Talk me off the Ledge... $2000 for a chicken coop!

[Tankueray]

8x12 hoop coop/tractor. Easy to build. I bought three 2x6x12s new, got 4'x100' hardware cloth and a rollout nest box at an auction. I had cattle panels, metal roofing, and the other wood already. I already had the tires and metal to weld up the retractable wheel assembly. Did everything myself in a few weekends. I estimate that I spent less than $500, but new material cost would most likely be at least $1000, which includes the $255 price of the nestbox new. (Note, it doesn't make a good tractor, it's way too heavy for that.) The "window" is a clear panel from a broken flat screen television I had laying around. They don't like it, they won't perch in front of it because I don't think they realize that there's a window and hardware cloth between them and the world.

A few ideas:
Metal panels are cheaper than OSB/plywood in some places, consider them instead. 6" fence pickets are still cheapish, consider them instead as well and use them like siding. Pallets can still be found for free sometimes. Ask where the cull pile is. Call fence companies to see if they have haul-offs instead of paying the landfill to take them.

 

[vintage]

I honestly stopped counting. We bought a shed bracket kit which was $50. We built the shed, 8x6. Put on a metal roof, I'd say we were roughly at $1k for the coop, but it's exactly what I wanted. The run though, is around 15x8. The hardware cloth and 4x4s were outrageous. Treated lumber costs, heck all lumber costs are a killer right now.

 

[TwoShepherds]

I can't remember exactly what I paid for our coop in 2019, but I think it was around 3K for a 12 x 7 coop from a shed company, and then there was a little extra for delivery. On top of that, I had to pay for the run. Ouch. :-/ Did it hurt to pay that much? Sure, but I didn't want to pay for a junky pre-fab coop that was too small, cheaply made, and would have to be replaced in a year.

Would I have saved money building it myself?--Sure, but it wouldn't have been as well built, and I simply didn't have the time or inclination to learn to make one myself. It was directly in my back yard so I didn't want it to be any less attractive than a shed. To me it was worth the money...my animals are my main hobby, we rarely travel or spend money on electronics or other luxuries, and I only buy new clothes when I have to. So why not?

Now, in the future, I fantsize about having a grow-out pen for meat-birds and perhaps a breeding coop/pen. I would put those farther out in our field away from the house, hence they could be uglier and cheaper (a hoop coop with a tarp over it would be fine).

If you can afford to buy the new coop without going into financial peril, and if you're not in a situation to build your own coop...I think it seems like a reasonable price.

 

[21hens-incharge]

8x12 hoop coop/tractor. Easy to build. I bought three 2x6x12s new, got 4'x100' hardware cloth and a rollout nest box at an auction. I had cattle panels, metal roofing, and the other wood already. I already had the tires and metal to weld up the retractable wheel assembly. Did everything myself in a few weekends. I estimate that I spent less than $500, but new material cost would most likely be at least $1000, which includes the $255 price of the nestbox new. (Note, it doesn't make a good tractor, it's way too heavy for that.) The "window" is a clear panel from a broken flat screen television I had laying around. They don't like it, they won't perch in front of it because I don't think they realize that there's a window and hardware cloth between them and the world.

A few ideas:
Metal panels are cheaper than OSB/plywood in some places, consider them instead. 6" fence pickets are still cheapish, consider them instead as well and use them like siding. Pallets can still be found for free sometimes. Ask where the cull pile is. Call fence companies to see if they have haul-offs instead of paying the landfill to take them.

Nicely done!

I think the roost they are on looks a bit close to the wall to accommodate them once fully grown.

Maybe they simply cannot pop up to the window roost yet.

 

[Tankueray]

Nicely done!

I think the roost they are on looks a bit close to the wall to accommodate them once fully grown.

Maybe they simply cannot pop up to the window roost yet.

Thanks. They are about 18 weeks now, and two of them are huge!

That camera angle is deceiving. The edge of the board is 10" from the wall, and it's 5.5" wide, the lower 2x4 is at 24". I have the same setup on the other side and made sure all screws were accessible, because I figured flat boards would have to be replaced more often. The nest box is 48" wide. (And some change, I started building the coop with that specific nest box in mind, which says 48" online. Fate sent me to that auction and I got it months before I had planned to, and luckily found out that it was about 48.5" total before I'd finished all the framing!) The window roost is just under 7' long, maybe 6.5'. Most of those boards are 2x6 x random, non-standard length I got for free. The roost boards are those 2x6s that I cut to 5/8"x6.

They can get to the one at the window/above the nest box just fine, they'll even hang out on either side of the window, just not in front of it. Once I hung the wind chime outside and a trough feeder inside so they had to eat there, it's been getting covered in poop regularly. I'm not happy with the giant floppy window and I still need to enclose and snake-proof the nest box, so I think I may put a sliding window frame in instead.

Something that I just was reminded of. I also built a duck house two weekends ago and did buy some new lumber. It was cheaper for me to buy one 2x10x12 than multiple 2x2s, 2x3s, or 2x4s. I cut it to 6', then ripped it into (roughly) 2x2s to build the duck house frame, and I used fence boards as siding. Again, I had the hardware cloth, the metal roofing, the wheels, and screws. So I bought the wood, bolts & nuts for the wheels, 4 hinges, and 2 hasps - and I only spent about $50.

It measures about 5'x6' and the rear panel folds down for access.

 

[clarkbre]

........It was directly in my back yard so I didn't want it to be any less attractive than a shed. To me it was worth the money...my animals are my main hobby, we rarely travel or spend money on electronics or other luxuries, and I only buy new clothes when I have to. So why not?.....

Agreed!

The coop I am currently building sits about 50' directly behind our house facing our kitchen window, family room and back patio. Knowing that it will stand there for a decade or more, I want it to be as attractive as it is functional. With room to hang plants and lay stepping stones, it will become part of the landscape for our enjoyment. Could I have saved money on it? YES. Would I have been happy with it in the long run? Probably not.

 

[3KillerBs]

If you priced materials based on the pic provided, purchasing all of your materials at Lowes (about as cheap as you can get), the rough estimate to get you about 90% done is $1540.06. That is with today's current material prices and it would only get the project into the back of your truck. ...

VERY useful breakout there!

6" fence pickets are still cheapish, consider them instead as well and use them like siding.

That's what I'm going to use for the windward walls on my new coop.

I saw this on Facebook the other day:

 

[Tankueray]

A picture's worth a thousand words....or in this case at least $1,540.

If you priced materials based on the pic provided, purchasing all of your materials at Lowes (about as cheap as you can get), the rough estimate to get you about 90% done is $1540.06. That is with today's current material prices and it would only get the project into the back of your truck.

If there is cost involved with an architect to design it and someone else to build it, you'll pay more. Remember, labor costs always seem through the roof high but no one ever takes into account that that person needs to cover their overhead and make a profit.

While the initial sting of the estimate hurts, after factoring in true material and labor costs, enjoy the good deal!

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Holy Moly! I thought lumber was high here! And you actually have "trees" in Washington, we have thorny bushes that call themselves Mesquite....

Where I'm at:
2x4x10 PT - $11.47
2x4x12 PT - 13.55
Framing studs - 7.96
2x4x10 - 8.21
CDX - 49.98
T1-11 - 53.08
I buy metal from local manufacturer, $1.50-$2/foot for 38" wide panel, depending on style, sometimes they have seconds for $1/foot or less.

I know the deed is done, but here's a good site for free plans and instructions: https://www.construct101.com/?s=chicken+coop

 

[Tankueray]

..."And I still had to build the roost and nests myself!"

Go on... tell us! Did it at least include a run?

That's a good point. Your design doesn't look like it includes any amenities, like roosts, vinyl flooring, or paint? So you're still going to have to do a lot of finish work that may not be in your contractor's quote.

I think you could save some money by replacing the siding and roof with metal. You can always add insulation in the winter. ($60-70/4x8 sheet vs. $30/3x12 panel) It's loud when it rains, but mine don't mind it at all; and you probably have worse summers than winters, so the wood is more of a burden anyway.

For the same price as a sheet of plywood, you could by a 2 hole rollout nest box to hang on the inside, although you'll probably want four hole with that many birds.

For your run, you can do t-posts ($5 each) and 5' 2x4 welded wire fencing (50' is about $50 I think) for now. Pop a $25 50"x16' cattle panel on top for a "roof" and hawk barrier. Use a mesh tarp from harbor freight as a shade cloth, with pool noodles/pipe insulation on the fence edges to protect the tarp. (Those mesh tarps are nice BTW, I use them everywhere.) Or, if you *need* to cover it in welded wire all over, go with 3 cattle panels and t-posts, build an end door or buy a 4' chain link gate, and cover the panels with the cloth. Order the hardware cloth from the feed store or online, Lowes/HD don't sell long or tall enough rolls for a decent price.

 

[aart]

Yes... as long as chicken math doesn't kick in!

I meant the $55 bucks for the drawings.

One thing I see about the design tho:
No roof overhangs.

..and you have to make roosts and nest etc?