Coop and Run Project - 5 Years in the Making

[royrector]

Saw the chunks of Austin stone and had to scroll up to confirm my suspicions: yup, Central Texas. Well done! Glad you are fencing off that crawl space. Folks our age got no business getting up under there.

Can't wait to see the finished product. Just be sure you have a way to get your wheel barrow or mini trailer up to the compost pile. I had to redo mine with a "dump hatch" at the trailer deck height so I could push out trailer contents into the bin as needed. Saved a ton of shoveling.

Please be safe in all this heat. You got plenty of time.

Yep, Central Texas, in the Pflugerville/Hutto area -- NE Austin suburbs. I am planing on fixing the run so I can get my wheel barrow in to move the compost out. Here is a picture of my wheel barrow:

 

[imnukensc]

My wheel barrow is orange:

 

[royrector]

My wheel barrow is orange:

View attachment 1066169

Sweet! Another SCUT owner in chicken land. You and I together may put Manual Labor out of work! Well, at least we know that a shovel and a wheel barrow doesn't fit out hands to well anymore. ;-)

 

[aart]

... adding open eaves under the bottom edges of the upper planes...

That is exactly why I built the gambrel trusses to overhang the walls like that. I plan on leaving the eaves open covered on the bottom edge with hardware coth, and adding a roof ridge vent when I install the shingles. I figure that will give me a convection effect to draw air in through the eaves and heat and moisture out through the roof ridge vent. ;-)

Not just the very bottom edge, but....

... adding open eaves under the bottom edges of the upper planes...

Saw that done on a retrofit, was brilliant.

 

[royrector]

July 9, 2017

This weekend I got all the roof trim and drip edge up as well as window openings and end caps framed in:

The coop is now ready for shingles!

This overhang will have a dual purpose. It will provide cover for the front door steps:

and a 4x10 overhead storage loft on the inside, in the “people” section of the coop:

During clean up, I found this clinging to one of the support post under the coop:

OMG! I think I have baby dragons!

 

[NorthTexasWink]

Texas tree lizard. But since everything is bigger in Texas, they'd be dragons anywhere else.

Very nice! Keep up the good work. I'm probably only a little less anxious than you to see it finished.

 

[royrector]

July 18, 2017

Last weekend I didn’t get much done, just some minor tweaks in the framing. I cut out a “clean-out” portal:

I thought it would make it easy to add or remove the bedding if I had a port big enough to shovel material in or out, regardless of what I use: sand, shavings, etc. Since this portal will be at floor level and outside the run, I will be able to open the door, park my tractor’s front-end loader bucket right up against the coop and scoop material out and haul it away with minimal effort. Same with moving material in.

So, if you have any other ideas, or things you realized you needed to add to your coop at this stage of construction, please let me know what they are!

 

[NorthTexasWink]

Here are a few things I have wished I had on my past coop/run areas. Some I added myself or built into a coop later, some are just dreams. These may not apply to you, but I offer them as food for thought. In no particular order.

• Rain gutters draining roof runoff to rain barrel
• Poop board under roosts
• Skylight
• Extra pop doors for additional runs
• More (adjustable) ventilation
• Feed and equipment storage, wall hooks, frequently used tools, pegboard wall, shelving, frequently used fasteners, knife & stone, lighter
• Isolation ward and brooder with small run
• Water faucet
• Electrical outlet (GFI)
• Automatic pop door
• Better indoor/night time lighting with timer option
• Counter or work surface
• Farm journal at coop (with extra WORKING pens)
• Scale and measuring devices
• Double gated entrance to run to avoid escapes
• Deeper roof overhangs
• Raised pad or covered porch at entry
• Bootscraper
• Handy emergency predator defense
• Fire extinguisher and first aid kit
• Hot plate with pot or crockpot for heating mash and water
• Folding chair or stool
• A supply of work towels and rags, paper towels, trash can w/lid and liner, trash bags, flashlight, magnifying glass, extra eyeglasses, notepad, umbrella, fly swatters, clock radio, soap/hand sanitizer, twine/rope, sun hat, bug repellent, sunscreen, disposable gloves, extra bins/buckets/baskets/totes, knee pads, ponytail ties, silicon caulk, super glue, duct tape, wire, extra padlocks, chain, carabiners, zip bags, zip ties, Mylar emergency blanket, bottled water, utility knife, scissors, instant coffee, pool noodles, extra work gloves, extra decommissioned cell phone (can still call 911) on charger, cowbell (signaling device), sweatshirt/sweater/jacket/poncho
• Removable liners for floor, nests, poop board
• Cooler or mini fridge
• Access door to under coop floor area/foundation
• Compost bins in run with removable slatted fronts and backs and access to contents from outside the run
• Growing beds along outside perimeter of run
• Anchor bolts into cross beams for hanging items in coop and run
• Coop bedding cleanout doors
• Built in ventilation fans
• Insulation in walls, floor, ceiling, pipes
• Shade and rain tarp or coverings

I've probably shown just how often I've trekked out to my far flung outbuildings only to discover I'd forgotten to bring some crucial bit along. Much of this can be planned for before building, some comes later, some will not apply to your situation. I was on a fairly large property with lots of variety to the weather. You've likely thought of all these things, but you asked.

We didn't have cell phones back when. Now everyone has at least one old one laying around. They all can dial 911, though it might not connect to your local dispatch. They can also take photos to be uploaded to your computer via hardline, and store notes or documents, pdf files, books. Still handy to have around!

Your project is looking great! I'm continuing to follow your excellent progress.

 

[IdyllwildAcres]

I would put in a couple more windows and more ventilation. I would h/w cloth the entire gable end over the front, no siding at all leave it wide open. I am guessing summer a bigger concern in TX than winter so what if some rain blows in here and there.

Love your wheelbarrow I need something like that....

Great looking setup so far.

Gary

 

[royrector]

July 23, 2017

This weekend I was able to get two walls dried in by getting the OSB radiant barrier board and moisture barrier wrap installed:

Here is how it looks from the inside:

Hopefully next weekend I can get the other two walls and the roof gables dried in too!