Authentic Woods KD (Knock Down) 10' by 16' Coop Build

[Ted Brown]

Fall is such a busy time but I have continued to make progress. Got hung up for a week while I tracked down 1/2" PVC Conduit 45 degree Elbows, a friend brought them up yesterday (Sunday Sept 20th) and I finished installing the conduit and wire today. I was smart enough to add a dedicated 20 Amp electrical circuit in the garage that I used for the coop. As I acquire the bits (lights, water heater, electrical fence, 'Pseudo Brooder 'Plate') that are needed to make the coop both work and be secure year round it is clear that a 15 Amp circuit would be stretched.

I still have some connection work to finish and I decided to add another plug outlet for the water heater as the cord is too short to make it to the middle of the coop.

 

[Ted Brown]

Also lucked into some weather that allowed me to prime the roof panels although I had to suspend a tarp to keep the falling leaves off as well as ward off some rain that is expected tomorrow.

The panels were freebies from a friend that had been laying around for years; surface rust on the top but no perforations other than the screw holes that I simply reused. I used a wire brush to prep the surface and Tremclad Metal Red Oxide Primer; prep took more than twice the time as actually applying the primer (twas ever thus!). I will do two coats of Tremclad Metal "Bright Red" Finish Paint next Spring.

 

[aart]

Nice power and tarp work!

 

[Ted Brown]

Nice power and tarp work!

LOL!

"Tarp work" falls into the "invisible" category - work that has to be done in order to do something else then disappears... I find most jobs/projects have somewhere between 5-10% of the total that falls into that category. Most often one does not even include it in the WBS and if the work is paid then it becomes "overhead".

 

[jthornton]

Looking good!

JT

 

[Ted Brown]

Winter approaches as does chick integration with our seven pullets so, very keen to get outside access for the ladies and access to the coop for the chicks.

I started by blowing a large amount of leaves under the coop along with remaining mulch (more to come).

The last day and a half I spent enclosing the underside of the coop with HC, building a ramp and pop door and allowing the pullets access to the great outdoors for their first time, three took advantage four did not. Tomorrow will be interesting.

I still need to add the horizontal aprons, an access door for humans and a sliding pop door for the opening.

 

[aart]

an access door for humans

That should be interesting!
Ramp is awfully steep.
Will you have access to the ramp/popdoor area...and will you roof it?

 

[Ted Brown]

That should be interesting!
Ramp is awfully steep.
Will you have access to the ramp/popdoor area...and will you roof it?

It happens that one has an concept that does not turn out well. As I looked at the pictures I thought the same. Will make some adjustments over the weekend, no doubt with the ladies surrounding me as I do them; need to re-think how.

My context is that this is temporary but will likely remain until Spring; The adjacent area will be under a roof that is part of the 36' by 12' pole shed so ramp enclosure will disappear, in the meantime...

As always your pragmatic observations are appreciated.

 

[aart]

It happens that one has an concept that does not turn out well.

Boy, ain't that the truth!! BTDT.

I don't know how much snow you get up there, and not quite the same scenario you have there, but I diligently shovel so I have easy access to the run door, the pop door, and the entire length of the run.
Except the first winter, when a heavy snow damn near collapsed the run roof and I had to wade thru thigh high snow to clear it. Wish I had taken some pics of that, but was in 'catastrophe clearance' mode.....here it is in milder times.

 

[Ted Brown]

Snow? We get that, pictures from this past early Spring: