A-Frame Coop Finished...*** New Pics Added pg 5***

[joebryant]

Dang, that's super-neat, and I'm really impressed with your new-found skills because you've done a terrific job so far.
I would make one suggestion though; build yourself a 2-foot-high rectantular base for it out of 4x4 treated lumber and set it on a floor of concrete tiles laid on sand because this is going to end up being a permanent structure. I'd do it now before it gets too heavy to lift.

 

[UrbanMama]

First, I want to say thank you for all of the wonderful compliments and comments!

Next, I just wanted to answer some questions.

Vermontgal- I'm hoping to be able to add some plants in at some point....but for now, the chickens get fists dibs .

Maryallison77- This is the first time I've ever built anything so big! I'm actually planning on building a rabbit hutch next

Joebryant- Thank you so much for the wonderful suggestions. I was told that you couldn't use pressure treated around the chickens??? I would have made the base out of it otherwise...

I don't want to raise it though. I want the heat from using the deep-litter method right on the ground.

I am worried that it'll rot faster being right on the ground....is there anything I can do to slow that down? Some kind of paint or something?

My lumber money has been officially cutoff...

Now what would you all recommend for the run? The area is rocky and rooty (is that a word?) so digging fence post holes would be out. My hubby thinks I should use those metal posts/spikes with the 1 inch chicken wire. The chickens will only be on the run during the day when we're home (which is most of the time) Would that be strong enough? At least to start with? The people that live down the hill from us have some boxers (2 dogs) and those are the ones I'm afraid will go for the chickens.

Thanks again all! Today I'm hoping to frame out the front and back walls. I'll post more pics as I go!

 

[Picky Chicky]

Quote:
We ended up getting the pressure treated wood for the run but only after asking the lumber guy 101 questions. Apparently the treated wood we picked up didn't have any arsenic in it - which is what we were told made it deadly for critters?

We crossed our fingers and are hoping for the best!

Can't wait to see the next round of pictures!

 

[UrbanMama]

Today was a very productive day!

I started out by framing the front and back of the A-frame...

Adam had to test it for me....(He got absolutely covered in dirt...and enjoyed every second! )

While the girls supervised...

Then I covered the back wall with plywood...

Outside view...

Then I covered the front wall and cut out the door....

Outside view...

This will be the chickens view out of the clear wall...

And this was just cute so I had to add it....Adam was trying to be a duck!

Still To-do list...


-Staple down the chicken wire over the floor

-I already framed out the pop door, but I need to cut it out and figure out how I want it to close/lock.

-Build a door and hang it.

-Build nest boxes

-Put up roosts (I have a maple we cut down while clearing the chickens yard and I'm hoping to use that.)

-Trim work

-Painting

-Build and fence in the chickens yard.


And I'm sure there are a million other things I can't think of right now!

 

[miron28]

it is coming along great! beautiful kids too! good luck and keep up on the pictures!

 

[UrbanMama]

Quote:
Thanks, I think their kinda cute!

Yup...I'm going to keep them!

 

[UrbanMama]

Today, put down the chicken-wire floor (stapled the sides and zip-tied where the strips meet, every couple of inches)

Nest boxes (or should I say buckets? These will have dividers in them at some point)

And I also put the baseboards in (to keep the bedding in place) as well as some roosts....

Overview...

I also started the frame work on the back of the a-frame but started running out of steam...and daylight!

 

[asher]

Wow! Looks great!

 

[amysflock]

Very ingenious! Looks great!

 

[lurky]

That looks great. All this time i thought you were going to get chickens, i didn't realize it was for the kids