Selling and going big -- 100+ chicken ideas

[Alabama Jack]

Jack, did use joist hangers or go on top for the rafters? I want to use hour hangers and nails from the back.

 

[aart]

Thanks Jack, that's where I think we're heading.

Also now thinking we're going to put a tin roof and gutters on it.

We also expanded to 42 ft x 25 for the outdoor run.

Worried about stretching a 2x6 42 ft and thinking about offsetting two 1x6's and glueing and nailing together to make a 42 foot 2x6. Any thoughts?? Otherwise we would use the metal joiners and use 2x6's.

So another row of posts set at 24 feet from barn wall?

 

[Alabama Jack]

Oops, just expanding the long side 8 ft. I was including the already covered run area, which is 9 feet deep. 9+16=25

 

[Tabasco Jack]

Yes, I used joist hangers so the top surface would all be at the same level.

 

[Alabama Jack]

Thanks Jack. That was my goal, to be level, so we don't have gaps when we attach tin.

And aart, by the way, you convinced me on the tin!

Thanks, to both of you!

 

[Alabama Jack]

So,we decided on another design change. We're going to just extend the rafters from the pole barn, effectively just extending the lean to. But the extension will only have Hardware cloth on the sides. Only thing we're concerned about is the wind whipping through and losing the roof. More pics:
Four more posts, extending out from the front of the barn

View from the front. May look a little weird with the roof just starting at the lean-to.

This is from inside the barn. Two doors go into the coop. Egg boxes will be on both sides.

 

[Alabama Jack]

My dad gave me a laser level a while back, but never found a use for it. May have to work at night to mark the posts, but pretty cool!

First test

 

[Tabasco Jack]

Laser levels are great when they work right. I've had several over the last 25 years. You'll need to check it for accuracy. Set it up at one end of a long room and put tape on the wall where the beam hits on the close wall and the far wall. Mark the tape. Move the level to the opposite end of the room and adjust your tripod so the beam hits the mark on the close wall. Turn the laser to the far wall and see if there is any difference between the mark and the beam.
I've had 2 of the little self-leveling lasers and one expensive rotary level go bad. Some have adjustments for the pendulums so you can correct minor errors.
When they work, they're great tools.

Good luck with it.

 

[aart]

They can work in daytime...not so good in full direct sun tho.

 

[Alabama Jack]

So, ran into a little snag. The upright posts are all in line, but not square to the building. Almost 6"s off over the 42'. So, making the 2x6 boards on top of the 4x4s level won't work. Instead, we just tacked up rafters to match the existing roof pitch, so we could mark the 4x4s for cutting. Kind of embarrassing, but we're making it work.