Needy future chicken farmer in need of ideas for housing chickens.

Homesteading & Country Living Forum

Help Support Homesteading & Country Living Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
teddy james

teddy james

New Friend
Neighbor
Joined
Aug 16, 2023
Messages
4
Backstory:
I'm in my 50's and live in a very rural area with my family of four. Throughout my life I have chosen to live off-grid as much as possible. To make a long story short, I should have saved more for retirement. In an effort to help feed the family and be more self-sufficient we made the decision to try and keep some chickens.

I'm not new to chickens and I know what we want/need. I'm really asking for ideas about alternative building supplies.

I have tools and more tools. Chainsaws, hammers, pliers, weed-whackers, post-hole diggers, shovels, rakes, cutters, benders you name it but I have no supplies to build with. I'm currently trying to cover a 14'x14' platform to create a floor for a chicken coop. (I know we can use a dirt floor but we decided an elevated coop with a floor would be better for us)

Before you suggest using pallets or going around to local places to pick up things, keep in mind that I only have a small compact car and really can't haul anything really. I have no timber to cut and use or anyway to drag a log home. Nobody has taken me up on bartering yet. I priced lumber at Lowe's and for what we want it would cost us over $3000 !!!!!!

If anyone has any ideas on how to cover a floor using something other than lumber. Something that a person with no money or no truck could get and use would be great.

I have thought about doing something like a wattle fence style covering but after doing the math, thats a lot of twigs that I think would have to be replaced every few years. I have been on this project all summer, had $900 saved up to hire someone to haul supplies for me but nobody wanted to work for $$. I'm really at a loss. I really don't think I can construct a coop at all at this point, I mean you got to get stuff and if you don't have stuff the only way is to buy stuff. Not gonna happen without some outside the box ideas.
 
Welcome to the forum. Don't get too down. You are way ahead of the curve on self sufficiency. Our Craigslist has a free section in it. Sometimes materials pop up. There is also a materials section that has some good deals. It's hard to get around the truck thing. U Haul used to rent for $19.95 locally.
 
No idea what area you are in but have you even considered going in ground. The constant ground temps will help your animals not just chickens. I have a coop that has one side completely in a hill and the other side is exposed it made quite the difference.
 
I'm in agreement with Cascadian. Craigslist is an awesome resource for materials. You can register and then sign up for notifications for whatever you want.

If you think you are limited with getting free items and moving them with you small vehicle, perhaps you need to rethink your plans.

But you have a small car? Is it large enough for a trailer hitch to tow a small trailer? Once in a while you can find trailers for a low price on CL. This is what I have, a 4 x 4 trailer, for $20. Yes, trailer is really small, but I have sure hauled many things in it.

I am always searching for deals. With CL, if you see a listing, you can't wait a minute, hour, day or week. You have to respond immediately, because people watch it all day long. Someone asked me to watch for something and I immediately sent him a text when I saw it. A week later, I asked if he was able to get the item. He hadn't even looked or responded yet!! It was long gone. It is not like going to a retail store. Lots of people are looking for free or reduced prices.

Before I got the trailer, I would buy dimensional lumber and extend it out the windows or trunk of my car with a red flag on the end piece that extended out. I have moved lots of lumber, free and purchased just using my car. I have moved free landscape timbers and more. With my Camry, I have moved 4 x 8 feet pieces. Yep, that wouldn't fit inside, but on the roof. I would drive slowly, back streets, and tie it down very well. My back seat has a fold down section to allow pass through there for dimensional pieces.

Heck, I have moved 4 drawer filing cabinets in my car when the naysayers said it wasn't possible. It is possible. You just have to have good spatial thinking, which I seem to, and use whatever ideas and tools you can; and be determined, not so willing to give up easily because the footprint of the thing you are moving is larger than the car, trunk or back seat. Ropes can help to anchor things in your car and on your car. Also, your car has a roof, and one or two at a time, you could move pallets, unless you would rather not use all that free lumber.
 
A roof rack opens up possibilities for hauling, even atop a compact car... ;)

Edit: I meant to add that construction sites usually have plenty of scrap lumber, just be sure to ask the crew first before taking anything. I used to pick up all kinds of decent lumber scraps from construction sites, including beams & plywood. :cool:
 
Last edited:
You should see the crap Michael has managed to shove in my Spectra lol, it's insane, we've had mattresses and springs on top, book shelves, even hauled scrap in it(I'm talking 700-1000lb), heck he's even picked up a motor and tranny for the POS Dodge, like @Weedygarden said it's a matter of where there's a will there's a way, and Iike ropes, bungees, etc are good things to keep on hand, tarps are your friend if you want to protect your upholstery.
 
If you live in a very rural area, then there must be farmers and ranchers around. They always need help, and the always have materials laying around. Maybe someone has an old building that you could tear down in exchange for the lumber. A few years ago I gave an old barn to a young rancher for free. All he had to do was take it down and haul it away. Is there anyone in your area that has a sawmill? When I had my sawmill I would give away the slabs for free. People used the slabs for siding, fencing and building projects, like barns and chicken coops.
 
I think the bottom line here, that we all can agree on is, don't let the lack of $$ stop you from building your chicken coop. Be creative.
We've raised meat chickens in a couple different places; a stall in the barn and one time in our bee house. Before I built our brooder house we brooded chick's in the shop, my fur shed and in the wood shed.
Just like several have said here, I've seen an amazing amount of stuff piled on and inside little cars.
 
I’m in alabama, heat is more of an issue than cold weather. I built my coop out of 4 – 10’x6’ chainlink fence panels, one with a door. I have hardware cloth around the bottom edge, chicken wire (1”) over the top to support the tarp roof and for protection.

I got the panels for next to nothing. A lady with a dog kennel retired, had a 15 kennels. Power had been cut off. The kennels were 10x10x6 but the bottom 3” were set in a concrete slab.

I took a trailer, generator and sawzall down there. I cut off the panels at the slab. I got all the panels/doors/hardware for $100. Lady said take everything that wasn't nailed down, so I did.

Actual cost of the coop, I have less than $100 in the coop including a new tarp. I add a new tarp every 3rd year. Don’t toss the old one. I leave the old tarps on, just add another one over the top. Having old tarps as a base makes new tarps last 3+years.

Also, the coop sits on a slight slope. Every time I get a big rain the coop gets cleaned out. I haven’t cleaned it out in 15yrs, low maintenance.

I built the coop with a pair of channel locks, wire cutters, electrical tie-wraps and used electrical fence wire (steel). That’s it! Simple to build, all parts are available at the big box store and easy to replace. I've had as many as 45 hens using it.

Even the peaked roof is out of chainlink fence parts.

coon trap (5).jpg
Coop a (2).jpg
 
Last edited:
Peanut said:
I’m in alabama, heat is more of an issue than cold weather. I built my coop out of 4 – 10’x6’ chainlink fence panels, one with a door. I have hardware cloth around the bottom edge, chicken wire (1”) over the top to support the tarp roof and for protection.

I got the panels for next to nothing. A lady with a dog kennel retired, had a 15 kennels. Power had been cut off. The kennels were 10x10x6 but the bottom 3” were set in a concrete slab.

I took a trailer, generator and sawzall down there. I cut off the panels at the slab. I got all the panels/doors/hardware for $100.

Actual cost of the coop, I have less than $100 in the coop total including a new tarp. I add a new tarp every 3rd year. Don’t toss the old one. I leave the old tarps on, just add another one over the top. Having old tarps as a base makes new tarps last 3+years.

Also, the coop sits on a slight slope. Every time I get a big rain the coop gets cleaned out. I haven’t cleaned it out in 15yrs, low maintenance.

I built the coop with a pair of channel locks, wire cutters, electrical tie-wraps and used electrical fence wire (steel). That’s it! Simple to build, all parts are available at the big box store and easy to replaced. I've had as many as 45 hens using it.

Even the peaked roof is out of chainlink fence parts.

View attachment 114260View attachment 114261
Click to expand...
Nice setup. Sometimes I forget there are places with mild winters and flat ground. Here's our coop this spring.
20221210_115218.jpg
 
teddy james said:
$900 chicken fund is now depleted which is depressing. I guess when your poor its hard to pull out of it.
Click to expand...
Never give up, Never surrender. Chain link fence works good for most things, sometimes you can find it free. Around here, construction sites or road cuts have flat rocks, those slow em down too.
 
You don't need a floor. You're going to have to scavenge one way or another for materials if you don't have money, and don't take a job to pay for stuff. Scavenging is hard work, no escaping it. Roll up your sleeves. If there's a will, there's a way.
Regarding chickens: the price for chickens and feed are steep right now. Sure you want to do this?
 
All good ideas. Nobody around here uses craigslist. Search for yourself, my zip is 25524. The only odd listing is over 75 miles or so away. Nobody uses online marketplaces except for the big cities like charleston or huntington.

I have called many places and they all say that they have people that gets them already. I have been to places before for pallets and they really balk at the idea of you hanging out all day at their business breaking down pallets, they usually prefer you to take them and move on.

I have exhausted looking for old barns because I have no way to haul anything. If I had the money to buy a trailer and hitch I doubt I would be here looking for ideas :)

Yes as I posted before I know what I need and here where I'm at, I do need a floor. I have some fencing for the run. Tarp for a roof? Yes that will work but will need replaced every 6 months or so here with the wind we have. This building has to be rubust as we have bear. I doubt that chain link coop would keep bear out.

I currently have the idea of taking some thick wire and using that as support and cutting off the metal from some old washers and putting the thin metal down as a floor and let the wire mesh support the birds and humans, feed etc. I'll probably use small saplings for the walls and cover it with tar paper but covering this floor is really challenging without $$, a truck, or any buildings to tear down. I have a post on Facebook saying: If you have any old mobile homes that you want rid of, you can dump it at my house. Two months no offers lol. I'll never give up, but it looks more like I'll go to my grave before it comes to be. Can't have nothing when you got nothing and no way to get anything. Simple really. I don't even know why I try sometimes. :)
 
teddy james said:
Backstory:
I'm in my 50's and live in a very rural area with my family of four. Throughout my life I have chosen to live off-grid as much as possible. To make a long story short, I should have saved more for retirement. In an effort to help feed the family and be more self-sufficient we made the decision to try and keep some chickens.

I'm not new to chickens and I know what we want/need. I'm really asking for ideas about alternative building supplies.

I have tools and more tools. Chainsaws, hammers, pliers, weed-whackers, post-hole diggers, shovels, rakes, cutters, benders you name it but I have no supplies to build with. I'm currently trying to cover a 14'x14' platform to create a floor for a chicken coop. (I know we can use a dirt floor but we decided an elevated coop with a floor would be better for us)

Before you suggest using pallets or going around to local places to pick up things, keep in mind that I only have a small compact car and really can't haul anything really. I have no timber to cut and use or anyway to drag a log home. Nobody has taken me up on bartering yet. I priced lumber at Lowe's and for what we want it would cost us over $3000 !!!!!!

If anyone has any ideas on how to cover a floor using something other than lumber. Something that a person with no money or no truck could get and use would be great.

I have thought about doing something like a wattle fence style covering but after doing the math, thats a lot of twigs that I think would have to be replaced every few years. I have been on this project all summer, had $900 saved up to hire someone to haul supplies for me but nobody wanted to work for $$. I'm really at a loss. I really don't think I can construct a coop at all at this point, I mean you got to get stuff and if you don't have stuff the only way is to buy stuff. Not gonna happen without some outside the box ideas.
Click to expand...
Get a used school bus body or an old van. If you use a van, Let the hens use a window, slide the door to gather eggs.
Yeah, I know. my answer to everything. Live in it, greenhouse it, store junk, spare guest room...
 
teddy james said:
but nobody wanted to work for $$. I'm really at a loss.
Click to expand...

Can you rent a U haul for a day or one of Menard's pickups for 19 bucks a day?
 
Prefer my birds on dirt. Poop on the floor gets hard, builds up and floors will rot in time. Concrete would be nice but expensive. We bought 2 stall horse barn and had delivered. One did roost other side nesting boxes. Hardware cloth across openings and built in doors. Some lumber yards deliver materials
 
That car coop reminds me of what a cousin of mine used, Peanut. He had a rusted bottomed horse trailer, and attached wire for the floor of it. It was a chicken tractor. After they pooped enough through the wire bottom, he attached the hitch to the tractor and moved it around. Funniest thing ever, though, was when he was mad at chicken hawks for taking out his birds one year. So he ordered 200 roosters and 50 hens, thinking the roos would chase off chicken hawks. I went out to look at them and 50 hens were hiding under the chicken tractor/horse trailer, not wanting to come out, because 200 roosters were waiting for them. He butchered alot of roosters that year.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Back
Top