Well if it is going to hit 45 it had better hurry up. 21 right now so I had to deal with frozen water yet again. Horses and chickens are fed and watered and even with gloves my fingers are numb. I'm just going to say it, I hate winter.I'm very jealous. It is 9°F here right now.
Wonderful tax payment for sure.
yup the way they did that was not smart
These are all great advice. Great job taking a close look at the plans. I did not.I have 2 comments to make before you build the rest of the coop. (will make a nice coop!)
1) The directions for the door are a bit flawed. As you see, you DO need a header. However, since they measured 36" BEFORE accounting for the extra side studs to support the header, their door opening is actually only 32 3/4 " wide. So, whatever size door you want, be sure to allow for the width of the 2 extra studs (1 each side) in the opening.
2) NEVER screw metal or plastic corrugated roofing on the low part of the curve. Even with roofing screws, it is asking for trouble (leaks) sooner than it should. Use these spacers , and screw through the HIGH point of the corrugation:
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Suntuf-...Closure-Strips-6-Pack-92770/100067957#overlay
They go under roofing panel @ roof member, screw through panel, through plastic 'spacer', and into roof support member.
A couple final comments:
1) I don't know where in VA you live, but if in the mountains or somewhere where it gets cold, I would suggest putting either a sheet of plywood (painted/stained) under the metal roofing, or a thin insulation (the silver-colored bubble stuff would be fine. REASONING: In winter, moisture from the chickens will condense on the cold metal roof and 'drip down', in the summer, the metal roof will heat up, creating a hotter than needed coop in the dog days of summer. Either the plywood or thin insulation will help with this.
2) As suggested that you can add windows: I definitely would add 2, one on each side, for cross ventilation and added light.
3) Low ventilation in the back for better air flow...in low (cooler air)...warm moist air rises up and out the top back. (i.e. vents low below the high riser for roof)
4) Consider orienting the high part of the roof the front instead of the back, unless you are going to put gutters on. Otherwise you will be walking through a sheet of rain/water whenever it storms & you need to enter/exit the coop.
Okay, that's my 2 cents, for what ever 2 cents is worth these days.
It just hit 10F here and it is a lot warmer in the Chicken Palace. Dotty is finishing a private breakfast in the garage and then I will take her back to join her friends.
Wise advice on all fronts.I have 2 comments to make before you build the rest of the coop. (will make a nice coop!)
1) The directions for the door are a bit flawed. As you see, you DO need a header. However, since they measured 36" BEFORE accounting for the extra side studs to support the header, their door opening is actually only 32 3/4 " wide. So, whatever size door you want, be sure to allow for the width of the 2 extra studs (1 each side) in the opening.
2) NEVER screw metal or plastic corrugated roofing on the low part of the curve. Even with roofing screws, it is asking for trouble (leaks) sooner than it should. Use these spacers , and screw through the HIGH point of the corrugation:
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Suntuf-...Closure-Strips-6-Pack-92770/100067957#overlay
They go under roofing panel @ roof member, screw through panel, through plastic 'spacer', and into roof support member.
A couple final comments:
1) I don't know where in VA you live, but if in the mountains or somewhere where it gets cold, I would suggest putting either a sheet of plywood (painted/stained) under the metal roofing, or a thin insulation (the silver-colored bubble stuff would be fine. REASONING: In winter, moisture from the chickens will condense on the cold metal roof and 'drip down', in the summer, the metal roof will heat up, creating a hotter than needed coop in the dog days of summer. Either the plywood or thin insulation will help with this.
2) As suggested that you can add windows: I definitely would add 2, one on each side, for cross ventilation and added light.
3) Low ventilation in the back for better air flow...in low (cooler air)...warm moist air rises up and out the top back. (i.e. vents low below the high riser for roof)
4) Consider orienting the high part of the roof the front instead of the back, unless you are going to put gutters on. Otherwise you will be walking through a sheet of rain/water whenever it storms & you need to enter/exit the coop.
Okay, that's my 2 cents
I think as long as no draft/wind they seem ok, around mid morning they hunker down in the hay for a snooze and likely to warm up a bit.
I am finding that as long as no draft/wind they seem fine. I worried these last few weeks but they seemed ok...
