Common sense? Check. Construction experience? Hhhmmm

[Chickadee30]

I bought a small coop online that has a small enclosure, but my 4 are stuck in there all day while I'm at work. I'd like to build a bigger, better enclosure for them so when I'm not home to let them free range they have more than 15 sq ft to hang out in. I feel pretty comfortable with hand tools, though saws and such I wouldn't attempt. Think I can build a chicken enclosure without having to make any cuts? I asked my brother who is a construction guy and he has told me no as making cuts make the "building" sturdier. I hate to think I can't do this on my own as I can figure a lot of things out and like to accomplish seemingly daunting tasks. Thoughts? Any way I can make cuts without using a power saw? I think manual cuts would not be easy or successful. Thanks!!

 

[chickenfu]

I used mostly the hand saw to build my coop. I did wind up using power tools for a couple of things (cutting the door opening, cutting the roofing) but for just straight lumber cuts you will be fine with a hand saw. Plan your run to make optimal use of existing lumber dimensions and you can minimize the cutting you have to do.

 

[GardenGal]

Will your brother work for pie? Pet sitting?

Good point to design your run based on lumber lengths. Two things I've learned that have made building a lot easier: Gorilla Glue - love that stuff! - and pre-drilling your holes, even for nails. Your wood won't split and you won't be fighting as much when you're hammering away at odd angles. Good luck!

 

[Stumpy]

If you are not using lumber you already have on hand and, therefore, need to purchase it, you can get it cut at some stores. Decide on a very specific plan, go in with your measurements, and have them cut your pieces to length. This wouldn't apply to angle cuts, I don't think, so you'd need to avoid those. You might also find helpful all of the different metal plates that are available for construction now, like hurricane hangers, etc. I agree about pre-drilling. It is time-consuming, but it avoids split wood.

 

[pm]

You can do it. Using a power circular saw is not that difficult. You can pick one up at Walmart for $40-$50 that will be fine for occasional use. Read the manual, Google "how to use a circular saw", watch Youtube videos, use that common sense, and practice a bit on some scrap lumber. If the blade that comes with the saw doesn't have carbide teeth, toss it and get one that does. Usually less than $10 and will last a long time if you're not sawing dirt or nails. Saw horses are super handy and will make cutting much safer. It can all be done with a hand saw, but by the time you finish building a coop or run, you'll wish you had learned to use a circular saw. It will open up all kinds of possibilities.

Paul

 

[GardenGal]

It's true! I'm pretty accident prone, but have learned to think things through, and never cut when I'm tired, in a hurry, or distracted. Power tools make waaaaay cleaner cuts than the average person can do with a handsaw. I totally love them now. If you do go the handsaw route, rub your saw with candle wax before making cuts. It helps a lot - not as much as a circular saw, but it does help!

 

[chicknadventure]

We did almost all our cuts at the store. It was lowes. They are awesome. It helps if you go on a friday evening when its really slow.

 

[Godsgrl]

You can take the lumber to your local high school, and ask the woodworking dept to cut it for you. We did this with some wood recently for my dd's float. Good luck~