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

[HausOfEggwards]

I just received a quote for a 10x6 chicken coop... $2,023! I know lumber is sky high... no need to tell me that. But here is the crazy part... I'm thinking about paying it. But I honestly feel like a fool paying that much for a CHICKEN COOP! I was fine with $1500... and $1700. But $2k seemed a bit excessive. What do you think? Give me your story.

Hi idk if you're handy at all, but check out craigslist for stuff to repurpose! https://columbia.craigslist.org/zip/d/chapin-wood-shed/7323573617.html

 

[3KillerBs]

My neighbour is using a metal garden shed ($600 Cdn at Home Depot) and chicken fencing wire on metal pound in posts. It took us an hour to pound in the posts. Post pounder was $5 to rent. The shed kit took us four hours to put up. Fencing material cost $100. She bought plastic nesting boxes from Amazon. She will have two dozen chickens. Under a thousand and it’s a secure set up.

Welcome to BYC.

That must be one awesomely huge shed to hold 24 chickens. The usual guidelines suggest 96 square feet for a flock that size (though there is a certain point where the huge amount of overall space drops the per-chicken requirement down). So, an 8x10, a 8x12 or thereabouts?

 

[pamiejune]

I paid over $3K for the materials to build a 10 x 16 coop (thankfully, last fall, and I stored it away for spring) but it will be as sound as a house. This is just for lumber, hardware, and metal roof. I went to my favorite home improvement store which had a promotion that if you spent more than $300 you could take 18 months to pay it off interest-free. DEAL. And the Pro Shop guy was phenomenal - figured out all the board length I'd need, what and how much hardware I'd need, and how to build the roof (the plan I got online had openings in the eaves and I wanted it tight). I have a door, windows, and some board lengths for a workbench and brooder box scavenged from my barn collection of odds and ends. I had already bought hardware cloth for the runs and some chicken wire for an inside divider, two auto pop doors (it's going to be a double coop for my large fowl and bantams), and roll away nesting boxes, another hefty price tag, BUT - I will never have to build another coop again. I've lost track of how many pre-fab coops I've gone through.

 

[pamiejune]

Welcome to BYC.

That must be one awesomely huge shed to hold 24 chickens. The usual guidelines suggest 96 square feet for a flock that size (though there is a certain point where the huge amount of overall space drops the per-chicken requirement down). So, an 8x10, a 8x12 or thereabouts?

I'd be concerned about using metal - that will turn into an oven on a hot day unless they have installed some pretty heavy-duty ventilation system. Does it have windows at least?

 

[Carson213]

I have 12. I have 7 more coming so 19 total eventually.

build bigger than you need. having too much space is never the problem.

 

[Carson213]

We don’t have that community of people where I live.

build the coop you want and don’t listen to people’s opinions about the cost. if you’re passionate about this...go big. chickens are awesome...and don’t listen to the nay sayers...most of them have less than a couple dozen chickens and no roosters. i say go big and have fun with it.

 

[Birdsonghill]

In 1976 I first used an old metal garden tool shed (8 x8 ft.)and a small child's playhouse(8 x8 ft.) for my first flock at my own first home. It was in the shade all day and worked for a few years before it rusted out too much. The plywood playhouse worked for 19 years, but was small (short!)and difficult to clean. A purpose built coop of weather resistant and sturdy construction is always to be preferred, but a lot of ways to improvise or save were the only way possible to have chickens back then for me. poverty is the inspiration for many good ideas. But, do the best you can, to make a safe, dry, secure and comfortable coop for your birds! Being able to stand up straight while cleaning out the coop is a big plus! Remember chicken wire is for keeping chickens in, not predators out! Heat may kill or stress out your bird just as frigid temps and snow might. Provide shade, shade, shade and did I mention shade? Location should be in a well drained area as well. Build on a concrete pad or bury wire around your coop and run if possible to prevent tragic losses from possibly occurring from animals digging under the fence/walls. Most of all, observe your birds daily! I built a small coop with outside egg collection 26 years ago, still too small, (handled 12 hens)but nice. I thought it nice to not have to hinge the roof or stoop to collect eggs in the 6 ft. tall structure. Later standing in the cold rain and snow collecting eggs, I decided my next coop would be a full stand up deal! Also, one that allowed me to collect eggs out of the weather! I gave that compact coop(a larger old coop was too deteriorated to save) away about 4 years ago when I got sick and was overwhelmed and couldn't take care of all my livestock. I am happy to not have it, because I might put it to use! Good luck to young newbies and old broke dirt dobbers (like me), who have to stretch a Dollar$ or invent and adapt! Just keep trying to improve until your time is up!

 

[DaisyFaye7]

I'm scoping a 8x12 Woods coop with a 8x16 run and materials alone are nearly $3000. OSB 4x8 plywood is almost $50 a sheet!

That’s even higher than OSB here, at my last check! We were at almost $40, couple weeks ago. Material costs are so high, and people are building houses like crazy in our county, it’s mind boggling!

 

[Birdsonghill]

That’s even higher than OSB here, at my last check! We were at almost $40, couple weeks ago. Material costs are so high, and people are building houses like crazy in our county, it’s mind boggling!

Despite a pick up in bldg., the inflation seems way beyond the typical demand effect. We have had many surges in construction in my lifetime and this is far worse than solely, increased demand. I have a lot of projects that require new materials. I know of many who are putting off projects in hopes of lower prices in a couple years. Good Luck everybody, and keep the Chickens Happy!

 

[clarkbre]

That’s even higher than OSB here, at my last check! We were at almost $40, couple weeks ago. Material costs are so high, and people are building houses like crazy in our county, it’s mind boggling!

Price check: