coop design questions

[junior67]

Same here. I also have a history of tendonitis, so cutting HWC is really a pain, and hubby will chip in to help with cutting when he can. If I space out how often I do it it's not too bad, but doing all the cutting at once in a long extended session is a bad idea for me.

glad to see I am not a wimp like I was feeling for a bit and that others had to take a break too!

ya same here. I just want it complete so pushed myself a bit too hard and paying for it now...... My husband got home early (for him) from work on Mon so did help me with the last piece it was so nice not to have to cut that piece. haahaa He just told me tonight he will finish the HWC on Sat so I don't have to do it, but we have to get the roof on the roof covered run which will be a full day to get that up and set and shingled so we will see if I just do it or what. hoping to have my hand pretty much back to normal by then.

 

[junior67]

A pic from when I was working on the blackjack 57. And one of the HWC, hard to really get a pic of that.

 

[aart]

glad to see I am not a wimp like I was feeling for a bit and that others had to take a break too!

It's a pretty intense activity....especially with hands not used to that kind of stress and already predisposed to tendon and joint inflammation(both here).

 

[junior67]

2nd coat of blackjack 57 is done. Now taking a break for my hands until Sat when I will finish the HW cloth and my husband will put the roof on the roof covered part of the run. FINALLY almost to the end which is good since the chicks are now 5 weeks old.

 

[junior67]

forgot to get pictures today so will have to be tomorrow. But got the whole outside of run HWC. most of the roof is on the covered run part. Need to finish up the roof tomorrow, then can put the HWC on the off of the HW cloth covered run. And start shingles. Then it is just the trim work to cover up HWC seams, trim for windows and put those on to cover the windows if needed. BUT the chicks can at least go out in the run tomorrow with supervision if we wanted them too. And once I pick up the shavings they can go in the coop on nice days for the day, don't want to put them in there at night till at least 2 of the windows are covered since they are next to the roosts.

 

[junior67]

While the run isn't completely predator proof yet it is enough that they can go out during the day with us there. So the chicks got to play in the run, then in the coop, for a bit today. They were so cute and funny watching them

 

[junior67]

ok. so we still have things to finish up for the coop and run but I need to get the chicks out in the coop at least to get used to it and maybe the run during the day when we are out there (I have had them in the run most of the day since it has been nice so we just sit outside so I can keep an eye on them).

Things slowed down some since I had to put one of my dogs to sleep on Sun so we got nothing done that day. My husband refuses to let me use the saw (he cut his finger pretty bad around Christmas with a saw so now is a bit gun shy with having me use them), but he was going to trim down the trim pieces for the run so i could at least get those up this week but hasn't had time so I haven't even been able to do that.

in order for me to feel safe with them out with out us there we need to finish the plywood on the roof covered part of the run, finish the last piece of HWC for that part of the run, but need to get the plywood up first so it is easier to attach that up there, do the trim over the seams of the HWC in the run, and cover the 2 windows by the roosts at least until it warms up a bit more all the time even though I don't think they will go up to the roosts until they are a bit older. We are camping this weekend but my husband has Friday off so hoping we can get this stuff done before we leave to go camping.

BUT all that being said my main question is we will still need to shingle the run and finish out the trim on the coop. Would it be ok to do that with the chicks out in the coop/run? I don't want to freak them out too much but know we can't get to the shingles until next weekend and really don't want them in my house for another week.

 

[rosemarythyme]

BUT all that being said my main question is we will still need to shingle the run and finish out the trim on the coop. Would it be ok to do that with the chicks out in the coop/run? I don't want to freak them out too much but know we can't get to the shingles until next weekend and really don't want them in my house for another week.

Sorry about your dog.

Yes you can do work out in the coop and run with the chicks around. It will scare them at first but they'll adjust - I get hens sitting on the ladder or wandering around my feet while I use power tools, they're that used to the noise now.

The harder part will be making sure you keep the work area as neat as possible, as chickens will try to eat screws and nails and any odds and ends they can get their mouths on. And of course once they get used to the noise and traffic they may get underfoot, a little chick can easily get injured or crushed while humans are stomping around.

 

[junior67]

Sorry about your dog.

Yes you can do work out in the coop and run with the chicks around. It will scare them at first but they'll adjust - I get hens sitting on the ladder or wandering around my feet while I use power tools, they're that used to the noise now.

The harder part will be making sure you keep the work area as neat as possible, as chickens will try to eat screws and nails and any odds and ends they can get their mouths on. And of course once they get used to the noise and traffic they may get underfoot, a little chick can easily get injured or crushed while humans are stomping around.

Thank you. the work mainly that needs to be done is outside the run (it will be the shingles on the roof) and in the coop (doing the trim) so we can shut the door when we are working in the coop so they don't get under foot and get hurt. My husband is not always the best at watching where his feet go so has stepped on our cats many times so won't take that chance with the chicks. Good to know they will adjust and go about their business. And right now I am in the run with them a ton and even though we went through it before I am still finding stuff and picking it up so I will probably be in charge of finding anything he may drop and picking it up. But hopefully it will just roll off the roof outside the run so we don't have to worry about it.

 

[3KillerBs]

And right now I am in the run with them a ton and even though we went through it before I am still finding stuff and picking it up so I will probably be in charge of finding anything he may drop and picking it up.

Do you have a strong magnet? One of my tasks tonight will be making sure there are no dropped staples or bits of wires inside the brooder area.