Penny Pinching Ideas On Coop Making

[mudshark]

I only bought the aviary wire and hinges -all wood came from skips/freecycle. An old shed provided much of the external boards, an old pub table provided timbers for the roosts and an old desk became my feeder.

My build here:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=52779

Feeder:

 

[Sylvie]

We have a number of sawmills in our area that sell large slabwood bundles for $12-$15. We have gotten many 8' boards from a bundle with one side flat and the other side the rounded debarked side of the tree. We ran them through on the table saw to give straight edges.
We will use them for the inside of the coop.

 

[horsejody]

Be careful that your latches aren't too simple. Raccoons can open the easy ones.

 

[KAKBucks]

I love this idea! I was just thinking about the exact same thread topic when I was out in the coop 20 minutes ago!!!

I use old paint cans as feed scoops
5 gallon buckets as nesting boxes

I'm about to try using large tractor pallets as framing for a row of pens

I wish home depot had 50% off coupons like JoAnn's does. I could really go for 50% off some hardware cloth right about now!

I know most of these aren't necessarily "coop building" but they still seem appropriate.

Another cost saving tip, if you have a lot of birds, is to look into getting bulk feed at a local mill. My feed store worked up a special ration for me that I can use for all of my birds. I just need free choice grit and calcium (feed lime or oyster shells) out so the birds can access extra if they need it. I bought a ton in 50lb bags. The bags cost $.40 each and I can reuse them. They would have happily put the feed in barrels or something, but the bags are easier to handle and I can have them refilled. It worked out to $9.60 a bag, about a 50% savings from Tractor Supply. Make sure you have a dry place to store it though, as feed can go moldy pretty easily.

Kendra

 

[Gatekeeper]

WOW What ingenious, thrifty, simple ideas!!Now remember it isn't a question of being destituted or cheap; I just like the idea of brainstorming and hearing other people's thoughts.

Often I imagine some farmer,1300 years ago, hunched over tattered hands removing stone from his field by hand. He mumbles under his breath as he watches his neighbor fastens a round piece of wood to two handles ... and then uses the first wheelbarrow to remove stones.

The onlooking farmer mutters, "That lazy man. He cant even carry his stones."

Its all in how you look at it.

Gate

 

[ChickenToes]

We built our chicken coop out of pallets that we got for free, and barnwood from a barn that had fallen down years ago.

Our duck coop was built out of barnwood and lumber that my father-in-law had made on his sawmill. All free!

I got a gallon of paint for $10 at Fleet Farm because it was mis-tinted. The windows all came out of an old shack, so those were free. We had shingles and tar paper laying around, so that was free. Total, I think we've spent about $15 to make two coops.

 

[coffeemama]

Craigslist-I saw a person with two huge, nice barns for free if you dismantle. I wish I had the skills and storage to do that!

 

[sugarbush]

I own a sawmill so lumber is always cheap for me..... Chicken wire I look through the rack and find some with rust on the outside and then ask if I can get a discount on it.....I got a role at tractor supply last week for 50% off because of a little rust.

 

[sticks22]

I made my coop from recycled wood when we torn down an old mobile home. Some of the wood, like a sheet of 3/4 inch plywood was bought from lowes. I could have salvaged some other wood to substitute the plywood but for me it was just a matter of convienence. Take a look!

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=78178

The hen house was also recycled wood. The door hinges are just old bolts inserted into a piece of pipe that serves as a door hinge. The latch is just two round washers that I welded to the frame and the door. The lock is inserted through the holes of the washers. Very simple, really!

sticks22
oklahoma

 

[ozark hen]

We used an existing old building on the place but used tree saplings for roosts. Since we had to have several we have many different sizes in the coop now. this was a great idea!! Hope nifty puts a sticky on it.