New Cooper
Hatching
- Apr 24, 2018
- 1
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- 6
Greetings All!
I've been reading the various threads on BYC and have already obtained a bundle of helpful information and real-world tips.
So I thought I'd post a few pictures and ask a few specific questions about the coop in progress so I don't go too far wrong too early.
I was able to obtain a shipping crate measuring 8'2" x 5'8" x 4' (outside dimensions).
It was in decent shape, was not perfectly square, and was missing one side panel altogether, but I grabbed it thinking that it was an already half-built coop. I'd say so far so good.
I live in eastern Washington, so we get some cold and snowy winters as well as hot and dry summers. And they both seem to be getting more extreme. That said, I'm aiming to make the coop all-weather.
It's foundation is a couple of 4' x 4' pallets, reinforced by a couple of 2 x 4s and a sheet of OSB running the 8' length of the coop. I reinforced the bottoms of the pallets with some additional cross-pieces, and the top of the pallets now has a "beautiful" wood floor screwed into place (with a few nails here and there).
Other than the corner vertical 2 x 4s, it has no vertical supports to speak of -- just a couple of partial 2 x 4s running up the exterior sides.
The OSB on all sides of the crate is in excellent shape, and I intend to apply a couple coats of weather-proof primer & sealant. (Any suggestions? Is BullsEye exterior primer as good as any?)
For the roof, I intend to use corrugated panels, the translucent kind, with the idea of installing it over a hole to be cut out of the existing OSB on the roof. This will provide some good light. I may also cut out ventilation holes on the sides.
Given all that, the coop as it stands remains a little wobbly, and that brings me to the first of several questions:
1. Given the pallet-based foundation, even with 2x4 reinforcement, is there any way to further reduce or eliminate the wobble? I'm thinking that the OSB needs some vertical supports that could be nailed, either outside or inside, to the 2x4s that form the overall frame of the crate. I've also considered just placing some t-posts around the coop to act as a brace in case a really high wind comes along. (We get high winds at least a couple few times a year, reaching 40 mph or more, the record being 77 mph in 2005).
2. For the roof, I envision just a simple lean-to style, high in front and low in back, with a cutout of OSB for ventilation and to let light in. I'm not finding any 10' lengths of translucent roofing panels, only 8' and 12'. Could I use 12' panels without cutting them, leaving about 2' overhang on both the front and back? I'm thinking that might be asking too much given the serious wind gusts here as well as heavy snow. But I think cutting 2 feet off and having a 1' overhang should be OK.
3. The interior of the coop is now lined with cardboard, as it was stapled in for shipping purposes. To minimize the work (cue Maynard G. Krebs for those of a certain age), I'd prefer to just leave it in place. An alternative is to tack sheets of plywood over it. (I was able to scrounge full and near-full sheets of plywood too.) Or, I could remove the cardboard altogether. (I know it would have an insulating effect, but I wonder if it would absorb too much moisture over time and create mould and other issues down the road.
Any thoughts or suggestions would be much appreciated.
I might add that I'm at least fooling myself that this is being done on the cheap. Virtually all the wood was free (except 6 2x4x8s that I bought last night just in case). The only expenses have been for a one-day U-haul van, tip for a fork lift operator, nails, screws, hardware cloth and a few other miscellaneous items. Out-of-pocket so far is less than $250 (incl all gas for hauling, etc.), with another $150 or so expected. So, not exactly free, but not bad I think.
Many thanks in advance for any and all responses.
I've been reading the various threads on BYC and have already obtained a bundle of helpful information and real-world tips.
So I thought I'd post a few pictures and ask a few specific questions about the coop in progress so I don't go too far wrong too early.
I was able to obtain a shipping crate measuring 8'2" x 5'8" x 4' (outside dimensions).
It was in decent shape, was not perfectly square, and was missing one side panel altogether, but I grabbed it thinking that it was an already half-built coop. I'd say so far so good.
I live in eastern Washington, so we get some cold and snowy winters as well as hot and dry summers. And they both seem to be getting more extreme. That said, I'm aiming to make the coop all-weather.
It's foundation is a couple of 4' x 4' pallets, reinforced by a couple of 2 x 4s and a sheet of OSB running the 8' length of the coop. I reinforced the bottoms of the pallets with some additional cross-pieces, and the top of the pallets now has a "beautiful" wood floor screwed into place (with a few nails here and there).
Other than the corner vertical 2 x 4s, it has no vertical supports to speak of -- just a couple of partial 2 x 4s running up the exterior sides.
The OSB on all sides of the crate is in excellent shape, and I intend to apply a couple coats of weather-proof primer & sealant. (Any suggestions? Is BullsEye exterior primer as good as any?)
For the roof, I intend to use corrugated panels, the translucent kind, with the idea of installing it over a hole to be cut out of the existing OSB on the roof. This will provide some good light. I may also cut out ventilation holes on the sides.
Given all that, the coop as it stands remains a little wobbly, and that brings me to the first of several questions:
1. Given the pallet-based foundation, even with 2x4 reinforcement, is there any way to further reduce or eliminate the wobble? I'm thinking that the OSB needs some vertical supports that could be nailed, either outside or inside, to the 2x4s that form the overall frame of the crate. I've also considered just placing some t-posts around the coop to act as a brace in case a really high wind comes along. (We get high winds at least a couple few times a year, reaching 40 mph or more, the record being 77 mph in 2005).
2. For the roof, I envision just a simple lean-to style, high in front and low in back, with a cutout of OSB for ventilation and to let light in. I'm not finding any 10' lengths of translucent roofing panels, only 8' and 12'. Could I use 12' panels without cutting them, leaving about 2' overhang on both the front and back? I'm thinking that might be asking too much given the serious wind gusts here as well as heavy snow. But I think cutting 2 feet off and having a 1' overhang should be OK.
3. The interior of the coop is now lined with cardboard, as it was stapled in for shipping purposes. To minimize the work (cue Maynard G. Krebs for those of a certain age), I'd prefer to just leave it in place. An alternative is to tack sheets of plywood over it. (I was able to scrounge full and near-full sheets of plywood too.) Or, I could remove the cardboard altogether. (I know it would have an insulating effect, but I wonder if it would absorb too much moisture over time and create mould and other issues down the road.
Any thoughts or suggestions would be much appreciated.
I might add that I'm at least fooling myself that this is being done on the cheap. Virtually all the wood was free (except 6 2x4x8s that I bought last night just in case). The only expenses have been for a one-day U-haul van, tip for a fork lift operator, nails, screws, hardware cloth and a few other miscellaneous items. Out-of-pocket so far is less than $250 (incl all gas for hauling, etc.), with another $150 or so expected. So, not exactly free, but not bad I think.
Many thanks in advance for any and all responses.
