I apologize for not taking pictures of each step this time. We were both wore out and just wanted the thing done!
Tall side: We went with a chicken wire front here for ventilation with intentions of a roll down tarp to cover the front if needed. The door is split with a small door at the bottom. This was easier than making separate little doors for the chickens.
One end: You can see the black soot from the fire. We salvaged all the siding from the shed that burned.
The front end with the hitch. We'll use the four wheeler to move it around and prop it up so it will sit level.
The rear aspect: This is our favorite part!! No more squatting down to reach for eggs while Mr. Rooster plans his attack on your hind end.
The egg door opens downward so you don't have to hold it up while gathering eggs. I put a little straw in the boxes for now but would like to switch to washable mats.
Umm...a little privacy please!?
Here's what is left to do:
Secure a board across the top of the nest box. The hens have already knocked out 2 of the top dividers.
Hang curtains in front of the boxes.
Install roosts. Along with the curtains this should deter roosting on the nest boxes
Paint the outside.
Build a ramp for the chickens.
The most important part to do yet is install a new fence charger and set up the poultry netting. I'll share more about that when we get to it.
The total cost in $$$ for us was about $45. $40 for the trailer and $5 for screws. We salvaged all the boards, plywood, and siding material from the burned shed. The chicken wire and nails have been around for awhile. The caulk was free after rebate at Menard's a long time ago. I did use some staples to secure the chicken wire to the front. Even if you purchased all new materials I think you could build this thing for around $500, based on prices in our area. I didn't do that math, that is just a rough estimate.
Total time involved was probably around 10 hours. Things would have gone a lot faster with new lumber. There was a lot of cutting and measuring to make our boards fit were we wanted. Plus, we were tearing things off the old shed and pulling a lot of nails out of the boards as we went. If anyone would like more details or measurements just ask.
Any questions or comments? I'd love to hear your thoughts and suggestions or help with ideas for your own eggmobile.
8 comments:
what a great blog...so glad i found you!
WOW! That turned out fantastic!! And cheap! I love it! :)
That looks so awesome!
Ed and I just decided this morning to put our chicken plans on hold until next year. Too many things going on and he's spending weekends on the boat clamming now, so he probably won't be able to build a coop until next winter. Oh well, there's still plenty to do and I can follow along with your chickens here :)
My only comment is: ITS AWESOME! Seriously! It looks wonderful and they obviously love it. Great job!!
Rebecca - I hope you enjoy your nice here. Nice to "meet" you.
Jennifer - Thanks! We're all about cheap here.
FD - Well I'm sorry to hear that you won't be having chickens right away but it certainly is best to wait until you have a good place to put them. Ours came a little sooner than I expected so I've been rushing around trying to prepare a place for them as they grow.
Melissa - Thanks!
It is great to have all the positive feedback. I even got Brian to read these comments - I think it made him feel a little better about the whole thing! ;)
Jena -
This is amazing! Love it!!!
Looks Great!! Tell me about this curtain part. Where will you put the curtain? Will it cover the entrances to the nesting boxes? Will you clip your girls's wings to keep them in the netting?
GRM - The curtain will hang down from the ceiling right in front of the nest boxes with slits cut it in for the girls to enter. That way they won't be able to roost on the top nests and making a mess. Plus, they might like the privacy. I'll be sure to post pictures when I get there.
I did not clip their wings and haven't had any problems. They would only fly that high if something startled or chased them. When the fence zaps them they jump backwards. It is a good idea not to set up the fence in too narrow of an area. That way a dog may startle them enough that they would go up and end up on the other side.
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