Truck box used as coop?

[Spookwriter]

No pictures, just a thought for discussion.

Everybody knows what a straight truck is...local delivery and such, the box is
anywhere from 10 foot to 28 foot in legenth. Width is either 96 inch or the 102 inch.

Most have only the rear door, either roll-up or swing. Some boxs will have a side door
on the curb side. Most have plywood on the inside walls. FRD boxs are three-inch walls.

These things come with hardwood floors, aluminum siding and an eight foot inside height.
Almost never leak. Even translucent roofing.

Nobody uses them? Why?

Fairly cheep in my area. A few hundred dollars, delivered. The 96 inch wide boxs are almost
free. (modern trucks almost all require the 102 box.) Cheapest one I've ever bought was $75.00
with minor damage on one top corner.

Easy enough to cut and install windows, doors or whatever. But predator proof to the max. Not even
a bug can get in. But they are weather tight, factory square. Easy to paint or install siding to your choice.

Just ordered my daughter's new silkies, and I'll be off to check out boxs this weekend. Make an excellent
coop.

Next thought...everybody lives somewhere near a moving company. (Think Atlas, United, Mayflower)
All of these companys use a "crate" in their warehouses to store furniture. Generally the 8x8x8 crate.
Built of plywood and 1x4 furing strips, they use a snap-together system. Assemble in minutes with metal
clips.

I say that because I know that sometimes the moving companys will simply give some of their older boxes
away. May be a busted panel or something. But still, nice crates.

Many companys also have an excess pile of odd-size wooden crates piled somewhere. (think grandfather clocks
or other expensive furniture.) Great source of ideals for any size.

What would anyone guess to be an AVERAGE amount of money people invest in their coops?

 

[DaughterOfEve]

I like the crate idea, we have more pallet wood and rough sawn lumber here. We reycled an old shed, paint, roofing and run came to about 300.

 

[Chook-A-Holic]

That's what I did. The pic below is what was left after building my 1st. toter-home. Works great!!! I even have an overhang over the door. Now I just need to get the porch built. This pic was taken last fall, that why you see green leaves... lol.

 

[HennyJenny]

I saw one of those the other day with double rear doors and a side door (it was pretty vintage) but I thought exactly the same thing! A little Sanford & Sons but it would be perfect for a coop!

 

[MissJenny]

We're building my coop next month with a budget of $300 -- so help me God!

Your idea of using a truck box as a coop base is a good one. It will still need vents and windows, but it certainly sounds easy enough to modify -- and if you have access to them cheap then I'd say it sounds brilliant. Would it sit directly on the ground or be elevated? I would think elevated on concrete blocks or some such would be essential to keeping it intact and mold/mildew proof. And you know us girls, we want it to be pretty -- so if you can fit in a flower box that would be good.

So where is your source. I'm curious about the crates you mentioned. Where would you get such things?

Do tell.

Jenny

 

[Spookwriter]

Cincinnati....home of PLANES MOVING and STORAGE. United agent.

Grab your telephone book and see who's in your area. In my book
it's under MOVERS. Try calling a few...see who has extra crates.

**Also a great source for the cardboard boxes we all use in the house
for babies. Used boxes.

Look under Truck bodies or other truck-related heading for the storage box.
Might find one in a junkyard, or a scrap metal recycler. May even be a local
company in your area using these small trucks. Call them. May have one, or
a good lead on one.

My boxes come from a used truck lot. Constantly changing inventory.

**Selling trucks overseas, he can't ship one intact with a box on it. Only the
cab and chassie get shipped. Boxes stay here. Delivered with a rollback, just
like a car.

I've seen them flat on the ground or on blocks. Either way works. On a metal
frame. My neighbor bought one last year, a small reefer box and buried three
and a half sides of it. Used for a bug-proof root cellar for their canning.

Same man bought an old 48 foot trailer from us last year, set it on the ground
and turned it into his machine shop.

No limit to what you can make out of a box....coop, machine shop, general shed.
One of my cousins used his spare reefer to winter calfs in. (Reefers both heat and
cool)

 

[Bleenie]

This is a good idea. We have an old box truck we were considering using as a feed room (box only)...just can't figure out how to safely remove it from the truck without heavy equipment($!). It has a back rool door but also a side swinging door.

 

[Chook-A-Holic]

Quote:
Is the truck any good? If not, just put an ad on Craigslist for a free truck if they remove the body for you. You will have takers, especially if it is a big truck. Do you know anyone with a big rollback? You could remove the safety bumper and u bolts yourself, then get them to back up to it and pull it off of the truck chassis. You could also use some barrels, solid blocks, and 10' heavy timbers to jack up the body and pull the truck out from under it. I wouldn't recommend the latter if you've never done it before though, very dangerous if you don't know what you're doing. Just some Ideas...

 

[oldrooster]

Spook they are hard to come by here unless you by the whole truck and storage boxes are a pipe dream here. My father drove for a freight company (out of business 28 years) and bought a box from them when they where going to sell a truck and then sold the house he put it at as a storage shed, but you are correct they make great sheds/coops the box my dad set out back of that house is still there over 40 years after he put it there.

 

[oldrooster]

Spook just thought of something you said about that refer unit, the are using storage units built like these box trailers or simi trailers over seas in the middle east for military personal to live in I think we might see some of those coming back and in a few years becoming up for sale as we pull out. great for coops, storage or depending on how they are set up when purchased put a roof on it for a home office with a roof on it....