Coop Add-on

[U_Stormcrow]

DH didn't think so. If we do, we have a bunch of cinder blocks that could work for that. Or I'll sit inside.

I asked him about repainting it purple (so I could name it The Eggplant). He gave me a look that said, "Are you kidding?" So, I'll get some more "Chocolate Bonbon," which is the name of the brown I got last time.

I also have his permission to use another of the 2x4s for making the poop board and brooder. The rest of those will be leftover pieces and scrap.

Chocolate BonBon? So you are painting the door dark cherry, right???

'cause Dark cherry chocolate bonbons are pretty much to die for. or at least kill for. [allegedly]

 

[Sally PB]

No paint on the door. It's from an old, falling down chicken coop out on our property.

I love chocolate. I think it's a reason for living.

 

[Happy hen lover]

I will be adding on to my existing coop, as I am adding on to my existing flock. I told my husband I want to build it with his help and guidance. And tools.

I'm still in the design phase, and I have a question for the BYC coop building brain trust.

What is the minimum angle you would need for a metal roof? Moderate amount of snow fall, but I can easily reach all parts of it to remove the snow with a broom. It's not going to be a large area; right now I'm thinking about 28 inches and 8 feet long. There will be support in both of those dimensions.

I don't have any drawings yet. Can anyone recommend a free drafting program I could download off the web?

I'm going to tag a few people whose expertise I admire. (I know there are many, many more people than these.)

@aart @DobieLover @3KillerBs @U_Stormcrow

What material is roofing ? Snow slides easier on metal.

 

[Happy hen lover]

What material is roofing ? Snow slides easier on metal.

Nevermind I missed it's metal oops 3/12 is a good angle.

 

[Sally PB]

The angle or the roof worked out to be 21 degrees. We arrived at that by:

It has to fit here, and needs to be this long. Presto! 21 degrees.

 

[Happy hen lover]

Here it is! I am out of the brown paint, so I need to go get more. The metal for the roof is not on; DH needed to get a few other things done today. I'll throw a tarp over it for rain protection, probably till next weekend.

We had the white paint. We repurposed the parts of the cut out wall for the ends, and there is the third piece available for something else. (There's always something else with a coop, isn't there?) The metal roof is a piece of white, just like the green on the roof now. It'll will go past the side about 4-5" as an awning for the vent openings there. Ok, so it doesn't match. It was part of the bundle when we got the green stuff, so a freebie. (Don't know why it was there... but thanks, whoever put it or left it there!)

I'll have to buy a gallon of brown paint, ~$40 IIRC. We bought 2 sheets of OSB, ~$110ish. We had 2x4s on hand, and used 6. We'll need to buy some more at some point.

There are some gaps that need to be filled in. As old as this trailer is, it is in really good shape. The floor piece doesn't fit everywhere exactly, but it went in on the first try. DH turned to me and said, "Wow, I'm surprised at how well that went!" We will also put some support legs under the addition to combat gravity and time. The addition is very stable, but, well, gravity and time and weather do their thing.

I added up the ventilation area, and came up with about 4.5 sf. There was already about that much with the existing arched areas, so I'm thinking I'm good for 9 birds, which is what I'll have when the chicks come in June. I'll probably cover some areas with furnace filter material in the winter, like I did this last winter.

My next coop projects are to build a poop tray (out of scraps, but will need to cut into another 2x4) and a brooder (same materials).

I also want to add onto the run. I want to make that a bit modular, as I think it'll come off the side of the run. I'll need to have it on opposite sides for summer/winter. I also want a clear polycarbonate roof over the main, current run by the time we move it back up to the house for winter. It's dark and a bit gloomy in there with tarps, even with the silver side down.

I kept thinking yesterday... what will @aart and @U_Stormcrow and the other builders on BYC say? So lay it on me. What did I miss?

I like it . It looks like those bump outs on campers!

 

[Sally PB]

Here's my poop tray! I like how it turned out, and loooove how well it works! (I designed and built it. I feel very empowered, and it was fun.)

It was all made of left over scraps. I used 18 screws, and had to buy some wood glue to attach the lip. I might put on another course of the pieces I used for that to make the lip higher.

I thought the chickens weren't going to go into the coop last night; they acted a little freaked out by it. They did go in, eventually, and were on the roost at lock up.

The only thing left to do is the metal on the roof. We still haven't done that. Last weekend went off the rails with our dog being sick. We'll see if we can get it in place this weekend. Then I'll post final pictures.

 

[Sally PB]

The metal is on the roof! Yeah, it doesn't match, but it was a "cover sheet" on the pieces of green that we ordered last spring, so it was free. Free beats matching color in my book.

It went on a little easier than I thought it would. DH did the heavy work, I did the "hold this, hand me that" stuff. Just in time, too; it rained that night.

I have yet to see any of the chickens in that part of the coop. Silly birds. Maybe when the chicks move in and I close off part of the original for a brooder, they'll try it out.

 

[3KillerBs]

Free beats matching color in my book.

Indeed!