- Mar 10, 2012
- 5
- 2
- 9
$1100-ish so far. $400 for the coop materials and $600 for the run. I'm the crazy neighbor in this story that spent too many $$$'s for chickens.
So the wife has been wanting "hens" for awhile. I've been gathering inventory from Craigslist and trying to find time to build this for a couple of years now. Like any project of mine it's taken entirely too long and went way over budget even with scrounging. I started the build in March thinking I'd knock it out in a couple of weekends
We planned to get 6-8 birds Easter weekend and I thought they'd be out of the brooder in the garage and into their coop by the end of April . . . ha, ha . . . 8 fully feathered 6+ week old mini chickens made it into the coop on May 20th. I'm finishing up the run wire this week and weekend. I had plenty of help from our almost 3yr old son on the coop and my neighbor who always likes a project helped on the run. Jr thought he was getting a playhouse
The Coop:
Here are some pics during the build. Basically complete now, but I need to get the completed photos. It's 4'x6' with external nesting box. I built 2 nesting boxes and am using the extra space for the water supply and treat storage. It's insulated with 1" blue board (roof has 2"), wrapped with misprint vinyl banner material, and lined with coroplast sign board. Should be draft free for the winter and a bit cooler in the summer heat. Outside is cypress siding I got for cheap on craigslist, cedar pickets ripped for trim, and metal roofing.
Back of Coop, the side visible from our house. Siding and door complete now, but still figuring out how to flash the joint for the nest box lid so it doesn't leak in the rain. Also wondering if I need an add'l window since the current one faces the covered run and the inside of the coop is pretty dark? Over the nest boxes would be the best spot for the window. I have a predator proof latch now too.
Interior shot installing the poop boards, no roosts yet. We have 8 birds and 6' of main roost across the back on 2' to be on the left side. The trim was left over from our house, wife teased me on that one Floor is a sheet of plastic stall liner leftover from the neighbor. Walls are coroplast from the scrap bin at work. I lined the roof too so I should be able to hose/wipe down everything. Window was traded for 2 dozen eggs when we get them. Pop door is to the right of the window, and the nest boxes, both out of the shot.
The run is 10x20 and way over the top, but we're rural and have every predator you could think of. $200 for ding-n-dent metal, $300 for lumber, and $100 for the used kennel panels. I figured if we get tired of chickens I'll have a nice lean to for the tractor. Coop goes to the left in the corner created by the shop. I reworked the kennel panel where the coop will be so that it butts right up to it and reconfigured the gate panel to tighten up the gaps. Hardware cloth apron is out a foot or so, but still needs to be buried. Gable ends will be wired up too.
I'll post some more pics with the coop in place.
So the wife has been wanting "hens" for awhile. I've been gathering inventory from Craigslist and trying to find time to build this for a couple of years now. Like any project of mine it's taken entirely too long and went way over budget even with scrounging. I started the build in March thinking I'd knock it out in a couple of weekends
We planned to get 6-8 birds Easter weekend and I thought they'd be out of the brooder in the garage and into their coop by the end of April . . . ha, ha . . . 8 fully feathered 6+ week old mini chickens made it into the coop on May 20th. I'm finishing up the run wire this week and weekend. I had plenty of help from our almost 3yr old son on the coop and my neighbor who always likes a project helped on the run. Jr thought he was getting a playhouse The Coop:
Here are some pics during the build. Basically complete now, but I need to get the completed photos. It's 4'x6' with external nesting box. I built 2 nesting boxes and am using the extra space for the water supply and treat storage. It's insulated with 1" blue board (roof has 2"), wrapped with misprint vinyl banner material, and lined with coroplast sign board. Should be draft free for the winter and a bit cooler in the summer heat. Outside is cypress siding I got for cheap on craigslist, cedar pickets ripped for trim, and metal roofing.
Back of Coop, the side visible from our house. Siding and door complete now, but still figuring out how to flash the joint for the nest box lid so it doesn't leak in the rain. Also wondering if I need an add'l window since the current one faces the covered run and the inside of the coop is pretty dark? Over the nest boxes would be the best spot for the window. I have a predator proof latch now too.
Interior shot installing the poop boards, no roosts yet. We have 8 birds and 6' of main roost across the back on 2' to be on the left side. The trim was left over from our house, wife teased me on that one
Floor is a sheet of plastic stall liner leftover from the neighbor. Walls are coroplast from the scrap bin at work. I lined the roof too so I should be able to hose/wipe down everything. Window was traded for 2 dozen eggs when we get them. Pop door is to the right of the window, and the nest boxes, both out of the shot.The run is 10x20 and way over the top, but we're rural and have every predator you could think of. $200 for ding-n-dent metal, $300 for lumber, and $100 for the used kennel panels. I figured if we get tired of chickens I'll have a nice lean to for the tractor. Coop goes to the left in the corner created by the shop. I reworked the kennel panel where the coop will be so that it butts right up to it and reconfigured the gate panel to tighten up the gaps. Hardware cloth apron is out a foot or so, but still needs to be buried. Gable ends will be wired up too.
I'll post some more pics with the coop in place.
