Quote:
Yeah, but somehow that part's not so bad when the start out nice and pretty. Don't ya think?
Yeah, but somehow that part's not so bad when the start out nice and pretty. Don't ya think?
Coop's coming along - slowly - LOTS o' new pics on page 3
- Thread starter Pineywoods Peepers
- Start date
- Thread starter
- #22
Well, I didn't get to paint last weekend, but I sure did do some painting this weekend! And I'm SICK of it!!! We bought a sprayer and we were going to spray the interior, but after reading some of the advice on this board to hand paint it because it'll get into the cracks better and be less likely to peel off in big chunks, we decided to hand paint it. Wow! One coat of primer and 2 coats of paint take a LOOOONG time to handpaint on a 10' X 12' building, and we didn't even paint the ceiling. (I know folks say it'll make the coop brighter, but we have 4 windows, and our paint color is Morning Sun, so I think it'll be plenty bright with the OSB ceiling.) Not to mention my hands look like rainbows, because I'm not the neatest of painters...
Not to mention it was boiling hot here this weekend - triple digits - and I'm used to sitting in an air conditioned office. I was not aware it was humanly possible for me to sweat so much or smell sooo bad. Guess that's what a little hard work, heat, and humidity will do for ya.
Enough chit chat. Here are the updated pics:
The exterior after one coat of paint and with the fence fixed up. It's hard to see in the picture, but there is bird netting above the fenced area. Here's hoping the coons don't try to claw through it. The girls will be put up at night, so I hope it's not an issue.
Repainting our recycled door from the Junk Barn.
The freshly painted nest boxes, and our new screen door between the chicken area and the storage area.
Hardware cloth screens for the windows. We only made them for the bottom half of the windows since that's where the regular screens on the window are, so we still need to put block behind the top of the screen to prevent any critters from squeezing up between the door and the hardware cloth window screen.
And they swing open for easy access to open and close the windows. There's a eyehook latch to lock them in place when they're closed.
My wonderful hubby (right) and his brother putting up the last piece of hardware cloth between the chicken area and the storage area. I had intended on using chicken wire instead of hardware cloth on wall separating the chicks and the storage area, but hardware cloth is so much easier to work with. Hubby's face lit up when I told him to use it instead of the chicken wire.
Storage area with the nest box access doors installed
Hubby showing our niece how to get into the nest boxes to check for eggs.
I think she's got it figured out... Guess who's gonna help Aunt Rachel collect eggs....
She's awfully happy for a kid who didn't find any eggs in those nest boxes.
And I'm happy to be so close to being able to get my peepers in their new digs. Gotta get a second coat of paint on the floor, put the finishing touches on the guillotine pop door, build a ramp and figure out exactly how I want my roost and droppings board to be constructed. I keep waffling back and forth between a removable droppings pan, a droppings board, or a nonremovable droppings tray filled with sand, sawdust or kitty litter that can be scooped out regularly. I guess I need to figure out which is the lowest maintenance and go with that option. Anyone have any suggestions on that??
Rachel
Not to mention it was boiling hot here this weekend - triple digits - and I'm used to sitting in an air conditioned office. I was not aware it was humanly possible for me to sweat so much or smell sooo bad. Guess that's what a little hard work, heat, and humidity will do for ya.
Enough chit chat. Here are the updated pics:
The exterior after one coat of paint and with the fence fixed up. It's hard to see in the picture, but there is bird netting above the fenced area. Here's hoping the coons don't try to claw through it. The girls will be put up at night, so I hope it's not an issue.
Repainting our recycled door from the Junk Barn.
The freshly painted nest boxes, and our new screen door between the chicken area and the storage area.
Hardware cloth screens for the windows. We only made them for the bottom half of the windows since that's where the regular screens on the window are, so we still need to put block behind the top of the screen to prevent any critters from squeezing up between the door and the hardware cloth window screen.
And they swing open for easy access to open and close the windows. There's a eyehook latch to lock them in place when they're closed.
My wonderful hubby (right) and his brother putting up the last piece of hardware cloth between the chicken area and the storage area. I had intended on using chicken wire instead of hardware cloth on wall separating the chicks and the storage area, but hardware cloth is so much easier to work with. Hubby's face lit up when I told him to use it instead of the chicken wire.
Storage area with the nest box access doors installed
Hubby showing our niece how to get into the nest boxes to check for eggs.
I think she's got it figured out... Guess who's gonna help Aunt Rachel collect eggs....
She's awfully happy for a kid who didn't find any eggs in those nest boxes.
And I'm happy to be so close to being able to get my peepers in their new digs. Gotta get a second coat of paint on the floor, put the finishing touches on the guillotine pop door, build a ramp and figure out exactly how I want my roost and droppings board to be constructed. I keep waffling back and forth between a removable droppings pan, a droppings board, or a nonremovable droppings tray filled with sand, sawdust or kitty litter that can be scooped out regularly. I guess I need to figure out which is the lowest maintenance and go with that option. Anyone have any suggestions on that??
Rachel
WOW!!! That is one of the nicest setups I have seen. I bet your chickens will LOVE it. Congrats
I really like it. My experience with using dog kennels is that the bottom corners are the spot to watch. Some of mine had holes large enough for a cat, coon, skunk, possum, or mink to slip through. I ended up placing wire around the bottom in one continuous piece so heads could not fit through the wire. But I was dealing with bantams. Standards may not have the same issues. You can be proud and happy that you built a good looking and safe home for your flock!
- Thread starter
- #25
Thanks for the compliments! We got lots of great ideas from the coop plans posted on BYC and also the message forums. The end of this project is in sight, and I can't wait to finish it so the peepers can spend their first night out there. I think I may have to borrow my s-i-l's baby monitor though...
Black Cochin Bantams, you can't see it in the picture I posted, but we ran 1/4" hardware cloth around the bottom of the dog kennel panels to cover up the gaps. (And you're right, they were pretty good sized!) Before the peeps go in to the coop, we are going to cut off the top piece of metal on the hardware cloth so that there are little points sticking out, then we'll bend it over about two inches down from the top at a 90 degree angle. The sharp edges will impale any snakes that to slither in the yard. My folks have a friend that built a chicken fortress and that's how she did her fence. She said she's actually gone out and found dead snakes on it. I'm hoping it works as well for us!
Rachel
Black Cochin Bantams, you can't see it in the picture I posted, but we ran 1/4" hardware cloth around the bottom of the dog kennel panels to cover up the gaps. (And you're right, they were pretty good sized!) Before the peeps go in to the coop, we are going to cut off the top piece of metal on the hardware cloth so that there are little points sticking out, then we'll bend it over about two inches down from the top at a 90 degree angle. The sharp edges will impale any snakes that to slither in the yard. My folks have a friend that built a chicken fortress and that's how she did her fence. She said she's actually gone out and found dead snakes on it. I'm hoping it works as well for us!
Rachel
I'm impressed!
Good job!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
Good job!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
dropping pan? Everyone got their own ideas LOL!
As for me, its easier to let the poops go to the floor, you can put down rubber mats in the area and it gets it so clean! A snap to clean up too without rotting the boards.
As for me, its easier to let the poops go to the floor, you can put down rubber mats in the area and it gets it so clean! A snap to clean up too without rotting the boards.
You have a beautiful coop!
I just use deep litter... I haven't changed out my litter since March and is has no odor at all.... this is with 16 birds!
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