We've Been Had.

[AllisonD]

Looks like chicken wire is what you had the problem with...

 

[Coop de Grille]

rusted out in 6 months between critters and rust had to put boards up around this pen was built out of an old tobacco scaffle

This is chicken wire, not hardware cloth.

 

[franko]

I'm a contractor by trade and you have to spend gas to go get material, pay for the material, plus time to get material and labor to build it. I pay my carpenters $35.00 and hour. Your looking at two hours to get material, four hours labor (that's six hours total) and $100.00 bucks or so on material. You might have found one cheaper since it was used but now that you have it, you can put your own personal touch to it. So don't let anyone make you feel bad. Building the nest box on the outside is good and you can even expand further back. Putting a roost for night inside is good. Your can lay hay and then you can clean it out. You may want to put a day time roost catty corner from the door, four or five inches off the ground. Adding on with extending the frame and wire would be easy. I like to have a barrier under ground and around the coop. Don't forget to spray it down with Clorox and rinsing before putting chicks in. There's plenty of ideas on BYC. The whole purpose is to learn and enjoy. Franko

 

[AllisonD]

Hey Franko, I appreciate your positivity! I am absolutely not going to waste the materials, even if I invest in building a new coop the existing structure will make an acceptable run for the adolescent hens. Thanks very much for your suggestions!

 

[COUNTRYBOI]

Looks like chicken wire is what you had the problem with...

yeah had some problem out of the lighter hardware as well didn't have any to show you but the heavier 1/2 x1/2 should be ok it's alot stiffer

 

[crchickens]

I'm a contractor by trade and you have to spend gas to go get material, pay for the material, plus time to get material and labor to build it. I pay my carpenters $35.00 and hour. Your looking at two hours to get material, four hours labor (that's six hours total) and $100.00 bucks or so on material. You might have found one cheaper since it was used but now that you have it, you can put your own personal touch to it. So don't let anyone make you feel bad. Building the nest box on the outside is good and you can even expand further back. Putting a roost for night inside is good. Your can lay hay and then you can clean it out. You may want to put a day time roost catty corner from the door, four or five inches off the ground. Adding on with extending the frame and wire would be easy. I like to have a barrier under ground and around the coop. Don't forget to spray it down with Clorox and rinsing before putting chicks in. There's plenty of ideas on BYC. The whole purpose is to learn and enjoy. Franko

I agree!!! I would work with this coop, and fix it up for your chickens!! If you added nesting boxes, with a lift up lid on the back of the coop, you would have a lot more space, and four chickens could fit in there!! I would add a door to keep them warm in the winter, too. Once you move the nesting box dividers, you could put a roost in there. It is do-able!!