Building New Coop/Barn...Phase 5 Great Barn Build, OCCUPIED! 3/6/16

[Mini Meat]

I have a very similar project coming up. Five years ago I made a deal with my neighbor who needed a place to build his vintage car. He would buy and istall a shop, 24w x32d, on an existing concrete slab on my property and have use of it for five years rent free. In five years he would move out and it would be mine. He is due to be out 3/1 (ish)., so I am glued to this thread and really love your progress. Your getting me pumped to start my work.

What bedding/cleaning method do you plan to use in the pens?

Are you going to put in a loft?

 

[speckledhen]

I have a very similar project coming up. Five years ago I made a deal with my neighbor who needed a place to build his vintage car. He would buy and istall a shop, 24w x32d, on an existing concrete slab on my property and have use of it for five years rent free. In five years he would move out and it would be mine. He is due to be out 3/1 (ish)., so I am glued to this thread and really love your progress. Your getting me pumped to start my work.

What bedding/cleaning method do you plan to use in the pens?

Are you going to put in a loft?

What a cool deal! Congrats on your new space!

Yes to loft, though maybe not over the entire thing. The aisle is not going to be a straight 4'x24' space with the sideways pens at each end as we originally planned, and with us having to turn the gables opposite to the end doors, that means the highest points up there are perpendicular to the aisle. Each pen will have a top and across the aisle, especially where the larger pens come out and make that 4' space, we can join those tops across the aisle in sort of a catwalk. We didn't pay extra for even more height so we won't really be able to stand up fully even at the peak when standing on the top of the pens (which will be just at the top of the windows), but we can climb a ladder, permanent or just one left in the barn, and shove hay bales and shavings up there for storage. It was about $50 extra for an extra foot of leg height over the standard 6', then it went up a lot more in price from there if you wanted more height.

We have always used pine shavings in the coops and I guess we'll continue that since that is what all the birds are used to. I may scatter hay in the aisle area just so the floor isn't bare and give them something to play in when they are roaming around in there.

You can see how the loft will be if you imagine plywood tops on each pen in this drawing. I did change the location of where the D'Anvers would go to the back corner near the roll-up door and Deacon's girls will be in the back center, larger pen. The storage area is 4' wide at the back corner, for empty waterers, feeders, extra feed, etc. The reason for the change in aisle is that when they got here, they put the door offset closer to the back wall, not centered as we ordered so we had to turn Xander's pen sideways, not a big deal but it did change the loft for sure.

 

[speckledhen]

Today's progress. All three pens on the right side have basic framing. Atlas's corner pen and the Old Hens' pen have their divider up as well. Next, we will be framing/making the doors and finishing up the dividers and maybe putting up wire, not sure how much actual finishing DH wants to do with that side before we finish the floors on the back side and frame up Xander's pen.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Now it's starting to look like something, so excited for you.

 

[Peanutsmomma]

Today's progress. All three pens on the right side have basic framing. Atlas's corner pen and the Old Hens' pen have their divider up as well. Next, we will be framing/making the doors and finishing up the dividers and maybe putting up wire, not sure how much actual finishing DH wants to do with that side before we finish the floors on the back side and frame up Xander's pen.

Looking great!!! Can't wait to see your barn, flock, Finn and you (and Tom too) in person next week!!

 

[speckledhen]

Looking great!!! Can't wait to see your barn, flock, Finn and you (and Tom too) in person next week!!

Oh, you still coming up?? COOL! Just let me know when you're here and we'll send directions. I have something for you.

 

[aart]

SWEET!!

 

[Peanutsmomma]

Oh, you still coming up?? COOL! Just let me know when you're here and we'll send directions. I have something for you.

Oh yes, I am still coming up! I will PM you later my dear.

 

[speckledhen]

Oh yes, I am still coming up! I will PM you later my dear.

 

[speckledhen]

All three doors for pens on the right side are framed, plus one finished and hung and the nests in Atlas's pen are up. Those came from Deacon's old area in another building and will be painted with the rest of the coop.