Never ever going to get a coop

[Blue_Myst]

Don't give up yet, you can definitely do this! There's nothing bad about using hand tools, and if you need some major cutting done, maybe you could mention it to a good neighbor who has an electric saw

I suppose if you don't have enough large wood pieces for one big coop, you could perhaps make two or three smaller coops and have them all connect to the same run?

Good luck!

 

[waynesgarden]

I'd also think about cutting down on the number of chickens you have. Do you need 18? Could you, for example, be happy with 6? You would only need 1/3 the space and that may be something that might be more realistic for you. They could live comfortably in a 4' x 8' coop.
(Mine do.)

If downsizing makes sense, perhaps you could find someone who will build or help build a small coop for you in exchange for a dozen birds. Maybe they have a small coop they no longer need and would trade.

If you don't need 18 chickens, I'd seriously consider keeping only as many as you can provide for. A small flock is just as rewarding as a large one, is easier and cheaper to keep and will be healthier when resources are limited. Please don't take it seriously when people tell you that you need to get as many chickens as you can get your hands on. They are wrong. You should only get as many as you can care for properly.

Wayne

 

[mmtillman]

Quote:
DD is right....who says you have to use power tools??

I am an old woman and I use power tools all the time...
BUT, I perfer to use hand tools when making my vintage furniture, the old fashion way

.....a rusty old hand saw can cut for MILES , if you just oil it up and put some muscle into it , sweetie!
And a boy your age probally has more muscle, then us old ladies put together !!

You could saw out your plywood in no time !!
My heart does goout to you, my dear, for your dad is not keeping his word.
But remember, the hard times you are having now will only make you a stronger man someday. I had a very diffucult childhood and I feel like it made me who I am today and that is a very strong person.
You sound like a very wise 16 year old and I bet you will rise above this problem and prove to your dad and to yourself that you are more capable then you know!

Wish I were your neighbor....I would be so happy to help you !
Please dont give up ok??

WE all care about you here on BYC and are here if you need us ok??
Soon you will be posting pictures of the coop you built all by yourself!!! I know you can!

 

[Fishen4fun]

Contact your local trade school. We have one close the builds the sheds at cost. They also bring them to you.

 

[farrier!]

Keep at it!
A nice cheap hand saw cuts through wood faster then a power saw when you are like me and not handy with power tools.

Drawing out what you are going to do helps.

Knowing your chickens will make deciding what to do easier. There is no reason everything has to be perfect.

I often have well meaning clients who do not have a clue about horses. Rather then point out all the things that need to be changed I will decide on one thing. In passing I will make a comment an the next time I come out things are better.

Rather then trying to "fix" everything with your chickens all at once pick out one little thing only and fix that. Things go so much better one little step at a time.

It sounds like your birds are happy and healthy!!!!

 

[patandchickens]

A shortish, coarse toothed handsaw will cut anything you need to cut, even plywood. Up here, a Stanley Fatmax is like $15, and there are cheaper versions that will work about as well. So, that takes care of the needing dad to help cut things problem

As far as getting a little ways and then getting stuck, post here!

Especially if you have a way of posting photos of your problem, but even if you don't. We can surely figure you a way out of your problems.

As for "you're doing it wrong"... let me tell you, my ENTIRE childhood, I'd be happily building things out of boxes and newspaper and straws and so forth, and my father would walk along and look at it and say "you can't do that, it's an inherently unstable configuration". That was practically his favorite phrase, "inherently unstable configuration". At first I took him seriously and got all upset and took things apart and gave up. Then I realized... a lot of the time, what I'd built clearly WAS stable, because it did not fall apart, you know?

And when it did, that was how I learned what did/didn't work.

So, not that I am generally in the business of suggesting kids ignore their parents (and heaven forbid my own kids should hear this

) but maybe, in this select type of instance, you would be better off just nodding and saying 'ok, thanks dad' and then ignoring him

You really CAN do it. Honest. Hang in there

Good luck,

Pat

 

[vermontgal]

Hand-tools are the way. I figure my entire house was built with hand tools (c. 1855) or horse/water-power, so it's gotta be possible to build a chicken coop.

It is much harder to cut long, long cuts with a handsaw. It is hard to cut plywood, for example. So build your coop out of many narrower pieces of wood, or ask your lumberyard to cut the plywood for you. Plywood comes in 4'x8' sheets, so if you planned out your coop to use 2'x8' roof panels or 4x4 sides, that would minimize waste, and you could also have the lumberyard cut it for you before you bring it home.

I had the lumberyard cut for me all the time before I owned any power tools. I bought my first circular saw when I was 35! Everything before that was hand tools, or done at the lumber store for me.

One of my local lumberyards doesn't have a saw and won't do cuts; the other one will. So you might need to call around if you want to go this route.

 

[PortageGirl]

Yep, I didn’t have much in the way of power tools either. A battery drill was all I had so I always spent a LOT of time figuring out plans so if I was going to use a 8’ long board or 2x4, I would only need to cut it in one place, like 4 foot square or if I wanted it 5 foot long I’d either figure out how to use the 3 foot sections in another part of the project, or even for another separate project. I tried to plan any projects carefully, that way, I could saw as little as possible with my hand saw, and never waste any scraps since I didn’t have much money either. (come to think of it, I still don’t have enough money to throw in a dumpster as scrap wood, so I’m still pretty careful) You’ll want to save bits for nest boxes and such anyway! Chickens don’t care if things aren’t exactly perfect anyway!

If anyone in your neighborhood is building a house or doing repair, talk to the people doing the work, if you are polite and interested, they will probably let you collect scrap wood and things they’re throwing out. (BUT!!!!!!! Be safe, both with dealing with strangers and with nails and sharp edges etc.) With the remains from a torn down garage or the wood from a kitchen remodeling job, you could build a chicken mansion!!! The worst of the winter is over now, and you have the summer to get something together!!! There’s a lot of merit to the idea of trading a few of your hens for some help with part of the project, or a dozen eggs here and there.

I know it’s not perfect, but when you’re done, you can look at it with a lot of satisfaction. I couldn’t make my stuff look like a pro did it, but I had fun going for the ‘funky’ look and at least getting a laugh out of my odd planters and the first bench I made which had the extra benefit of shedding water well so it wouldn’t rot, since it was slanted to the west.

 

[Southernbelle]

Our feed store throws away wooden pallets - a lot of people have made excellent chicken coops from pallet wood. You'd need to take them apart and tap the nails out, but all the pieces are small and easy to handle. My DH doesn't help me with any of my chicken-related projects and I'm not confidant using power tools, so I usually hand-cut with a saw. Don't let any nay-sayers stop you from acheiving your dreams! It'll mean that much more to you that you've done it yourself.

 

[Chicken Fruit]

Why not build a little tractor instead of a coop? Its easier to build than a full-on building. Iam a girl and I built mine myself. Theyre just lead to's really, with a run.

you can make the run out of pvc pipe and wire and fencing. The pvc just fits together with the right parts. Its like kinex toys.

you can do it. dont give up so easy. You'll find in life that waiting for other people to do things for you or solve your problems will leave you perpetually disappointed and stagnant.

Just go do it. Theres all sorts of plans on here, and pictures, and you can google videos of what other people have done.

Also, you can make a little tractor/coop out of a calf box if you have one of those hanging around.