Ever build a coop while watching TV?

So I have issues with being around people. I can do it sometimes, but take me a long time to talk myself into it.

I have a very low fence on one side of my yard. It's 4 ft. My neighbors are very nice people, don't bother me, but I'm uncomfortable going out there sometimes.

Today I got a little unexpected money and headed for HD. I bought some cheap boards and had them cut, since they just don't fit in my car and I know what sizes I basically needed.

Huge find while they were cutting for me. The throw outs were there. I felt a little better about taking them since I was actually spending money.

I found some so so 2x4's and some 2x6 blocks. The blocks will hold feeders (I think.) I also got some off pieces of plywood and some of the nicer shelving. There was another piece of ply that they were charging 51 cents for, so got that too. Bought scews and nails and my cart was full for $21.

Got home and unloaded and when I went out back there's a huge volleyball game going on. They have a nice court and bleachers, so there was a crowd. I really wanted to get started, so grabbed the drill from the garage and headed for the house and had my son bring in the wood. Got the bottom frame done and burnt out my husbands brand new drill. Don't know what I did, but he had just bought it 2 days before he died and feel terrible.

I did get the bottom frame done, but need some 45 degree angles cut, so I'll sneak out tomorrow and cut those. I decided I'd play with all these wood pieces and found I can build another smaller coop (actually they'll be 2 smallish tractors and there's enough free plywood to enclose the smallest one that will be for some of my tiny bantams.

I have 5 more boards the same size as 3 that I bought today, so I have enough to make either one bigger one or two more small ones.

I bought 2 nest boxes at the auction the other day, should have bought them all since I got them for less that 4 bucks. Think maybe less that 3. I'll have to find my receipt, and I'm going to remove the tops and make them usable from outside. More room and easier to get too.

So I'm here watching TV and playing on BYC and forming what I want to do in my livingroom. Note to self. Next time I work on a dark green carpet, use a tarp!

Guy that cut the wood for me and let me go through the throw outs laughed when I said I'd see him tomorrow. When he found out what I was doing he was really nice and I told him I'd bring pics in when I finish.

These aren't going to be anything fancy, but I'm going to work on them off and on through the night. Have to finish them outside, because they would fit through any of my doors, but they should be light weight, so I can move them by myself.

My kids don't come over often, but I can just see the looks on their faces if they showed up and saw coops in the house. "Really Mom? You're going to start keeping them in the house now???"

They all hate my chickens. Thank GOD for grandchildren that think Grandma is cool.

 

Ever notice how you can see something in your mind and it seems sooooo simple? And then you start!

Heck with 45 degree angles, if it holds I'm going to just slap them together. I need to see something done. Haven't had any ambition in 6 months. I have 3 coops started in the backyard and one is almost done. That one was easier. Just a covered hoop coop, but man this is tough without a drill and I could only find his new one. He had a habit of giving away things when someone needed them, so the others may be gone. Can't find mine either so someone has mine I'm sure. That man was just too nice to people.

 

The good part of doing this in the house I guess is other ideas you come up with just looking around.

These are small and will only be used for either a few bantams or for 1 or 2 birds at a time, so I can mover them around the yard every day and then put them back in the big coop at night.

One will be for my game roo and I think I may even use them for quail later on, but no really sure.

I was trying to come up with ideas for water and feed without having to go buy anything and I think I have an idea for a feeder. I'll have to post it if I do it.

I got the bottom frame done and ended up bringing in some hack sawa to cut the boards I needed to angle. Needless to say I did them wrong, but I'll make them work. I don't have big enough pieces of plywood and they're all different thinknesses, but I don't care about that part. I want to be able to do this and not spend more money.

Don't know if he still has it, but my husband's friend had told me a while back that I could have a roll of chicken wire he has. I don't like using it, but I may have too. There's a 3ft x 5ft roll of hareware cloth my husband had bought to use, so I have that too. Just on a mission to make what I need as close to free as I can. So far my biggest costs have been nails and screws, so not bad. Even the wood I bought was cheap.

Now I need to find another drill or try to buy a new one. I'll use the power saws as long as I don't have an audience, but there are already people hanging out, so haven't even fed the birds and rabbits yet. As much as they eat yuesterday, they shouldn't be hungry anyway. Freeloaders.

 

Got all my frame pieces cut and ready.

Going to try to do the plywood this weekend.

My guys at HD are so cool.

If I can get measurements they are going to try and do some of the cuts for me.

When the second one I've been talking to found out the first one was helping get pieces together for coops he got a big smile and wanted to help.

They're going to try to save me some of the pieces they usually toss and call me when they have them for me.

Hope someone need a lot of wood cut this weekend!

It will be nice to have a few little tractors for some of my smaller birds. Then maybe I can get back to the coops that Bill had started for me. I day dream coops and chickens.

 

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