Under $100?

[the1much]

for 40 bucks you can buy a dog kennel big enough for 4 birds,, feed on ground ( helps with giving them grit) and water them in a gallon jug with the top cut off, and they will eat all your food scraps, so that cuts down some on feed.

 

[BayCityBabe]

In my neck of the woods (Michigan), people sell hens & pullets on craigslist & bestfarmbuys for $5-$10. Jim is right: You could have a dog kennel coop for $40. People have made "free" coops out of pallets.
$100? Yes you can!

 

[BayCityBabe]

And don't foget your Habitat Re-Store for hinges & stuff.

 

[miss_jayne]

BCB is right...you just have to scout about!

here in Michigan, i have a man who will build a 4 x4 coop for $40-50. no joke.

also, what about a tractor for the chickens? then you could alleviate fencing etc.

 

[speckledhen]

If you know where they're building new houses, go ask the foreman if you can scrounge his dumpster and/or burn pile. It can be done. My Firetower coop was built like that, from one job site. The only thing I had to buy was the roll roofing and I chose to buy paint because I didnt like the colors I had on hand. Total cost: $60 including paint and roll roofing. Had most of the fencing on hand, just had to buy a roll of hardware wire to wrap the bottom of that for a predator deterrent.

 

[mom'sfolly]

I scored a display playhouse that was in bad shape, simply by asking at the store. Behind several stores I've seen discarded packing crates that with little effort. There are free building materials on craigslist all the time.

 

[jvls1942]

No, I do not think you can do it..
You were discouraged by one trip to craigs list.. you do not have the "junkman drive" that it takes to be a scrounger. sorry.......

 

[seedcorn]

Quote:
subtle, very subtle.

 

[Roosterboy]

No, not just one trip. I am slightly offended. I have been looking for supplies for months and the ones near me are either to expensive or i would have to buy to much stuff. I go around to yard sales a lot and look for supplies to build with, supplies, and pretty much anything else i think i might use in the next 100 or so years. I just wanted to know if i could get stain, something to give them water, supplies for a run, and anything i don't already have that i didn't mention.

 

[LindaN]

Hey, give Roosterboy a break. I check Craigslist here in Chicago almost daily to see what sorts of things people are offering.

In general, there are few useful things offered for free (things useful for building a coop, I mean), and what is offered is often way out in the far 'burbs. Not everyone has the time and/or ability to drive 40 miles to get some free pallets.

We also don't have a Re-store in this area, nor are the construction sites dotted here and there around the city quite so friendly to people looking through the dumpster.

My point is, not all areas are as scavenger friendly as you may think.