Chicken Coop

[roolu]

Does anyone have a plan for building a chicken coop on a shoe string budget? I could sure use some ideas, especially anything that would be heavy enough to withstand wind gusts on a regular basis, and preferably portable. I sure can't afford the DIY kits I'm finding. Thanks!

[cinok]

How many birds. I am assumingin its for layers.

[Oblio13]

Maybe build a chicken-tractor (or two or three) like this:

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c116/Oblio13/IMG_0640.jpg

Here's the "upstairs":

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c116/Oblio13/IMG_0636.jpg

You could probably scrounge some of the materials. Even if not, there's a lot less to buy than with a conventional coop. Moving them every few days saves on feed and bedding, too.

[roolu]

A coop-tractor was what I had in mind since it's not a permenant building, and I only want about 4-5 birds to start. Trouble is, being very new to all this, I have no carpentry skills at all and even fewer tools. Any hints? Helpful ideas?

Another question: how well does this type of coop hold up against winds and snow? I live in a very open area, loaded with hawks, coyote and bobcats. How well does the tractor do against predators?

[RobJob]

I think I have lived in a few places that weren't that nice! Impressive. If I ever get in a position to be one place every day I will consider one...for chickens.

I think you could easily put some eye-bolts to stake it down from the wind and some poly cloth sides that roll up to keep the snow out. Guess a predator could dig under the sides. If you put some wire out a foot around the bottom edges so they couldn't go directly under the sides might work.

Don't have an easy solution to yer carpentry skills. Maybe you should ask Santa for a Skill saw and saw horses? Jump in and try it. Like a wise indian might have said..."It's easier once you learn how", or something like that. Just don't cut yer fingers off learning!

[Oblio13]

... I have no carpentry skills ...

Chickens aren't fussy.

[cinok]

Simplest easist portable coop is hay bales and plywood roof. It keeps them warm and its easy to move its even easier if you have extra bales to set up the next before you have to move them U could also find some ol pallets and with a couple of gate hingess make it easy to take apart. I cant find the pics of my first coop it was ugly but it worked

[roolu]

Now that's a good idea. Could put that inside a dog kennel and make something a bit more permenant. Thanks!

[Rick]

Chiken wire does a pretty good job of keeping chickens in, not so good at keeping racoons out.

My chicken yard has one layer of 2"x4" dog wire to keep out predators and a layer of regular chicken wire.

[AlchemyAcres]

Here's a link to an article by someone who converted a cedar doghouse into a neat little coop for a few hens.....

http://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=9566

~Martin