal roofing. ours here sells first quality for 1.60 a foot, and seconds for 1.30 a foot, and they cut it to the lengths you want! one last thing in my opinion, the corrugated metal from HD is really thin stuff! oh yeah, metal roofing sweats when the weather is cooling down, so you'll want to put some moisture barrier under it to keep it from dripping on your girls. simple plastic from the painting section of HD or Lowes can be stapled in....

all in all, $200 is not a bad price really, but if you look around craigslist, check with people doing renovations, look for anyone tearing down an old shed or barn....lots of ways to save on the cost of materials

 

[jeaucamom]

Yes, as I was looking around at shed kits and dog houses and coops on craigslist.. apparently 200 is not so bad a price....

I wasn't planning on using the metal wavy roof.. but one of their heavier plastic ones. They are 16$ for 8 ft and not sure I think it was 30 for 10 ft. But the guy was very discouraging about cutting one... so as long as I can cut one with a sawzall I will try that IF I can't find a metal roofer in my area. Would I just look under metal roofer and my home town on google?

And definitely heading over to the cull section.. I can't believe what a good deal you got.. that was all the things I was looking for.. what a great deal you got!!!!!!!

 

[zookeeper15133]

Can you get pallets? A lot of places put them out for the taking. But ask first, some are reused. If you could get 10 pallets, they usually are about 4' x 4', ( it's easier if they are all the same size) There is you floor, frame and roof. You will need plywood for covering and scrap wood for connecting. I built a 8' x 12' x 8' bunny barn last year for less than $400. I'm going to do one for the chickens this year. You can cut the Tuftex panels with a jigsaw or sawsall, when I tried to use the circular saw, it chipped it. If you are using the other roof panels, like asphalt, just score it and snap it.

 

[kizanne]

Seriously listen to them on the free stuff. I didn't even know that Home Depot had a cull section and when I found it go 2x4 and 3x4 sheets of t111 for .51 each yes 51 cents!!! Off of craigslist I also got some free pallets they have 2x4's in the center and some boards that can be used for non structual items like a nest box or trim. I forgot that I had a friend who replaces windows for a living and guess what? yep free old windows and more free pallets. My most expensive item is going to be a regular door and the fencing.