Finally moving along...

[JanetS]

Love your coop! I hate to be the bearer of bad news but the chicken wire you're using, for your run. isn't strong enough to keep out most predators. 1/2" hardware cloth is a lot better. It's pricey but worth it.

 

[kristaschics15]

I did like most people and skimmed pictures without really reading and saw the chicken wire and knew someone would say something about it lol. Went back and read what you said and your reasons for using chicken wire is the exact same reason I used it. It's within my fenced on yard where my dog is protective of his space lol. I also know it's not predator proof but it's what I could do at the time.

 

[SemperChicken]

Yea, not that I went the "cheap route", per se because money isn't a issue, but there isn't much of a threat here as far as predators. Surprisingly, we had more problems in city limits than we do out here (and our backyard borders a person's farm where he has electrical fencing).

If for whatever reason I need to upgrade the fencing in the future I'll switch to a higher gauge hardware cloth, but for now I'm just wanting the dang thing finished lol.

I appreciate all the kind comments! First time doing anything to this nature. Our first run we built at our last house was a little 10x10 that was 4 ft high... That was a pain working in, but the girls and Roo loved it lol. Oh, and we used that black plastic chicken wire.

Well, we're off to Great Wolf Lodge for the weekend. Hopefully can get the run finished next week. Then my wife and I can start landscaping the perimeter with plants and stuff, and get backyard cleaned up.

 

[SemperChicken]

Well, we finally just went ahead and ordered a bunch of chicks. We've been wanting to, then having a house to sell, then having twins, and my military training... It's just been a hectic year. Can't believe it's June already!

Anyway, since I'm on my phone I just took a screenshot of what we ordered. The Salmon Favorelles we ordered 2 hens and 1 rooster. Going to try and have a lot of hands on with these chicks to hopefully get them used to being handled. I love our first two and even though they absolutely love to follow me around the yard, they always seem a bit leary of me lol.

 

[21hens-incharge]

What a neat assortment you ordered! I think you will like the Black Australorp. My very favorite chicken breed. Mine are a little aloof but very calm about things and do not cause disturbances to the coop. I will say that Kanga will stand her ground when another hen tries to get above her in the pecking order. She don't start it but she don't back down from them either.
Nice quiet reliable hens they are.
Second favorite is the cochins and third is the Buff Orpingtons. I see you ordered some of each of those too. NICE.
Some that you have coming I do not have experience with but am always interested in hearing how it is going.

Enjoy your weekend.

 

[SemperChicken]

Thank you! I'm excited to get the chicks later this month.

So, I'm sure I can find this out on Google somewhere, but I'm wondering what everyone's opinion is on securing my door frame together.

Anyway, all I have left is the side where the door will be. Excited to get it finished, finally.

 

[21hens-incharge]

You certainly have made some progress on that run.

I made a door like that and it is still in use 5 years later. No warping either. I did put some of the angled pieces to attach the center cross board too.

 

[SemperChicken]

You certainly have made some progress on that run.

I made a door like that and it is still in use 5 years later. No warping either. I did put some of the angled pieces to attach the center cross board too.

Yea I was looking at the scrap pieces of wood and I may do that also and just put some supporting corner pieces on the center brace. Did you just use long nails to reach across the 4 inch section? Or did you only use metal brackets to connect the wood? I was going to get some longer nails... but just not sure. I tried toe-nailing first, but it was wanting to pull the wood off-center.




There's some pictures that I was trying to upload from my phone, but it wasn't wanting to work. I know there's that one section above the coop, in the first picture, that needs covered, but I'm just happy that 3 of the 4 sides are all done. I have a decent idea of how to lay out the side where the door is going, so I'm excited to get that finished here in the next week or so.

 

[21hens-incharge]

I cut mine to fit tight in the corners as seen above. If you pre-drill the holes in the diagonal cut pieces it wont split on you. I used 3 inch screws through the diagonals toward the long boards. (I hope that makes sense) It is not a great pic of the door since it opened inward on this coop. There is a spring to close it automatically so no one could give me a run in the yard at 5 am.
The way yours are cut I think is why it is wanting to throw it out of square and push it apart. Yours have a little triangle that is open in the corners mine are closed tight to the long wood. I think yours can still work well if you do one simple assembly step first. Take a piece of scrap plywood and screw it straight down onto the long boards to hold them in place then do your diagonals. You can then remove the plywood or other scrap and will have a square door.
Personally I like the solids like above. I think it gives me a little more strength against warping.

 

[SemperChicken]

Ah, ok. That does make sense. Well, let me get it right... So you're saying you didn't necessarily connect the long pieces to each other, but rather used the corner pieces and connected them to the long pieces?

I wasn't sure, as I'm not too experienced, but I was going to connect the bottom/top and sides to each other then connect the corner pieces to help brace it. I'm assuming that's not necessary, and to just connect the bottom/top and sides to each other via the corner pieces?