NY chicken lover!!!!

[Lynzi777]

Lynzi - your thought on packing crates is not so crazy! In 'Grit' magazines' last issue, some dude had built a garden shed out of wood pallets! It actually looked very presentable and provided valuable storage space. Sue

I've already created a brooder, duck house and rabbit cage out of three of those shipping crates. They're just so heavy so the more I put together as one piece the heavier and more difficult it's going to be for me to move. what I have for the silkies is fine, it just needs to be altered/updated a bit. I just like it because it's the most functional for them - coop above and run underneath. This is it ...

http://www.hayneedle.com/sale/chickencoopdeluxe.cfm

I started out with this when I started with chickens because I didn't know how much I was going to love this hobby. Didn't want to get anything too huge back then, or or spend more than $300 on a coop back then. I also didn't know how handy I would become with a drill, jig saw, and staple gun! LOL

What's funny is, they show it here with the run attached...

http://www.hayneedle.com/sale/boomergeorgedeluxechickencoopwithexercisepen.cfm

and since I no longer use my run from the Big Girls' coop, I attach it like so LOL



I dont leave like this at night of course because the predators that we lack here can get in thru that door being open. Before I had it raised on that platform the door would open under the run attachment and it would perfectly that I could just keep it like that. Not anymore.

So when I use the run I have to move it away, open the door, push it back, etc.

 

[Breella]

Lynzi - your thought on packing crates is not so crazy! In 'Grit' magazines' last issue, some dude had built a garden shed out of wood pallets! It actually looked very presentable and provided valuable storage space. Sue

My coop was originally a shed made out of pallets, T-11 and Railroad ties for a base!

 

[rancher hicks]

Yea it is actually. Both my online coops are holding up pretty well, actually the one that doesn't have a "real" roof substance on top of it and is just wood panels, is doing better than the silkie coop. The roof is what makes this silkie coop sooooo heavy. What I want to do is remove the roof completely, and replace it with a metal/tin roofing material. If I can get my hands on some I'd start working on it this weekend. I've seen the large sheets of it at Homes Depot but will they cut it there for me?!? I would have no way of cutting something like that.

A jig saw with the right blade should work.

 

[marquisella]

What is a packing crate? Just a box with wood slats all around?

 

[armorfirelady]

Quote:
I have found Lowes or Home Depot will cut just about anything for no charge. I bet they would cut the roofig material as well

Quote:
I bet you could putsomething around the outer edges to raise the run up so you could leave door open. Maybe paving stones? Thats what I used to raise the hoop coop up.

 

[rancher hicks]

What is a packing crate? Just a box with wood slats all around?

I'm still working on this one, but they're cheap and easy to modify. When you consider the plywood to make a four by four coop would cost $50. and that doesn't include two by fours and the roofing.

Which by the way, i was at HD today and they had four pieces of 1/2 " plywood 2'x4' for 51 cents each. I didn't buy it cuz I've got a lot I haven't used yet.

 

[Lynzi777]

I have found Lowes or Home Depot will cut just about anything for no charge. I bet they would cut the roofig material as well

I bet you could putsomething around the outer edges to raise the run up so you could leave door open. Maybe paving stones?  Thats what I used to raise the hoop coop up. 

That's what I thought about doing actually. Might still do that since I have to go to lowes anyway for some pavers...

 

[Lynzi777]

What is a packing crate? Just a box with wood slats all around?

Here are the shipping crates from the Camillus ad in CL...these are what I started with earlier this summer.

 

[miquwid]

All this talk of building has gotten me sad, I hurt my hip on monday and it's been raining so nothing done yet hopefully this weekend. Got a shed to get started and a run to finish, now that the wonderful hawk moved in, it scared my son so he went outside running to find things okay thankfully, gotta a good roo on my hands. I put wire over the birds and made a make shift fence for outside. I gotta get that run done it just needs the wire the frame is done LOL. Then the rabbit hutch I was given I need to make into a tractor for the silkies so I can take them out the other tractor they are in and use it for sick bay and quarentine so they are able to get on some grass and weeds, for a better recovery. Well got some homework to get done.

I hope the evening finds everyone well. Love the all pictures.

 

[LuvMyChicks1491]

It has rained so much here. In my run around the coop is a mud hole. To bad I don't have pigs. I almost took a digger last night in the storm trying to close up for the night. I think that I need to get a load of gravel to put next the coop where it is so muddy. Most of the coop has good grass, but there is the one side of the coop where it is muddy. Any Ideas on what to do to help. I put some shavings down, but I don't think that I put enough cause it all washed away in the rain. I'll get a picture in the morning of my muddy problem area. I can't afford much so I need to come up with something that is as close to free as possible. I was thinking about putting the shavings from the coop there and then just cleaning it up in the spring. I know that will be a lot of work. The only other option that we have is to move the coop to the other side of the run and that will take a small army. It weights a ton. The ducks don't seem to mind the mud, but it is getting to the point where the girls don't like to go on that side. They don't mind walking through the other muddy patch when it is free (range)time.