practically FREE coop

[WildBurroShirts.com]

The three burros, one horse, 3 rescue dogs and soon to be 15 Americaunas all live just outside of Carson City.

Just bought this run down...wait...there is no word in English for how bad this property was. Think Tobacco Road and multiply by a million.

Let me put it this way: the LISTING realtor refused to enter the 'house'. Really. "Oh, you should just tear it down...I'm sorry but I can't go in there."

Why? Well...the people had over 500 cats. When they left they shut the door behind them...so some of the cats died and sort of melted into the floorboards. The rest did their best to use the three litterboxes.

Until they got knee high to a person and then they gave up and used the hallway. And the living room. And...well, everywhere.

I had ALL three kinds of windows in the front of the 'house' (and I use that term house lightly, lemme tellya). I had: a broken kitchen window with duct tape diagonally across it, a living room window which was a piece of old plywood leaned up against the house sorta near the opening, and I had a really large single paned window that they'd fixed with...white bathroom caulk. Diagonally across a the entire span of it. And even that window was an inch away from its base.

Yeah.

So, I filled 4 dumpsters, 30 yards each with trash. I have two huge burn piles. And I tore out the floor, subfloor, sheetrock, walls...basically just some of the studs and the roof stayed.

But I 'thought' I was saving money by hiring contractors some guy at Lowe's recommended: not. What a mess. Expensive lesson, getting only licensed guys.

And then there's the well problem. And the wiring the high end electrician screwed up. And the plumber I'm about to take to court.

And did I mention that they had over 79 junker cars in the front yard (it's 15 acres) so when the county came and complained the guy got his backhoe out and buried two cars and a COUCH in the front yard, before the neighbors could get the county guy back? You'll be walking across the yard and trip on a carburator or a drive shaft...interesting.

For fun, the guy'd sit on his front porch and shoot out the windshields and mirrors on the junk cars. Yep. Yeeha. So there's glass and metal everywhere.

Why did I buy it? Backs to BLM land. There were two wild mustangs standing in the yard when I drove up. There's a 5 coyote commute every morning past my front gate...it's pretty. But I've blown more money than I have, big time.

So the birds are basically therapy. And the egg'll be nice.

And there was a donkey across the road so I figured no one would yell when mine started braying their fuzzy faces off.

 

[Athena]

Mtnhomechick ...Mary... you did a great job with pallets.. wow, the ideas you have given me.. Just a wonderful job... and I's sure those chickens love their home!!!

WildBurro.... I know that whole post sounded rough,.. with the cats, glass, cars, etc...but, the property showed you potential, and you just have to tap into that potential... Chickens will provide relief and entertainment, and will be the therapy you need to get your through it....but, in the end, whether its a year from now, or 5, will be one you did pretty much on your own... Sounds like a lil bit of paradise, and paradise isn't built in a day!

Congratulations...

and do post photos of your new coop... I need ideas too, to get one started when I come home...

 

[ChanceRider]

WildBurroShirts, I know the general area you're talking about and love it over there. DH and I try to get over to your side of the hill as often as possible; we live outside of Placerville in CA. We enjoy exploring the old mines up in the hills, and seeing the wild horses is always a treat.

We also bought the neighborhood "fixer" and have probably spent more to fix this place than it would have to build new! But, we fell in love with the location and haven't regretted it yet.

I hope you enjoy many hours of entertainment with your soon to be new chicks. And good luck when dealing with contractors... I had to go after our contractor's license and bond to get him to finish an 18 month project!

 

[Clay In Iowa]

Quote:
I've been eyeing a pile of pallets for about a month not and couldn't figure out hot to make them into something useful.... until now..


Thanks for teh photo and GREAT idea!!

 

[FrChuckW]

You sure you're in Nevada and not back here in the hills of Kentucky?

That sounds like the description of so many places back here I have to pass to go to my friends kennels outside of Winchester.

I think that's neat that you have found your own piece of heaven. Funny thing is I got an email the other day about acreage that backs up against BLM land in Montana and Colorado.

I wish I could find someplace like that for myself.

Well aside from being ripped off by so-called contractors and having to spend every penny you have on this place, how is it going? Just some off the top of the head suggestions for you to consider.

With enough car parts, you probably could build your own tractor, plow, harrow, pump for the well, generator to supply your electricity, oh and a cultivator for your garden.

Remember that you can use the ashes from the burn piles to improve your garden soil, once you clear all the garbage out of the ground, along with the bedding and poo from the chickens. You can also turn the junk cars into cash by calling a junk yard and sell them for scrap. Or take their pictures and post them on Ebay and sell them for parts.

With a good acetylne torch you could also chop some of those car bodies and make some innovative coops for your chickens with attached runs between them.

One thing I have found out with property is to take pictures of the before, during and after to show what progress and improvements I have made to it. Looking forward to seeing the pictures of your work in progress.

 

[estpr13]

Wow Wildburro, I think you described the Ozarks where I grew up.
We had an old clunker which was converted into a chicken coop. It had no seats but all the windows. For ventilation we would roll a window down about ½ inch on each side. We fed and watered them up where the front seat was and would let them out from the trunk. There were round holes in the metal flooring which had rubber or plastic fillers for some purpose which we took out to help with the ventilation.

The chickens roosted in the back window. Just throw abunch of pine shaving in to keep the chickens feet off the cold metal and you have yourself a chicken coop.

Currently I live downtown Lexington in an old house in an older neighborhood. My chickens are always scratching up pieces of glass, metal and coal. The coal is from when they used it to heat the house. I now have several 5 gallon buckets full of the stuff. If small enough they eat it.

Let your chickens help you clean your place up. They scratch around fences and shrubery. They eat any leftover cat food, bugs, worms, and will also kill and eat small snakes.

Good luck with the contractors. Have had the same problem there.