Chicken Coops for Sale in Parker, Arizona
Chicken Coops for Sale in Parker, Arizona
DIY Pallet Chicken Coop
I like chickens.
A lot.
Maybe because when I was small, I remember walking out to my mother’s chicken house, and gathering eggs…I’m not sure why I like them so much, but every spring I look at the signs that say: “Chicks here!” and want them so badly. We recently got a Murdoch’s Farm & Ranch store in our town. I love Farm & Ranch stores, by the way. Anyways, so when they started advertising ‘Chick Days’, I stopped in a few times to let the kids look at the chicks. At least that was my excuse! It was actually a good excuse for ME to get my chick fix. I have tried 3 times to keep chickens here, and they always get eaten – either by fox, coon, or skunk. I had told myself firmly that it was a waste of time, money and energy to try again. But on the third trip to Murdoch’s, I caved. I got 3 Red Star, 3 Buff’s, and 3 Wyandottes. I like variety. I also was trying to get cold-hardy birds, since they will be living in a drafty coop most of the year. If they survive.
I knew the set-up I had been using was not going to work, so I set out to build me a coop. Now, as you know, I am not a carpenter. I do, however, believe anyone can do anything if they want to bad enough. I think more ‘skill’, and ‘talent’ is in our hard work, than in natural ability. I think anyone can be a musician, great cook, cowboy, writer, or, yes, even a carpenter, with enough learning, perseverance, and hard work. I know certain people can naturally do certain things alot easier than others. But usually its more experience or desire than actual talent.
Case in point: My Cowboy never wanted to be a carpenter. Never enjoyed it. But he is an excellent carpenter. He can build anything, without a plan. And it lasts, believe me. Why is he so good? Because he started when young, and worked with his dad, who taught him all he needed to know, little by little, hard day of work after hard day of work.
Me? Why, I had a dad who despised carpentry, never built anything he didn’t have to, and therefore most of my family is slightly lacking in carpenter skills. (except for a few brothers who actually enjoy it, and learned later. ) So I had no examples, and certainly no help building things. But I have built my first freestanding, semi-solid, totally un-square, sorta-kinda-cute, and totally functional structure! It held my chickies for the first time last night, and despite the multitude of cracks, they (the chicks) are still all there this morning! I hope the critters don’t find a way in – cause I have certainly tried to make it critter-proof, if not weather proof. It does keep out the rain, thankfully, as it rained last night. Here is how to build a coop on the cheap frugal, with minimal zero expertise…
I dug about 24 of these 1×4’s out of the ranch dump. They are from a fallen windbreak, I think. They are 8 ft. each. I had to jerk out about 4-6 old nails out of each one.
Then I got 3 old pallets that were sturdy, and nailed the boards over the cracks. Instant studs! Yay!
I cut out a section of the one pallet for a nest-box entrance, and made a nest box out of scraps I found in the barn.
I missed taking pics of whole sections of the process, but anyways, here it is – the nest box isn’t finished yet, and it need some paint. The roof is longer in the back to help protect the nest box from rain/snow. (that sounds good, anyways…the real reason was because i didn’t want to cut metal, and this piece was basically the right size.)
The front. I did have to frame this, since I just couldn’t wrap my brain around how to cut/fasten a door in a pallet. It was pretty easy, tho. Took me two tries to get the angle right on the door cross-support. Just being honest here.
The inside. here you can see the pallets. I used some corner braces to fasten it to the floor. I couldn’t think of any other way. Didn’t have long enough screws to screw through the oak stringers. Check out my skylight! I wasn’t sure how to build a window, so I found this piece of clear roofing, and it works great as a skylight. Some days I will have to leave them in the coop all day, and I wanted them to get light.
Frank painted it last night. Well, some of it. See the nest box out the back? It missed getting painted, but I will finish it soon. I am quite pleased with my little coop. Not perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but functional, and not totally sloppy-looking. And I didn’t have any help from the master carpenter, aka: My Cowboy. The cord is for the heat lamp, in case you wondered. Its still pretty cold here at night. (30º – 40º)
I was so worried last night, I kept waking and wondering if the fox/coons had found a way in to the coop…I went out this morning and there they all were – hale and hearty. I got that Tom Hanks/Castaway moment of “I can build! I have made a chicken coop!” Ha ha!
I had several things I wanted in my coop. 1. Easy access to the nest box from the outside. Check. 2. Natural light source, so I wouldn’t have to run a light. Check. I have to have a heat lamp, but don’t want to have to run a light when they are grown. 3. Door big enough for an adult to get in, if necessary. Check. 4. Somewhat rustic/cute. Check. 5. Critter-proof. Check. I am satisfied.
You might also enjoy these:
Thanks for sharing!
Like this:
Chicken Coop in Parker, Arizona
A good place to start any search is the internet. Simply plugging in the phrase "chicken coops for sale in Parker Arizona" into any one of the numerous search engines and a wealth of information will pop up. This information will provide links to other websites that will be informative and will provide the right direction for finding Parker Arizona chicken coops. What to look for when buying a chicken coop in Parker, Arizona With the massive increase in poultry maintaining there has been a similarly big increase in the variety of chicken paraphernalia on sale. Poultry housing is a case in point. It's also a traditional example of the excellent old bandwagon being jumped on as different prospective fowl housing experts market a selection of accommodation claiming to be the excellent option to your chicken housing requirements. Usually the cost looks appealing, your house looks desirable, hell even the clean-cut family standing there feeding the chickens look eye-catching. Definitely they recognize a high quality chicken house when they see one? There are many inexpensive as well as horrible coops swamping the marketplace. I recognize this as I've examined a number of them in the field, and also seen a ewe run directly via one when the feed pail showed up. The result was nothing but a costly pile of firewood and a tiny flock of bemused and also now homeless bantams.
Chicken Coop House Plans in Parker, Arizona
Typically these mass produced designs are created of rapid grown hardwood - come the first decline of rainfall they swell, leaving you either defending a doorway that won't shut, or ripping the door furniture off in a vain attempt to launch the squawking inhabitants. The initial warm and comfortable day means the lumber dries as well as fractures, the really felt roof bubbles as well as boils, and also come nightfall the hens refuse to enter. This is not due to their disappointment at the decline of their once attractive home however because the hovel is currently a sanctuary for, as well as probably crawling with, the poultry keeper's bane, red mite. Add on the fact that it claimed on the blurb that it would suit 4 big hens when that equipping thickness was based on the Circle Line at 5pm on a Friday, and also exactly what are you entrusted? A couple of hinges and some kindling. A suitable coop for thee to four birds must cost you in the region of ₤ 300 though this could rely on whether you elect for a cost-free standing house or one with a run attached. Assuming you are varying your birds in a huge room and the pop hole door allows enough for the type you keep, then the major demands of housing come down to 3 factors which will certainly define the variety of birds your home will hold; perches, nest boxes as well as air flow. The majority of types of chicken will certainly perch when they go to roost at night, this perch should ideally be 5-8cm vast with smoothed off edges so the foot rests conveniently on it. The perch ought to be above the nest box entry as chickens will certainly additionally normally look for the acme to perch. A perch below that will certainly have the birds roosting in the nest box overnight (which is incidentally when they generate one of the most poo) leading to stained eggs the list below day. They shouldn't nonetheless be so high off the floor of the house that leg injuries could take place when the bird comes down in the early morning. Chickens require about 20cm of perch each (in tiny breeds this is clearly much less), plus if more than one perch is mounted in your house they need to be more than 30cm apart. They will hunker up with their next-door neighbors but are not that keen on roosting with a beak in the bloomers of the bird ahead. Ideally your home should have a the very least one nest box for each 3 birds and also these ought to be off the ground and in the darkest area of your home. Your home ought to have adequate ventilation: without it after that condensation will develop every night, even in the chilliest of weather. Realize, ventilation works on the principle of warm air leaving through a high gap drawing cooler air in from a reduced space - it's not a collection of holes on other wall surfaces of the house as well as at the very same level, this is exactly what's referred to as a draught. If you have a house with a run connected then the factors above are still real, however you ought to additionally consider the run dimension. The EU maximum legal equipping density for a cost-free variety bird is (and allow's encounter it, one of the motivations for keeping some chickens in your home is possibly boosted or much better well-being) 2,500 birds per hectare, that's optimal one bird per 4m settled. Take a close look at some of the deal residences - it could well be your house has the best perches, proper air flow and adequate nest boxes for a practical variety of birds, however will each of the chickens have anything more than an A4 sized item of ground to spend the day on? And so as the saying goes, "you obtain just what you spend for". You might assume you've grabbed a deal, but you and your group could possibly rue the day you did. Acquisition the appropriate house as well as it will last for a couple of decades, if not longer provided the appropriate treatment. Eventually your fowl as well as your poultry maintaining encounter will be a lot the much better for it.coop build
More Posts
Chicken Coops for Sale in Clay Springs, Arizona
Chicken Coops for Sale in Keams Canyon, Arizona
Chicken Coops for Sale in Chambers, Arizona
Chicken Coops for Sale in Chloride, Arizona
Chicken Coops for Sale in Globe, Arizona