no money, skills or ideas.... Help?

[chickensducks&agoose]

I need to plan for making a new coop-thing this spring. I have a coop for my big birds, but am going to need another, smaller one for my new chicks this spring... What is the most basic plan that I could use? I don't own any power tools, and plan on having a friend come over with a saw and saw things to the right size. My husband will be on military training ALL summer long, so I will be on my own... I have NO building experience, but know how to whack nails with a hammer, and have a staple gun.... any advice?

 

[klf73]

my husband built me a coop out of pallets
kind of like building blocks

 

[farmerlor]

One of the coolest ideas I've seen so far is (I think I saw the pic on here somewhere) a piece of fencing bent over a square wooden frame and covered with tarps. Very simple. You need to make a square wooden frame, bend a heavier guage metal fence over and secure it to the frame and then just secure some chicken wire to the other two ends. It makes a little (like four foot high) hoop house for the chickies.

 

[patandchickens]

Materialwise, see what you can scrounge before worrying about plans. If you see a construction site or someone having renovations done, go up to the door and talk to the guys and you will probably find they have some 2x4s or even pieces of scrap plywood that you can take away. Pallets. Go to stores/businesses that get things in large wooden packing crates (big equipment) and see if they have anything you could have. Keep an eye on your local Freecycle and Craigslist. Etc. You may be able to score some wire for the run that way, too.

Once you've got a sort of basic critical mass of materials, then you can figure out a way of putting them together into something coopish

Toolwise, go down to the hardware store or Home Depot or whatever, and buy an inexpensive hand saw. Honest

For cutting lumber to length, and you can cut plywood with it too as long as you don't mind the squealing sounds the saw will make, get something shortish with 9-10 teeth per inch. My current utility saw is a Stanly FatMax, about $15 here in Canada and doubtless cheaper in the States, and it slices like butter through ANY kind of wood. The cuts will be a little rough but Oh Well. I mean, it's a chicken coop

Then you will want to borrow someone's cordless drill, for putting in screws. Most people have 'em, it won't be hard to borrow

Really truly, sawing and driving screws is easy to learn and an INCREDIBLY useful skill for the rest of life

Have fun,

Pat

 

[PineBurrowPeeps]

I love the pallet coop idea.... My husband gets free pallets from work all the time.

 

[AHappychick]

my advise if you are not used to building is buy a cheap used dog house on craigs list and then add to it. This way you have a basic house to work off of. Rather then trying to frame it out yourself. I got one the other day for $30 so it is a cheap way to go.

 

[lilchick]

I agree that dog houses are the way to go. Easily make a ramp door for it and a small pen...
I also have found those large wooden shipping crates 4x4 work for the brooder inside basement or garage.
Why couldn't you make a small barn out of those by putting a roof on it and small doorway. I would hinge the roof so it could be lifted up for cleaning and such.
At the pallet places they sometimes get those large shipping crates and what do they do with them? Burn em!
I found 2 at my local site and he even loaded them in my truck for free! Good luck with your search...

 

[bigmike&nan]

Yes,

If you have limited tools (like us) then a LARGE dog house is a great starting point. Our local Agway had a really nice Amish built large dog house for $129.00, get your friend with the saw to build you a sturdy run out of 2 x 2's that you then staple gun hardware cloth to. You could put the dog house INSIDE the run and it could have a door so you could WALK IN and clean the run and spend time handling the chickens.

By the way

 

[picklespickles]

those pallets are great for fences, too.

just bang and bang til you get something that doesn't fall down. or when it does, nail or staple it back on. have pizza and beer with your friend. be amazed you got that much done. the chickens will be happy regardless. they have never heard of martha or the home improvement channel. good luck

 

[chickensducks&agoose]

All this makes me feel better! I'm not looking forward to 3 months as a single mom, and the coop needs to get built, and there's nobody else to do it!