Adding 2nd run.. If you can't laugh at yourself? (added predator pics)

[UrbanChick101]

What an attempt!! Something I wouldn't do ~ well, unless I bought some extra chicks & needed something out of necessity!! I think you are doing a fabulous job!! I love the paint on the coop - the bright yellow in your landscape looks very becoming!! You will definately need to label them "His & Hers" for your husbands arrival... However put "His" on yours and "Hers" on his...

Keep up your hard work, and feel proud, you have ambition that lots of other women probably wouldn't attempt!!!

 

[Tomhusker]

 

[Mrs. Fluffy Puffy]

What are you talking about - it looks awesomely great!!!

You should be very proud!

 

[88heather]

I am proud that I am trying to do this.. Guy at Home depot said many would never try.. I think I did it out of necessity.. or just WANT!

I could of just put the chicks in a dog crate with a little dog pen area I have that previous owners of this house left behind with some wire on top and just waited till they were big enough.. But I want more chickens and I want more eggs and I want them to have more room to roam... I'd like to put in a tiny little mini coop in this run with an area inside this one that I can quarantine birds/hospital if I need to.. (having pecking issues with my big birds). I want to add a mini door between the two runs so that I can open them to each other (once the chicks are big enough)..

We have had a LOT of tree work done this year.. I had soooooooooooooooooooooooo many trees cut (since hubby left) with the tree company this summer and was working with them hauling slash.. working with them chipping slash in their chipper.. I even bought a battery little chainsaw for cutting the little stuff.. All this work is something new.. I've been stacking wood like crazy.. I was worn and wanted something fun to do.. hence one day I said to my kids.. "hey.. founds some chicks on Craigslist.. let's get them!"..with no plans what to do with them in place.

I'm tempted to not even mention any of it till my hubby comes home for his break near Christmas and see his reaction..

Hmm.. maybe I need one or two more chicks!?

Ok.. should get outside and do some work.. will update pics tonight!!

Thanks everyone.. I wonder if most men just are genetically born to build.. I figure most have some sort of experience before building these coops/runs? My hubby is very handy.. he's built lots of things.. Me obviously not.. I mean why learn when you can just ask your husband to do it?? I really want a floating shelf in my bathroom. maybe I can do that now?? Seriously my biggest accomplishment is actually getting a screw to go all the way in and be tight.. I can't tell you how many screws I stripped and couldn't get all the way in and that was frustrating.. problem turned out to be too big of screws and not adjusting the drill right. I had the the speed of the drill turned too high.. guy said turn it high for making the pilot holes and turn it down to drive in a screw.. all this is new.. but feels good to actually do it.. Maybe one day I can do something that looks better..

once I get this run up .. I'll just keep adding those 45 degree cut boards and add them everywhere till it feels sturdier..

I want to add a piece of the OSB board?? think that's what it's called on top of the run to create some shade below.. we have some left overs of that from the main coop hubby built.

Ok... back to work!

 

[88heather]

ps.. love the his /hers idea!

 

[88heather]

thanks to everyone who is watching/subscribing and enjoying my trials and errors.. emphasis on the ERRORS!

Ok.. yesterday I yakked so much about it.. I didn't get much done.. The computer is a time sucker.. must tear self away..

 

[Mrs. Fluffy Puffy]

Hope you get alot done today.

 

[Rockerchic]

If you are putting young chics into this run, shouldn't at least their part have smaller hardware cloth for the first couple of feet up from the ground? I have found that my smallish dog can rip into the chicken wire, so I think it's not as secure as you might believe. Sorry for a discouraging word, but it's horrifying to loose a chic because your dog could get it. Are you putting something over the top of your run? Otherwise, it's Hawk's Buffet.I'm looking for used sheet metal roofing, to provice shade, rain protection, and predator deterrant.

 

[adkchickmama]

Heather , awesome job.

I love the yellow on the coop. You are doing pretty darn good job for not having used tools before.

Don't forget that when you measure the panels you have to take off subtract the width of the 2x4 when you attach the top and bottom to the sides. I always forget to do that. My DH built an awesome chicken palace last summer. took from May to Sept , and he is retired, but he likes to build things like Fort Knox!! I graduated from the "gopher" to acutally making cuts on the chop saw!!

Keep posting pics! we are rooting for you.

Bet your DH is so proud when he comes home. Will keep him in prayer.
Best , AdkMama

 

[dsqard]

Heather, if you have left over OSB (oriented strand board) it could work for a cover but depending on thickness, it is pretty heavy. You might want to consider the corrugated metal (still kinda heavy) or they have corrugated plastic for roofing now too. It is really light and can be screwed directly to the tops of your run panels (as can the OSB and metal) I just suggest the plastic because it wont rot like the OSB will eventually in the weather, it is pretty light, and it is easy to cut with a jig saw. Just an idea. Can't wait to see some updated photos!