Creative Carpentry

[enggass]

I need some help from those of you with more carpentry experience. Or any creative input for that matter.
I will have 2 access doors to my coop that open at the top and have hinges at the bottom - ie. they swing down... and plan on using the DLM with pine shavings, DE, etc... I would like to put some sort of removable board just inside the base of the opening so as to keep the bedding from falling out when I open the access doors. Something that I could slide up and out when I need to clean - know what I mean? Some way of having a removable board that fits snug against the opening. I know others have done this - How? any Pics?
Thanks.

 

[St-Hubert]

This isn't going to help you now, because I don't have photos yet, but I'll try to post some tonight.
I am also in the process of building my first coop. I have a large door that will open 'normally' (though I like the idea of it opening down....maybe for the next one I'll do that.....) for ease of cleaning, and I realized I'd need a board right behind the door to stop everything from coming out when I opened it. I used the inner door frame on both sides to attach strips of wood to create a channel on each side. I have a board that slides in and out pretty easily, but will still (hopefully) keep the bedding in.

Again, I am going to subscribe to this thread and try to post photos tonight. If I don't, please feel free to PM me as a reminder.
Keep in mind that there will be folk on here that have MUCH better ideas....I am finding that out all the time!

 

[AtholCoop]

You'll have to dig through all the other stuff documented at the beginning...

But I've got a little section on dam boards here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=16357-small-coop-tutorial

 

[St-Hubert]

Quote:
Yeppers, that's just about what I did....though I took my scraps down to the floor. Now that I have seen your tutorial, I see the error of my ways and will be raising up my side-scraps.
I learn something new every single day on this forum.
Thank you!

 

[enggass]

Quote:
Thanks, but that won't quite work for me.
My access is in the middle of a wall, so I do not have the side walls to mount the scraps on...
See here:
http://www.rootscoopsandmore.com/Roots,_Coops,_&_More/Coops.html#5

 

[Lesa]

We built a dam, just a board with a piece of wood attached to each end. It is removable and works very well. If your coop is as small as those in the pics, I doubt you are going to love the DLM...I think you would be happier cleaning that out every week or so...Good luck!

 

[WoodlandWoman]

Can't you just do some additional framing in the middle of the wall, to attach wood for the channel? That's what I'd do. We add extra framing for windows or anything else. Actually, aren't you going to frame around your access openings? What was I thinking? Just use that.

 

[enggass]

I'm sorry, I don't quite follow what you're saying....

Lesa: Why wouldn't the DLM work in my case? Especially during winter...
I don't plan on going as long as some people... ie. months, but I figured with some DE, stirring and some new shavings I could go longer between cleanings, no?
Steve

 

[AtholCoop]

Can you add a small block of say a 2x4 on the inside on either side of the opening?

 

[AtholCoop]

Quote:
Dunno why you say that. My largest coop is a 4x6 and I get two whole bales of litter in that at a time. Works like a charm. Even the smallest coops I build are set up for at least 8" of litter.