Technical coop building question.

[Merrymouse]

Thank you for all the responses and the pictures really help. I had an aha moment by seeing your pictures. My latch is not flat is has a curve that gives it leeway to move. Which you guys picked up on right away. I swear if I just step back, slow down and look and think I would figure this stuff out. Geesh, Im like a lunatic because I have the big weather monster on my back. Must get flat latch or two if I put them on the side instead of in the middle. I also bought some weather strip because my board is a little warped and I want to keep the draft out of the nest box. I dont know if you can see in the video but I put 1x2 wood stop/blocks where the seams in the wood was to minimize the draft, that plus the weather strip should be good.

So DH and I went to 5 antique shops looking for windows. We found a couple but not sure if they will be too big. So we didn't start working on the coop until about 1:00. We figured by then it would be out of the teens and we could work. We'll it was in the high 20's but there was a brisk breeze and it was absolutely frigid. It was so cold that we literally could not work fast. The snow is now icy in patches and very slippery, its an accident just waiting to happen. We worked for 3 1/2 hours and only got the soffit in on the front wall. LOL! Made a couple of mistakes which ate up time. Its going to warm up to high 30's tomorrow so Im still hopeful we can get that roof on before the snow storm.

So things I learned today:

1. We have some incredible antique stores very close to my home which I never would have seen if I was not building this coop. I will return they were great.

2. I think my DH is liking the idea of chickens, even if he wont admit it. He is actually helping me and only complaining minimally and for him thats huge and all telling.

3. Even though we dont let cold weather stop us from spending time out doors like skiing, hiking etc. Its an entirely different cold when your using power tools and your on a ladder. Frozen fingers and trying to hold a screw straight while standing on a ladder with the wind whipping the hair over your eyes so you cannot even see=totally different than a brisk hike in the wood with mittens and a hat, just sayin.

4. What was I thinking trying to build a coop in February in Massachusetts.

Tomorrow is another day and its supposed to be a balmy 37F.

 

[aart]

Hang in there...you'll figure it all out.
Don't let any mistakes get you down, they are inevitable and can teach you a lot.

This is just the beginning of your year of 'firsts' with chickens....
...it can be like getting sip of water out of a fire hose.
(in your case in freezing temps, making it worse-haha!)

Finding the right gloves for winter construction is tough.... but geez, put on a hat!

 

[Merrymouse]

Well it was so much warmer today high 30's. DH and I worked for about 5 1/2 hours. My son gave us about 1 1/2 hours. I feel like we should have gotten so much more done. We didn't get the roof done. But I'm ok with it. I was just wanting it done because we are suppposed to have storms this week and next weekend I'm gone Thurs through Sunday for a dog show. So it will be a while before I can get back at it. I kind of want to skip my dog show but it's this huge important show right before Westminster next tues. So we finished the soffit and the ???fascia?? Which gave us a few headaches because all the wood is warped and twisted. I put some corner braces on because it seemed like there was too much movement. Anyone have any additional ideas for stabilizing the structure front to back? Side to side it doesn't move. We also got a couple sheets of plywood onto the roof over the coop. We covered the plywood with a huge tarp to hopefully protect it some from the weather. Oh and we also put up the studs on the run end and I framed out where the nesting boxes go on the coop end. Here are some pica

 

[aart]

Soffit and fascia https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=soffit+fascia
You might want the leave the space between the rafters open for ventilation, then use hardware cloth for soffit material to keep predators out.


" Anyone have any additional ideas for stabilizing the structure front to back? "
That's a problem of the wall stud structure you chose.
Once you get the wall sheathing up it will stiffen things up.
Or temporarily you could screw some long 1x or 2x up diagonally across wall studs to stiffen them.

 

[Merrymouse]

Thank you for the definitions. So I guess I meant fascia and maybe header???? Whatever it was it took a long time.
Also we are going to make big round holes along the top for ventilation and I may just keep the top open on the sides. All will be covered with HC.

@aart thank you for your continued support and help. I guess it takes a village

 

[ScottandSam]

Soffit and fascia https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=soffit+fascia
You might want the leave the space between the rafters open for ventilation, then use hardware cloth for soffit material to keep predators out.


" Anyone have any additional ideas for stabilizing the structure front to back? "
That's a problem of the wall stud structure you chose.
Once you get the wall sheathing up it will stiffen things up.
Or temporarily you could screw some long 1x or 2x up diagonally across wall studs to stiffen them.

I agree with Aart. The way the studs were place is causing the movement. It is not the way to build houses. Diagonal bracing will stiffen you could also run 2x4 between the back and front blocking between the current studs in the same orientation. like maybe 1/3 from bottom 1/2 up then 2/3 or 1/3 from top. this will give you more places to screw the plywood down too.
Also diagonal like you did in the lower corners but at ever stud to the floor and roof would help too.
Either way you will need more 2x4.

Scott

 

[sheetmetaltom]

if your not going to add more studs you can use 1x4 s on the inside as x bracing from floor to ceiling screwing it on the bottom and at each stud and on top.that will stop it from moving/swaying

 

[TalkALittle]

 

[Merrymouse]

My studs are 24" on center all the way around. Where would I add more studs? Most wichita's have like 34" studs. The only difference is most wichitas are 5x10 and mine is 8x14. So adding the corner bracing did stiffen it up quite a bit. I think I will add them to the top of the run side too.

About the X bracing. Do you mean on the end of my run (east facing) put an X out of 2x4 from one corner to the other?

@ScottandSam so you mean put 3 2x4's horizontally between each stud? All of this would only have to be on the east wall right? Because it's really stable side to side and the west wall should be more stable when I put the wall of my coop up.

When I look at other wichitas I have way more lumber and studs and bracing and base. Let me see if I can find a picture of other peoples wichitA's hang on.

 

[Merrymouse]

Here is the plan I'm sort of using. Keep in mind this is a 5x10 and mine is 8x14.

Here is one framed