12 hours not enough to build a coop :( Pic Heavy

[countrychix]

Quote:
You still need good ventilation in the winter, its the drafts that can hurt the birdsm and too much moisture can lead to problems including frostbite. The amount of ventilation you show looks great, as long as you can keep the drafts from blowing in. My eaves are similar. What I did was use 1X3 boards between each roof rafter. I angled them to diflect any possible breezes upwards along the roof. That way I have great ventilation to remove the moisture, but no drafts on the girls. I tried to get my wife to sleep in there one cold breezy night to try it out. Not good. Not good at all. BIG mistake. Ouch!

Love the last 5 sentences!

 

[dawj]

Thanks for the advice I am hoping to get a few hours to tackle some more this weekend. I work first job 4 am-2pm then second job 3pm-8pm so no real time to get stuff done and I also donate alot of time to our church so its been hard to squeeze in time and when i have time the rain comes lol. The rain has got me thinking though to use metal roofing on run when i get a chance to build it.

 

[pinkwindsong]

great job.. I would adore a coop like yours.. my husband is nto at all good with his hands.

but my self and a couple neighborhood teens said they'd help me build one.. I have drawn up my ideas and my fav. layout is much like you have.. went to lowes the other day to try to price things.. its all very confusing to a non woodworking / carmentry people.. with out being to personal.. can you tell me aprox what the cost of your coop would be to make? Im trying to go as economical as possible and easy to build at the same time.. I think I will end up with a box on stilts...

I need 4 coops for 5 chickens in each coop.. so I dont need big just usable space... and cost effective..

have a great day thanks for posting your coop..
Pink

 

[dawj]

I used alot of recycled lumber, I called Lowes and got some prices and just figured it out while eating my dinner on break. If I was to buy lumber+paint (excluding screws and glue and nails and roofing I used scrap pieces of water sheild) It would be about $200.00. Since i glued and liquid nailed alot I used ripped 2x4's and Luan (painted 4 coats most people use it for ice fishing houses so i figure it will hold up inside and out.) I didn't add price of hardware cloth or hinges, latches etc.. its all preference. I might have spent 200 max including everything feeder waterer roost everything. I made the window out of 3 old picture frame glass 11x14 and scraps of 2x3 lumber (thank god for the kreg jig). I hope this helps. Look to contractors for scrap and roofers for scraps of felt paper etc... I got enough metal from a roof guy to do a 20' run for free he said if i didn't take it it was going in dumpster he tore it off a roof and put down shingles (talk about the right place at the right time I was on my way to work one afternoon and saw it all over a lawn so stopped and asked brought my truck to work the next day

) My coop is made out of alot of recycled material thats why its all painted black, white or red before I put it up, alot of the 2x4's were weathered gray be fore they got painted.

 

[shadewolfo10]

Wow! I love the idea of recycling to make coops! Great idea!

 

[wolftracks]

I started a small coop a couple of months ago and just couldn't get it right. All but 2 frames are taken apart. I probably had 30 hours in that thing and what you did in 12 is embarrassing. LOL

Now that you've mentioned this thing a few times I want to see a pic of the kreg jig!

Gotta also say that your comment about your wife gave me a huge smile. Sounds like the things my husband used to say. So did she offer to let you sleep out there, or do you have a dog house? LOL

You've done an amazing job so far and I can't wait to see the finished product.

Oh and I do have a lot of recycled materials and I hit the bins at HD for pieces. Got mostly smallish piece, but my plywood cost 50 cents a piece. I did but 2x2's ans 2x4's and they cut them the lengths I needed. I have a small trunk too, so had to cut things that would fit and not hang way out the back.

 

[rival001]

12 hour?? it depends on your woodworking skill

 

[latebloomer]

given the weather we've had in new england i'm surprised you found twelve hours you could work on your coop

i feel like i've bee working on mine for months and i just barely got the birds in

congratulations, it looks great

 

[PartridgeRooster]

Quote:
Actually, I think Moxie is kind of old drink... My dad adores the stuff, but i don't like it. To me it tastes really herby... Like someone put a bunch of rosemary or other stuff in a can with a some soda. Haven't tried it in a while tho lol

I have never heard of Moxie.

 

[PartridgeRooster]

Quote:
Yes, contacting local construction groups and other home builders is very helpful for scrap lumber and supplies, I've found aswell.