Das Hühnerhaus

[Alabama Jack]

Planning to paint the HW cloth in the base color, and then mount pre-painted white trim. I think painting the HW cloth should make it less visible. Thoughts?

 

[aart]

Planning to paint the HW cloth in the base color, and then mount pre-painted white trim. I think painting the HW cloth should make it less visible. Thoughts?

Painting galvanized metal can be tricky, if it doesn't stick and starts flaking off it can be very ugly .....
......do your research on paints, and especially prep, and maybe do some test pieces for color/visibility.

But I've seen some black coated(?) HC and it does seem easier to see thru.

Maybe do some searching here, I'm sure I've read some discussion on it:
advanced search>titles only>painting galvanized
advanced search>titles only>painting hardware cloth

 

[Alabama Jack]

Thanks aart! Appreciate the feedback and the compliment. We didn't paint this weekend, but will probably do it next weekend. Time to study.

Got the nest box done today and put up siding over the plywood sheating. Overkill, but the DW thought it would look better once painted. I'm going to do a short post on a tutorial, as I couldn't find any. Here's a link: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/947862/nest-egg-box-tutorial-or-how-to

 

[aart]

Slap a couple chains on the sides and you'll have a nice 'shelf' for your egg basket to sit on while you gather.
More pics on My Coop page about a 1/3 of the way down.

 

[Alabama Jack]

Thanks aart, I like the chain idea. I'll have to figure out the center configuration, as both doors butt up against each other. Maybe on the inside.

I played hookie today because I wanted to paint. We have a paint sprayer, so it went pretty fast. The color looks odd right now. Hopefully when we get the white trim up, it will balance out. I'm going to trim the windows with 1x3's, painted white. I added shingles for cosmetics (they're under a porch). I also need to do more work on the service door in the run. It has convertible openings with HW cloth sandwhiched under plywood. I'm going to go back and trim the hinged openings as well.

The painted HW cloth is now more visible, since we used a lighter color. It's only painted with overspray, not direct paint. We'll see how it looks when the trim is up, but we may paint it black.



WARNING, this next picture may hurt your eyes! The color is "spring hill" from Home Depot. I painted everything, since I had the sprayer going, but I'm going to paint the porch uprights white as well as all the trim. Again, hopefully it balances out. Right now, I kinda wish we had gone with a darker color. It does have a 50's retro feel to it... Kinda like an old T-Bird...

You can laugh, just don't point.

 

[aart]

ThunderChicken Chalet? Thinks trim should be both white and chrome.


You could probably just use one chain on the side of each door, much easier to install on the outside on the outside.

It looks like the floor of the nests are level with the nest openings, both inside and outside the coop?
You're probably going to want to add a 2-4" lip so the bedding doesn't get scratched or spill out of the nests...or any eggs don't roll out.

Also don't forget raccoon proof latches on the nest doors!

 

[Alabama Jack]

Thanks for the feedback aart. I truly appreciate a second eye. I have a bunch of 1x4's and 1x2's waiting to go in the front and back of the nest boxes and in front of the service doors. It's definitely on my list, since I'm planning to use sand in the coop. I'm searching for locking barrel bolts that around 4"s, but not having luck in the stores around here. I'm going to have to search online for them...

Trimmed out the windows. I made these to have the plexiglass slide in and out from the side. It took me a while to get my head wrapped around it, but I think it turned out ok. Since the majority of one side was going to be open on the side, I had to reinforce the frame. To do this, I made a square with 1x3's, with 45 degree end cuts, added a layer of thin plywood, and then another layer of plywood (minus one side). The last layer also has a gap on the opposite side of where the plexiglass will slide in and out, so I can push it out.

For the sizing and cutting of the frame, I measured the plexiglass; 24 1/8 inches. I wanted 3/4" overlap on all sides, so I subtracted 1 1/2"s = 22 5/8". I then had to find the outside measurement, so I added the width of the 1x3's, 2 1/2" x 2 = 5". 22 5/8" + 5 = 27 5/8" for the long side outside cut (at a 45 degree angle). The windows were initially built to have a 3/4" overlap of the plexiglass.

Layed the 1x3's on their front and wood glued and screwed the first layer of plywood down.


Added a second layer of plywood, minus one side, and a gap on the opposite side. BTW, that Sears impact driver is my favorite tool in the world, I've had it for three years and couldn't live without it now for screws and for working on cars...



Here's how the plexiglass sits in the frame.


Two windows framed. I'll put wood putty over the screws and paint them white soon. There's HW cloth on the inside of the coop which will be covered with 1x2 trim.


Here's how the gap works for pushing the plexiglass out.

 

[aart]

No Problem...a second eye is almost always helpful....hard sometimes to work in a vacuum.

Nice job on the windows!!

I found that a hasp, or other latches with a lock loop, and a caribineer attached with a chain works well on the nest box.
Used a screw eye thru a dremeled slot on the door stop, barrel latch keeps dutch doors together...or not.

 

[Alabama Jack]

Quick pic after some trim painting.

 

[Folly's place]

Very nice!