Tips on building a cheapo coop and run?

[Sunshine Flock]

Construction site dumpsters are LOADED with free for the taking misfired nail gun boards, cut too shorts, cut bad angles boards, boards with scuffs or dings. Tear down cabins or homes may have an offering of doors and windows . Fire departments sometimes train on old homes that are going to be tore down . Could ask for first dibs on windows or a door.

• Bogtown Chick
• May 3, 2012

This coop is the result of construction site dumpster diving and collecting a door and old windows

You made this coop yourself? I love it!!

And construction site dumpsters, fantastic suggestion!!!

One other thing I meant to mention:

The shed I converted to a coop didn't have any windows, so I cut and framed them myself. The walls are large sheets of siding. To add strength to the cutouts and to have wood I can nail the exterior window trim to, I framed them on the interior with 2x3s.

Usually people use 2x4s for this, but for a small coop the 2x4s felt clunky and wouldn't have given me more strength. The 2x3s are Doug Fir just like the studs, and I bought eight foot boards, but they were a dollar or two cheaper than 2x4s. I used them for roosts, too, wide side facing up.

Again, just as strong, but visually it created a better feeling of spaciousness — and the money saved, well, add up all the savings from doing things like this and that's where you'll see a difference.

 

[skullgrrrl]

Check out the link to my article for some tips: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/author/skullgrrrl.165427/

 

[Chelseyb123]

I built my coop completely out of recycled materials down to the nails and screws lol. I wish i had pics on this phonw to show you. But if you can get your hand on free pallets you can build super awesome easy coops. I made mine out of pylwood an 2×4s. Im in maine and theres a pallet recycling factor whete people pay for the pallets like stores ect an to pick them up an then they give them away for free. Crazy but i built my fenece for the chicken pen and yard out of pallets than pylwood on the inside to block wind. I got about 100pieces of pylwood in my basement from this summer. Some places have ads for people to get them some dont. Ask around. Ask people on facebook if you have one on swap an sells an friends as well. Good luck. Dont over think an price it! If you plan it out right an get everything you need before hand its easy sailing from there. Good luck!

 

[Sunshine Flock]

Check out the link to my article for some tips: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/author/skullgrrrl.165427/

Clever project, and they look comfy inside on their branch roost!

For further savings, you could use pine needles and leaves for the litter. I'm liking one third leaves to two thirds pine needles. I switched recently and really love it, but it does darken the interior of the coop. Pine shavings are brighter and lighten up their home.

 

[CapricornFarm]

I just read your wonderfully detailed post on the construction of your chicken coop and cattle panel run. And then I clicked around the forums for a bit and ended up back on the homepage, and there in the slider is a gingerbread house of a chicken coop and panel run exactly like yours!! That's gotta be your entry, right!!! So cute!!

i made a gingerbread coopI built a hoop coop too.

 

[Sunshine Flock]

i made a gingerbread coopI built a hoop coop too.

Yes, I remember. So adorable! Did you eat it or is it still on a fireplace mantle or under the Christmas tree?

 

[Birdinhand]

I think it can be done on the cheap, no problem as long as you are willing to spend the time required to gather up the bits and pieces over time and not be in a big rush, yet have the follow through. it really can't be said enough that what one can save by being "too cheap" when it comes to coop building, will be spent many times over in hassles and loss due to predators. the thing to save up the clams for is hardware cloth (1/2", galvanized), the very best deterrent to keep out the critters who are looking for an easy quick meal. hardware cloth is hard to find for free but sometimes shows up on CL.

 

[CapricornFarm]

Yes, I remember. So adorable! Did you eat it or is it still on a fireplace mantle or under the Christmas tree?

We are eating it, no point wasting it. Very yummy!

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

I started with cheap, used metal sheds I found on craigslist ($75, free). Has worked out pretty well so far. I intend to build something better once I have more experience.

 

[jthornton]

I started with cheap, used metal sheds I found on craigslist ($75, free). Has worked out pretty well so far. I intend to build something better once I have more experience.

Do you get any sweating on the roof panels?

JT