We were hoping to be able to put up a new larger coop before winter, but, financially, not going to happen, not until spring at least. Now I find myself, (counted my chickens before they hatched) that I'm about 4 birds more than I should haven, at least through the winter. I have 4 banties and 4 standards in my smaller coop. They are all young, the banties have just started laying, the standards should start laying in about 6 weeks. I usually put 4 to 6 of my older hens in the smaller coop for the winter. Gives them a chance to rest and I don't light it unless the temps get really cold, then I use the light for a little extra heat. My thought is to move the 4 banties into a new, smaller coop. We have fencing, even though it's only 4' tall, but it would give them some room to get out and about, and I would put at least a fenced roof over it. I'm thinking that that 4x4 coop, just high enough to make sure they have a roost without their heads hitting the ceiling, and maybe raised off the ground at least 2 ft. I'm thinking of something on the order of a very large doghouse, with the roof lifting up. I would need to have some kind of door into the run, even if I have to crawl on my hands and knees, just in case something happens and I really need to get in there. I'm also thinking, that instead of having to divide my smaller coop off, when I have chicks, that this could become my brooder house, once the new coop gets here in the spring. Part if tax return is already earmarked for this. We are builder illiterate, if we can see a picture we can do it. Hubby can't envision what I am talking about, and I'm pretty useless when it comes to cutting wood. I might be able to use cardboard and duct tape to make what I want, so he can see it, then build it. Any ideas out there, preferably with some pictures?!
Rabbit hutches, small and easy, or you can get some thick particle board, make a box of sorts, add legs ( 2x4 or 4x4's) and cut o hole out the back add some hinges to open and close it, add a roost and small nesting box and you have a new small coop!
Any lumber store will cut your wood, just ask for 6 equal pieces, some hinges for the back door and paint it and you have a small box coop.
http://www.mrbigben.com/Petshop/Pet%20pictures/ReallyBigHutch.jpg Try something like this, just pick it up off the ground a bit more and fix it up for the banties. Just form like some wood sitting aorund or soemthing, or get a dog house like this ----> http://portablebuildingsspringfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Dog-Houses-Big.gif You can take off one side of the roof and put hinges on it so you can get into the dog house for food and water and such, then put a run by the dog door part, might have to block the door just a bit so not to much wind gets in, and add some vents. Just some thoughts.
I'm kinda in the same boat needing temporary coop space while the large one is in progress, so here's what I did. Only cost the price of the chicken wire, washers, and screws. The crate I found for free and covered it with chicken wire, use a plywood board for the top (and a steel grate I had laying around). And I installed a pop door with scraps. It about 3x3 and 7 chickens are roosting in it. I know that is a little tight but they are pullets and only roost there, they free range all day. This sort of thing would fit your budget!
I was at the ReStore (thrift shop for Habitat for Humanity) the other day picking up some last detail hardware for my coop and run and saw this big base cabinet for a kitchen that someone had donated, probably when doing a kitchen remodeling. It was counter-top height, making it 35" tall, about 25" deep, and about 5 feet long with four cabinet doors and four drawers along the front. I was eyeing it and thinking that if I removed the drawers, those would make great little ventilation windows, and the drawer fronts could be hinged to close when it got too cold, those doors...one could be a pop door, two could be access doors and the fourth could be the egg door. The counter top would be water proof, but it would probably need some insulation for winter. Anyway, it was $35 and if things go according to plan, I may pick up something like it next spring for a broody house.
http://nh.craigslist.org/bab/2540487438.html You could do a quick search on craigslist for playhouse. We use the kids old one for the grow out coop. Put a roost in it, fastened wire in windows, screw the connecting pieces (roof, sides) and placed on plywood over a pallet to protect from borrowing diggers. Works great, was free (can get a nappy one off craigslist for $20 or less) and we simply move the pallet, plywood 1/2 and house down to corner of garden next to compost bin until needed again next spring. This was the second year doing this. Last year we had it right on the tractor I built. Late fall I made the permanent 4x4 coop for it.
