New guy in the coop

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that price would be about right for that coop built out of descent quality materials. keep in mind that grass and bugs are invaluable to your chickens. I have mine in breeder pens and am constantly circulating them to pens where they can get grass. also most coops where the chickens cant touch the ground have more lice/mite problems because the chickens cant dust bathe properly. on another note when you keep moving chickens like I do, they don't lay as well.

all that being said, you can build a coop for much less if you are willing to work for it and have a good source for the materials. I have seen some very nice coops built from recycled pallets, most of those people have $50 or so in metal, screws and nails.

if you have a construction site around you that will let you dumpster dive, you can get a lot of useful materials there. around here another good source is where people have started tearing apart mobile homes. a lot of times they take the aluminum siding and wire out of the walls, then leave the roof and stud walls. people sometimes will pay you to finish it just to get rid of the mess.

another thing to think about is flock expansion. if you live in an area where you aren't limited on how many you can have, you will more than likely end up with more than 4-6. its a very addictive hobby. I think I can speak for most of us on here when I say that you become fascinated with their different personalities, their crazy behavior, and even with colorations and breeding. my wife and I wanted a dozen laying hens when we started. we bought 6 chicks, then we bought about 25 chicks, then we bought some other breeds, and it went on to now around 500 or so.
 
I'd like to build my own but I seen where people build what I would think is a basic coop and end up $250 or more in. I can probably get pallets but haven't seen many that aren't eye sores. I know the chickens don't care but I'd like it to look at least a little decent. Maybe I just haven't seen the good ones from pallets, not sure.

They'll be free ranged as much as possible. Do you think I should pick up the $100 coop, add a vent or two and a nesting box and use it?
 
personally I would pick up the coop you mentioned. it should last a few years. by that point you will know if you want a bigger one, or have an idea of how you would want to build yours. im one of those people who end up with a fortune in coops because I don't typically salvage materials. for me its cheaper to just pick up what I need from sawmills or lumber stores (cull lumber can save you a small fortune).

you could probably pick up a short treated 4x4 and put it up on legs easy enough. it would require some framing for the bottom of the run, if you bought the best wire (1x1 16 gauge galvanized after weld is what I recommend) you would have less than $175 in the whole thing and it should last for 10 years or more. that's $17.50 a year, a hard cost to beat in chicken expenses.
 
I just painted pike county, this is where I am.


im trying to picture the major cities, your not far from Zanesville if im thinking right?

just so you know there is a large flea market/ poultry show just south of me this weekend.
 
ok I think I got ya. in Chillicothe there is a place off of bridge street that sells amish built coops, of course there is probably someone closer to you. if you were a little closer Id try to help you throw one together. its hard for me to leave here for that long
 

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