Diary of a VikingCoop Chicken
it all began with an Auction for Icelandic Chicken Eggs....
As these are special Chickens, they needed a special house ~ A Viking Long Coop

I
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I purchased a Fast Framer Kit, designed to make a 7x8 shed with no angle cuts and a 2x4 constructiuon.
I made a few changes to the design, all the lumber with the exception of the roof is preasure treated lumber & I raised the upright length to 6ft
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The foundation is made from reclamed 2x4's
the back is raised onto cinder blocks, the front onto a 2x4, the sides rest on 2x6's dug into the ground to make the foundation more or less level.
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Uprights are attached with the metal brackets from the kit. It's really windy here in Central TX so I toe'd in the uprights with 3 1/2 in screws
also added were the cross supporsts between the uprights
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then came the front & back roof joists and the front door frame
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then the rest of the roof joists, window framing, and chicken wire in the windows
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then came paint - got a $5 can of woops paint at home depot and painted all the interior surfaces
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added 2 of the 3 planned roosts
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time to start adding siding - I am using a mixture of new and reclaimed cedar fence pickets
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siding on the front is done and part way on the 2 sides
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Today (4/9/2011) got the windows painted and framed and...
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got the run installed (10x20)
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1st of 2 chicken doors - this one leads into the run - got a few pieces of cedar on the back wall as well
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got the coop door on - It's lined on the inside with chicken wire to keep them safe but allow air in


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All done - with the tin roof and decorations on
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Detail of Roof
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Detail of window
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happy resident - Icelandic Roo named Vladimir (Vlad)