Topic of the Week - Recycling (In) The Coop

[Blue Eager]

I use only the white w/black print news papers. Not the shinny ads. I also only use it in the coop & not the laying areas because it sticks to the eggs. I use straw for these areas. The shredded paper waste goes directly into my compost bends. Hard to beat for a nitrogen (poop) carbon (paper) mix. I will also toss in leaves & coffee grounds.

 

[PippinTheChicken]

My new coop is a new shed, but the roosts and nesting boxes are made of pallets. I didn't buy new curtains or paint.

 

[Ursuline Chick]

We have found that wooden fence boards are very useful. After Ida lots of people whose fences blew down, bought new and just threw out the old. They also make great rustic garden gates. Also pallets are great and easy to find. We also have houses still being built in our neighborhood, since Katrina. They are getting ready to build one next door, so I will be dumpster diving so I can move my coop a little farther away from the neighbor's going to be house. Hoping and praying they are like our old neighborhood (pre Katrina) than some of the new people who have moved in and tried to change the old neighborhood.

 

[3KillerBs]

My horizontal nipple waterers are all empty containers from the Deli and Bakery at the grocery store where I work.

 

[RUNuts]

My horizontal nipple waterers are all empty containers from the Deli and Bakery at the grocery store where I work.

I put the cup waterers on a 55 gallon drum that collects water from the quail coop gutter. Self filling and lots of water. I use this to water the raised beds also.

Food grade 55 gallon drums are available for free if you look.

 

[NorthwoodsChick]

Got this one 6x10 fiberglass utility shed for FREE. Local REA was upgrading substation units so, ask and you shall receive. A one piece molded unit so no drafts. Needs work to suit my needs but did I mention it's FREE??!!
It has a working thermostat controlled exhaust fan, electric baseboard heater and a 110 amp fuse box, two overhead lights wired in galvanized steel conduit. It even has a lightening arrestor on top which will make for a perfect chicken flag pole.
I can sell the heater...don't need it. May keep the fuse box (with actual fuses..its THAT old) for some rainy day project.

 

[Pippin quail]

When we moved to our acreage in the spring there was a gross, old metal shed on the property already. I wasn't a fan of using it for the chickens, originally. But then we looked at the price of building materials... And the rest is history!

My husband painted it, framed half of it for windows (which I picked up for free, along with a free sliding patio door). For the run we used some existing fence boards that were near the shed and some trees that were in a fairly straight line across from the fencing. We put hardware cloth and thick gauge chicken wire/mesh fence up on the existing fence and trees. For the nesting box we used an old IKEA shelf we had kicking around and some fallen trees/branches for the roosting bars.
For bedding I use a lot of hay that was cut from our property and leaves from our trees. I would prefer straw/wood shavings... But free is free. I also have a pile of well broken down mulch that someone gave me and I throw in the run every week or two just to give some fresh dirt. I've used scrap wood for everything I've built... My husband always seems to get the new wood and I take his scraps when he's out of town to add things like a second divided area for the chicks or little log roosting bars in the run. And just recently my mom gave us a nice pile of OSB and other boards that are all coated with an insulated and fire retardant coating. The insulation is actually quite thick. So we're going to built a better dog house out of some of it and take whatever is left and line the walls of the coop with it. The metal is definitely getting frosty the past week or so! I'm sure the chickens will appreciate some separation from that.

And that is my recycled coop. It still cost way more than we planned just with wood for framing, paint, hardware and fencing materials... But I can't even imagine how much it would have been if we built a coop the same size with brand new materials!

 

[Ursuline Chick]

When we moved to our acreage in the spring there was a gross, old metal shed on the property already. I wasn't a fan of using it for the chickens, originally. But then we looked at the price of building materials... And the rest is history!

My husband painted it, framed half of it for windows (which I picked up for free, along with a free sliding patio door). For the run we used some existing fence boards that were near the shed and some trees that were in a fairly straight line across from the fencing. We put hardware cloth and thick gauge chicken wire/mesh fence up on the existing fence and trees. For the nesting box we used an old IKEA shelf we had kicking around and some fallen trees/branches for the roosting bars.
For bedding I use a lot of hay that was cut from our property and leaves from our trees. I would prefer straw/wood shavings... But free is free. I also have a pile of well broken down mulch that someone gave me and I throw in the run every week or two just to give some fresh dirt. I've used scrap wood for everything I've built... My husband always seems to get the new wood and I take his scraps when he's out of town to add things like a second divided area for the chicks or little log roosting bars in the run. And just recently my mom gave us a nice pile of OSB and other boards that are all coated with an insulated and fire retardant coating. The insulation is actually quite thick. So we're going to built a better dog house out of some of it and take whatever is left and line the walls of the coop with it. The metal is definitely getting frosty the past week or so! I'm sure the chickens will appreciate some separation from that.

And that is my recycled coop. It still cost way more than we planned just with wood for framing, paint, hardware and fencing materials... But I can't even imagine how much it would have been if we built a coop the same size with brand new materials!

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I think it is lovely.

 

[Pippin quail]

I think it is lovely.

Thanks! I'm quite happy with how it turned out too. It's often my hiding place when I just need to get away from the kids for a little bit.

 

[Pippin quail]

I also just realized I could recycle the panels my husband cut out of the coop for the windows. I don't have the fully covered run I would love to have for my chickens, but they can now have some covered dust bathing areas and the pop door can be a little more sheltered from the wind and rain (and soon snow)