Newbie here, no clue where to start... Mom wants to build a coop with water bottles???

[laschai]

So I've heard that you can actually make a house out of water bottles filled with sand stuck together by mud. My mom thinks I should make a chicken coop like that. Not sure if that's possible? We have a large yard so I can just have a large fenced area for them but we do need a coop. I have no clue what I'm even talking about here somebody help?
Example of plastic bottle house: http://www.offgridworld.com/bulletproof-fireproof-house-made-from-used-plastic-bottles/

 

[mossyroo]

Depends on how many free bottles and sand you have access to. It's gonna take a bunch of both and a whole lot of tedious bottle filling. Articl also says he used cement and mud to hold it together but did not see a ratio.

 

[TalkALittle]

OMG, shoot me now! I would tire of that after about the 10th bottle. You do have to admire the ingenuity though.

I'll assume your mom is wanting an inexpensive coop or maybe she is looking for a way to incorporate materials that would otherwise go to a landfill. If that is the case, search these forums for "pallet coop". There are loads of people that have used old pallets to make some remarkably pretty and functional coops for very little money. Using salvaged wood and pallets is inexpensive and minimzes environmental impact.

 

[BayBay Peepers]

I would also take into consideration what kind of climate you live in. Though it's a creative idea and a way to use up some waste it may not be practical. You'd be surprised on what kinds of materials you can find for free or very little. I would search sites like craigslist or even your local thread and see what others have to offer.

Good luck Would love to hear updates about what you decide on.

 

[yellowchicks]

OMG, shoot me now! I would tire of that after about the 10th bottle.

Same. Patience is a virtue which I don't have. It is also too time consuming. How about a compromise to use water bottle as a skylight?

 

[aart]

You do need a coop..... to keep them safe from predators at night and warm and/or dry during nasty weather.

And that coop needs ventilation, so you need windows......which would be hard to install in a house made of dry sand.

I have seen a coop made from glass bottles and mortar...it was very cool.

 

[iawoodchip]

Cute idea, bottle house. When I put my chicken house together, the cost was actually the main factor I considered. I ended up scavenging pallets, & used lumber to make my plan work. Here in Iowa there's a 5 cent refund deposit on soda bottles, add the cost of a load of sand, & cement t o put it together might open up a lot of different thoughts. I would suggest you research coops on BYC's home page. Jim

 

[Wol1]

What is her reason? Cost? Temperature control? Predator proofing? It's possible to fill old feed bags with soil to build up a dog den. Here is a link to one that mentions chicken coops: http://www.motherearthnews.com/diy/earthbag-building-zmaz09aszraw.aspx. Without an impermeable layer, though, I suppose a predator could dig through it (not sure how long that would take.) So bottles and concrete would be more protective. There does need to be some rain-excluding cross ventilation and/or ventilation at the top to release the ridiculous amount of moisture and ammonia that builds up in a closed coop. You also need to think about ease of cleaning. The chickens would also need light.
Whichever you choose, use hardware cloth to cover all openings and if you must lock the door from outside, use a strong door and multiple latches of different kinds to keep raccoons out.
Hardware cloth : http://www.tractorsupply.com/en/store/hardware-cloth-1-4-in-x-24-in-x-5-ft This comes in bigger rolls. Use 1/4 inch size.

Hope that helps

 

[RaskyKat]

This is very doable and fits with the sustainability/localvore/grow-your-own idea behind backyard chickens. I have seen a number of bottle buildings on YouTube and though I didn't do an exhaustive search just now, here is one vid on using bottles to build a greenhouse

and another plastic bottle house here:

. Though the greenhouse building would be too drafty for chickens, you can see the idea behind it and modify it to your needs. If you're a sustainability/green person, this might be a great idea. But if you're just looking for a way to build a cheap coop, remember...your time is worth a lot too! Take a drive on YouTube and you will get a lot of ideas for your bottled chicken coop.

 

[roseyred]

Craigslist! Look for free or cheap little houses like the kinds kids at in. Or large armwar. Can't spell lol. I found most of my wood on Craigslist for free just had to go pick it up