Chicken Coops for Sale in Oakland, Illinois
Chicken Coops for Sale in Oakland, Illinois
Make a Thrifty DIY Swingset Chicken Coop
Do you have one of those old A-shaped swingsets rusting in your backyard? If you do, then you have the basis for an awesome swingset chicken coop! (And if you don’t, watch Craigslist – there are frequently people offering them for free to whoever comes to pick them up.) Creativity is key .
When we moved recently we had to leave our wonderful chicken coop behind, since it was attached to the barn. While I drooled over some of , I’m on a pretty tight budget so it was important to use items that I could acquire either cheap or free. Luckily, the house we moved to had some pretty interesting stuff in a shed and an old rusty swingset in the woods.
I don’t have a lot of construction skills but the guy who put up my fence does, and luckily, he was on board with my wacky, freebie-scrounging ideas.
For the price of some labor, some hardware, some chicken wire, and a fancy-dancy hanging chicken waterer, I got a snazzy new coop that keeps my chickens safe and sound.
Here’s what we used:
- A swingset with the swings removed
- 2 pieces of corrugated metal on the top 3/4 plus a strip of it over the top to help weather proof
- Some sheets of plywood for the bottom back of the coop
- A piece of chain link fencing for the bottom in order to keep out predators
- Some old pieces of fence posts for the bottom of the coop to attach the chicken wire and chain link to
- Some lumber for the door
- Chicken wire (It was cheaper than from my local store)
If you’re making a scrounged chicken coop, be creative and see what you components you can find for cheap or free. Because most of the items used were found, this isn’t as much a how-to as it is something to inspire you. Here are some photos so you can see how my coop was assembled.
The Scoop on my Swingset Chicken Coop
The door is very heavy, which adds a layer of security against critters that might try to get in during the night. During the day, I use a bungee to hold the door open in the event of wind so no chickens get squashed. (They’re at the door because they know they’re either getting food or getting out.)
There is also a heavy duty double hinged latch that I fasten with a carabiner at night for an added layer of security. (.)
The bottom is covered with a piece of chain link fencing that is attached to the boards that form the bottom edge of the coop.
My biggest splurge is this hanging 5 gallon water dispenser. It stays much cleaner raised a few inches off the ground, only needs to be refilled every few days, and I used the exisiting hook for a swing to hang it from. (You can – it is a lower price than it was at my local feed store.)
Here’s the interior of theswingset chicken coop. The chickens like to roost on the cross bars on each end, and there is an extra bar from an old closet that was also installed. I used some cubbies from my previous garage for nesting boxes. (I probably should have taken the interior pic before I put the chickens in here to poop on everything. Of course, anyone who has chickens knows that a coop only looks clean for about 10 minutes.)
The coop in all of its glory. I’ll be painting the plywood soon to make it a little prettier.
Thor, our LGD, is happy to follow the chickens around and protect them because he realized they’re like little feathered Pez dispensers, dropping nice little egg treats around the yard for him to enjoy. I lock them in the coop a couple of days per week and that gives us more than enough eggs for our needs. The rest of the eggs get scattered around the yard for a doggie version of an Easter egg hunt. Thor’s a little skinny so the added fat will do him good. You can see him licking his dog lips in the photo below.
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Chicken Coop And Run in Oakland, Illinois
A good place to start any search is the internet. Simply plugging in the phrase "chicken coops for sale in Oakland Illinois" 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 Oakland Illinois chicken coops. What to look for when buying a chicken coop in Oakland, Illinois With the substantial increase in chicken keeping there has been a similarly big increase in the array of poultry materiel for sale. Fowl real estate is an instance in point. It's likewise a timeless example of the good old bandwagon being jumped on as different potential chicken real estate experts peddle a selection of holiday accommodation declaring to be the excellent solution to your chicken housing demands. Commonly the price looks eye-catching, your diy-chicken-coop-planshome looks desirable, hell also the clean-cut family members standing there feeding the chickens look attractive. Surely they know a professional chicken house when they see one? There are numerous low-cost and horrible cages swamping the market. I understand this as I've tested a variety of them in the area, and also seen a ewe run straight through one when the feed bucket showed up. The result was nothing but a costly pile of fire wood and also a tiny flock of bemused as well as now homeless bantams.
Chicken Coop Build in Oakland, Illinois
Generally these standardized models are created of rapid grown up timber - come the initial decrease of rain they swell, leaving you either barricading a door that won't close, or ripping the door furnishings off in a vain attempt to launch the squawking residents. The very first warm day means the timber dries out as well as fractures, the felt roof bubbles and boils, as well as come nightfall the hens choose not to enter. This is not because of their frustration at the decline of their as soon as desirable apartment however since the hovel is currently a haven for, and most likely abounding, the poultry caretaker's nemesis, red mite. Add on that it claimed on the blurb that it would certainly fit four big hens when that equipping density was based upon the Circle Line at 5pm on a Friday, and just what are you left with? A number of hinges and also some kindling. A suitable coop for thee to four birds need to cost you in the region of ₤ 300 though this can depend upon whether you elect for a free standing house or one with a run connected. Thinking you are varying your birds in a huge room and also the pop hole doorway is big enough for the breed you maintain, after that the main needs of housing boil down to three points which will define the number of birds your house will certainly hold; perches, nest boxes and ventilation. Many types of chicken will perch when they go to roost at night, this perch should preferably be 5-8cm broad with smoothed off sides so the foot rests comfortably on it. The perch ought to be higher than the nest box entry as chickens will certainly likewise normally try to find the acme to perch. A perch lower than that will certainly have the birds roosting in the nest box overnight (which is by the way when they generate the most poo) bring about soiled eggs the following day. They should not however be so high off the flooring of the house that leg injuries could happen when the bird gets down in the morning. Chickens require about 20cm of perch each (in little breeds this is clearly much less), plus if more than one perch is mounted in your house they need to be greater than 30cm apart. They will hunker up with their next-door neighbors however are not that keen on roosting with a beak in the bloomers of the bird ahead. Ideally the house must have a least one nest box for every single three birds as well as these ought to be off the ground as well as in the darkest area of your house. The house needs to have sufficient air flow: without it then condensation will certainly build up every evening, also in the chilliest of weather condition. Realize, air flow deals with the concept of warm and comfortable air leaving through a high gap attracting cooler air in from a lower void - it's not a collection of openings on other wall surfaces of your home and at the very same degree, this is just what's referred to as a draft. If you have a house with a run affixed then the factors above are still real, however you must additionally think about the run size. The EU optimum legal equipping thickness for a cost-free variety bird is (and allow's encounter it, one of the motivations for keeping some hens in the house is perhaps improved or better welfare) 2,500 birds each hectare, that's maximum one bird each 4m settled. Take a close look at several of the deal houses - it could well be your house has the right perches, correct air flow and also enough nest boxes for a practical variety of birds, yet will each of the chickens have anything greater than an A4 sized piece of ground to invest the day on? And so as the saying goes, "you obtain what you spend for". You could think you've got hold of a deal, yet you as well as your flock can rue the day you did. Acquisition the right house and it will certainly last for a couple of years, if not longer provided the correct therapy. In the long run your chicken and also your poultry keeping experience will certainly be a lot the far better for it.coops plans
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