100% Urban Predator proof Chicken Run

[Daox13]

All great suggestions! I plan to use some extra PVC tubing to protect the cord I just have not gotten to it just yet but will today or tomorrow. the splitter suggestion is very on point and appreciated! I had never thought of insulating the cookie tin but that's also a great idea! Thanx

 

[Bananabread]

 

[Daox13]

I have run the HW cloth on the bottom however I have not run the cloth up top yet. I should have run the HW cloth before putting on the roof but I was running out of time before the cold sets in and had to get something up.
This spring I will finish the cloth up top but for now it is what it is for the winter!
Good job though!

 

[Daox13]

OK guys, progress has been made, although only slight because of the holidays and family and what not. I have started building the coop portion and as always I have kind tweaked it as I go to fit the look.
so here goes:

I have made progress on the coop, since the last pic and didn't really take any in between pictures but I will describe what I did. I added the support beams and tied then into the existing ones as well as framed into the existing run to help with structural integrity. ON the screened in floor I laid 2x1" to bump the floor above the screen and added support for the future floor too. I then added my 2"x6" around the bottom. I added my 2"x4"s to support the rafters and then ran the rafters for the roof.


Back view of the rafters. I cut the one closest to the fence short to allow access behind it.. I myself and too large to fit back there, but my wife still can which is good as I really didn't plan it very well for rear access incase of repair in the future.


top view


started running my battens


another view


after running my battens I laid HW cloth over top.

fastened it around the sides

Rear

and where it meets the run.


I then laid my roof over top and added an opaque section for a skylight


inside view of the skylight.

I ran out of light to take any more pictures. but I cut the roof along the side where the fence is and also tied in the roof to the existing run to keep water from spilling in. I will forewarn that my tie is not pretty and was only made for the scraps of the roof. but I will have to show you that at another time. I have also begun working on the door.
The coop is approximately 6' x 4'x 4'. I can expand if needed in the future by dropping the floor and building the front out, however there is no plans for this as of now.

 

[Intheswamp]

You're getting there! It's looking good. Keep at it!

Ed

 

[Daox13]

You're getting there! It's looking good. Keep at it!

Ed

Thanx! I have tried to stay busy on it but the coop is taking longer than expected.

 

[Intheswamp]

Rome wasn't built in a day, either!!!

 

[Daox13]

did I ever mention how I hate roofing...

. So the tie in that I did worked for the most part, but still leaked in one area.. sigh... so I used window and trim flashing adhesives and laid it over the coop roof where it ties into the run. its suppose to rain for three days straight and started last night. I guess we shall see what happens but knowing my luck i'll be thinking of something different.

I typically don't encounter major screw ups like this, but I guess I can give myself a little slack as its my first ever roof.

I have taken Thursday and Friday off this week and will be putting in a very long weekend on the coop. I hoping to be mostly finished by the end of the weekend. I will be posting more pictures next Monday/Tuesday.

 

[Intheswamp]

I was wondering about that junction but being as you had it all tidied up I was hoping for the best. Naturally, after the fact, us armchair quarterbacks can make all kinds of recommendations.

Normally it's better to have all the roofing panels running in the same direction and over lapped. But, where they're running at angles to each other a "valley" or "ridge" of sorts is required. In other situations where a metal roofs butts up against a wall then "flashing" is required.

Where is it leaking at? The lower portion (large gap) or upper portion (small gap)?

Are the coop rafters/headers at the junction area screwed in or nailed? You might could unfasten them and use some wood blocks to elevate the near rafter to bring the coop roof inline with the run roof. This would leave a smaller gap/area to deal with and would create more slope away from the junction. They also make foam strips to insert between pieces of roofing metal to "seal" against water leaks...those could be used in a reduced gap area. Otherwise, some creative bending of some metal flashing and lots of roofing tar/caulk/etc may seal up the existing area in it's current state.

As for as raising the roof....you could probably simply unscrew the tin, slide some blocks/2-bys beneath the tin and see how it looks. Maybe slip some of those foam strips in there while you're at it. If you get the new wood situated nicely and the metal roofing where you want it then you could use some hurricane strips or something to secure it to the main structure...you only need to really secure it for wind protection as there isn't much of a weight load there. A small gap where the roofs meet will be much easier to deal with than a varying, wider gap. For "overkill" you could pile on some roofing tar at the gap and cover that with a strip of flashing material.

I can't remember...were you going to incorporate a gutter system for saving rainwater?

Best wishes and thanks for posting all of this...I'm sure it helps others being as lots of people are building coops as their first attempt at building any type of structure. Keep up the good work and keep the progress and photos coming!!!!

Yes, we just got soaked with 3.5 inches of rain since yesterday with up to 4 more inches by in the morning...and it's headed your way Not exactly Noah's flood but definitely would tell on a leaky roof! It's WET down here!!!

Best wishes!
Ed

 

[Intheswamp]

Hmm, looking at the roof again, just raising the end of the coop roof rafters that butt against the run might cause too much "twist" to the metal panels and create leak problems out in the "field" of the roof. If raising the roof with blocking/2-bys/etc *is* decided upon then I would probably do it on both ends. Looks like if you did this you would make sure the roofing sheets were laid down first on the side next to the security fence so that the overlaps drain "downhill" onto the next sheet of roofing.

I feel that I'm explaining something simple in a very confusing way. Sorry for the muddy descriptions.

Ed