Starting over from scratch!

[FaerieChicken]

I am starting over from scratch, and although we have made a pretty nice big enclosure for now using the chain link fence panels, we still have not predator proofed it for digging nor does it have a roof! I have a dog house, well a couple actually, made into nesting houses, and an old coop that is really shallow and there is no access to the inside other than through the main entrance. I really need some help with constructing something for the long haul. I have a large wooden platform that I put the little "rabbit hutch" (at least that is what I think it was, free off craigslist, hens like to lay eggs in it for now) and a dog house that has detachable roof with the nesting boxes inside it, on this platform but it is not going to last long, I walk on it and it creeks and makes cracking noises. Also they do not have appropriate roosts, and some like to sleep inside the nesting house. The other dog house I have not converted yet as the roof that came with it is very unsteady and needs replacing or reinforced. Also I think it needs some paint on the wood to seal it in before winter so it doesn't get further damaged. Along with the dog house I am using now, the roof it has is just an exterior grade ply-board that needs a coat of paint as well to seal it.

I live on the Central Coast of California, if anyone happens to be in the area that can check out my craigslist posts perhaps, or can give me some pointers here, I have been scouting for some free materials, however I think that they will definitely need a place to go to keep out of the weather as well once the rain (if we get any this year) comes. I really need a carpenter or handy type person. I had a bunch of wood donated to me for the project, I just don't know where to begin, and what else I might need, well besides the obvious nails and screws. Well and of course I will need some of the welded wire or no climb fencing, but as far as a plan and design, I kind of have one in mind but not sure if it will work, or if I am going to be able to pull it off.

The place I had before, it was already set up and a done deal! This, I am starting from scratch, and I have no area to start it from.

 

[braddockfarm]

I am not near you but I hope my suggestions can still help. Craigslist is great...sometimes. I always call around local contractors to see if they are doing any jobs that they will have trash lumber to pull from. I also call cable companies. They often have hundreds of free pallets out here and they are happy to get them out of the yard. Facebook posts for local sales groups too. People may be thinking of getting rid of this or that. Replacing a shed, fence, repairing. There is always junk left over and that becomes my treasures.

 

[Bryant Redhawk]

I second the use of pallets for building coops. I just finished building a new hog house with pallets and it is plenty sturdy with just 3" screws holding it together (most use 1/4" bolts). All the pallets I currently have were free for picking them up. But even if you pay 3 bucks per, they are still a very cheap way to get walls, floors and even roofs put together in a hurry. From there all you have to do is put on sheathing unless you want to dismantle some extra pallets and use that wood for siding. On the roof you can get away with just installing metal or you can lay down a 7/16 OSB then tarpaper and shingle or install metal. On the Trailer over roof I used a rubber roofing coating, it was 74 dollars for 4.5 gallons and it did a 320 sq. ft. roof. It is a lot cooler than the metal roof I put on the coop. (both are white)

 

[braddockfarm]

We actually built our shed with pallets. 14x20. Found old siding and metal roofing that was being trashed. We spent maybe $150 on this and that. Compared to the $9900 the other folks wanted for the same footprint, I think it was worth the extra hustle. Lol. Pallets are super awesome.