![]() One thing to keep in mind, though, is what kind of wood you are using. Salvage Discarded Woodĭiscarded wood seems hard to find until you start looking for it, in which case you start seeing it everywhere.Ĭhicken keepers should have very little difficulty in finding all of the boards they need for their coop without spending a dime on them. Mold, rot, or other issues will compromise the structure of your coop and lead to major (and expensive) problems down the line. One thing to look out for with old pallets (or any salvaged material) is that they are in good condition. The fact that they are not solid works in your favor, too, as good ventilation is crucial in having a healthy flock of hens. They are essentially prefabricated walls, and you should be able to find pretty easily people who do not want them any more and are happy to give them to you for free or close to it. If you can find them, and you almost certainly can, old pallets are just about the best chicken cop material you can get. If you are lucky, you shed will already be elevated a few inches off the ground, which will protect your girls from moisture and predators, and all you will have to do is add some ventilation, entrances, roosts, and nesting boxes (and a run if you want it). Instead, old sheds or other outdoor buildings (like an outhouse shell or wooden playhouse, if you have them lying around) can pretty easily be repurposed onto a functional chicken coop. The easiest way to build a chicken coop is not to build one at all, and the cheapest way to buy one is not to do that either. Repurpose an old shed or existing structure. For the handier among us, there is no need to even find the perfect plan, as any fairly competent builder or woodworker can modify a blueprint or draw up their own based on the many available photos of potential chicken coops or coop designs. There are hundreds of easily usable coop plans available online. While you can certainly pay for chicken coop plans, there is no need to ( view 100's of free chicken coop plans). People might also worry that the costs in materials will offset any money saved by not going prefabricated.įortunately, there are many ways to cut back on the costs of a chicken coop without compromises to the health and safety of your chickens.įrom clever repurposing of the things already in your backyard (or someone else’s) to careful planning for the long life of your coop, building a chicken coop is easier and much, much cheaper than you might think. Probably the most expensive of these start-up costs is a chicken coop (read Ultimate Guide to Chicken Coops).Ĭhicken coops can even feel prohibitively expensive for a first-time keeper.Īfter all, buying a prefabricated coop can cost more than $1000, and people who do not build much can feel too inexperienced or unskilled to build a safe and sturdy coop for their girls. Especially when first setting up for your flock the costs can be steep. Keeping chickens is a fun enriching and healthy hobby but no truthful person will ever tell you it cheap one.
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