Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[TOMTE]

Well if all Orpingtons have the same leg color it can’t be one, the legs on the Orpingtons I know about have pale pinkish white -colored legs. Not gray or yellow.

Hatchery quality birds often don't follow the standard, I've found. Like Gytha, who has a single comb instead of the standard Wyandotte rose comb. Since they're not as carefully bred they can have some features that aren't standard to the breed.

 

[BY Bob]

I miss Phyllis.

So do we all.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

The studs are mostly solid, but the rest of the wrap around needs replacing. I think it's almost as old as the house. And the wood is splintering. What I'd really like to do is get a shed (a bit larger) and tear down the existing coop....leave the foundation (look like railroad ties) and fill it with sand for a large outdoor dust bath area. I'd like to place the shed so it's half IN the hillside (like the house is) for the insulating/cooling properties of that. I've got a stinking hunch that it's going to be a DIY project for the hillside reason alone. And really should keep a close eye on the classifieds of various sorts for bricks to get that part started.

I like the idea of having a building partially in the ground, as you know we have ‘bank barns’ here that have a bank of earth piled on the north side or the building built into a bank (small hillside). Just make sure the building has a lot of windows on the open side.

So, @rural mouse your long-term plans could figure in here significantly, as far as how much to invest in this door fix. Though maybe you can re-use whatever you do.
I like @RoyalChick ’s suggestion of a “found” or cosmetically damaged on-sale door as a relatively easy quick solution for now.
@bgmathteach is very experienced at using reclaimed wood from pallets and what-not and has really practical suggestions. @rural mouse When I did 45 degree cuts for bracing without a guide or chop saw I wasn’t too OCD about it because I wasn’t aiming for super placement accuracy, unless the cut was way off which could make the brace lie too close to the perpendicular. Both ends of the brace will fit wherever the angles lay flat against the other boards. So some braces made a more acute angle than others, if not an equilateral triangle.
@Ponypoor yes deck screws are what we use here too, coated. Most of those sold now are self-tapping and I haven’t had a problem needing pre-drilling by going slowly. PS old barns here are often built into hillsides or have a built-up drive to it, for the ease of loading hay bales (unloading door on a downhill side). We used to walk out on to the beams (or climb even higher) to jump into the old hay below…

 

[featherhead007]

So, @rural mouse your long-term plans could figure in here significantly, as far as how much to invest in this door fix. Though maybe you can re-use whatever you do.
I like @RoyalChick ’s suggestion of a “found” or cosmetically damaged on-sale door as a relatively easy quick solution for now.
@bgmathteach is very experienced at using reclaimed wood from pallets and what-not and has really practical suggestions. @rural mouse When I did 45 degree cuts for bracing without a guide or chop saw I wasn’t too OCD about it because I wasn’t aiming for super placement accuracy, unless the cut was way off which could make the brace lie too close to the perpendicular. Both ends of the brace will fit wherever the angles lay flat against the other boards. So some braces made a more acute angle than others, if not an equilateral triangle.
@Ponypoor yes deck screws are what we use here too, coated. Most of those sold now are self-tapping and I haven’t had a problem needing pre-drilling by going slowly. PS old barns here are often built into hillsides or have a built-up drive to it, for the ease of loading hay bales (unloading door on a downhill side). We used to walk out on to the beams (or climb even higher) to jump into the old hay below…

Perpendicular. I hate it when people use those smart college words. Why not just say up and down?

 

[TOMTE]

Perpendicular. I hate it when people use those smart college words. Why not just say up and down?

I remember perpendicular bisectors from 7th grade. Don't remember what they are but I made a song during class that still gets stuck in my head whenever I see or hear the word perpendicular... Still. After 18ish years.

Perpendicular tax

Pretend there's something perpendicular about this

 

[rural mouse]

2) Corner bracing, but forgo the bracing in that one lower corner so the pop door 'fits'. Personally, if you go with this option, I would use the left frame-out (when viewing your sketch) as a full upright bottom to middle of people door, with cross-frame at top where pop door 'ends' (this means you would have 3 full uprights on the bottom half of door - far left, far right, and left of pop door)

Something like this?

3) Use a diagonal bracing for the bottom half of door. - again, ging by your sketch....lower left to upper right, that should allow enough space for pop-door on lower right. I know you aren't fond of angle cuts...but doing this with the TOP bracing for the pop door extending all the way over to the diagonal (which means a diagonal cut on one end of that frame-out), then the left upright frame-out of pop door would go bottom of door to that just mentioned piece that would make the top of the pop door frame-out.

And something like this?

Note: I checked the window and it's a really odd double paned slide, 40some odd inches along the slide x upper 20s the other way....all wood frame, including the slide...and filthy enough to have to slide it apart to clean the glass. I'm not sure the wood will even slide anymore. Might be simpler to groove some new wood for the panes of glass....If I had a router....do 2 windows and save them for the coop build.

 

[rural mouse]

Well, just loaded it all back in the truck. Starting with warped wood isn't conducive to a good finish. The Habitat For Humanity store opens at 10 so heading in to return the wood and see what I can find door wise. If I can't find anything, will go back for the thickest plywood I can find and just go straight panel from it....I think...maybe with 2x4 cross back so can use the heavy hinges @Ponypoor mentioned. Need brushes for the poly anyway.

 

[Ponypoor]

Well if all Orpingtons have the same leg color it can’t be one, the legs on the Orpingtons I know about have pale pinkish white -colored legs. Not gray or yellow.

Laverne has grey legs but the buff ladies have yellowish legs…

 

[notabitail]

That's an old iPad, you should get her the most expensive iPad Pro instead.

I looked it up. Only $2,499. I bet @Grandma The Chicken can afford such a luxury just for Tony.

 

[Ponypoor]

So, @rural mouse your long-term plans could figure in here significantly, as far as how much to invest in this door fix. Though maybe you can re-use whatever you do.
I like @RoyalChick ’s suggestion of a “found” or cosmetically damaged on-sale door as a relatively easy quick solution for now.
@bgmathteach is very experienced at using reclaimed wood from pallets and what-not and has really practical suggestions. @rural mouse When I did 45 degree cuts for bracing without a guide or chop saw I wasn’t too OCD about it because I wasn’t aiming for super placement accuracy, unless the cut was way off which could make the brace lie too close to the perpendicular. Both ends of the brace will fit wherever the angles lay flat against the other boards. So some braces made a more acute angle than others, if not an equilateral triangle.
@Ponypoor yes deck screws are what we use here too, coated. Most of those sold now are self-tapping and I haven’t had a problem needing pre-drilling by going slowly. PS old barns here are often built into hillsides or have a built-up drive to it, for the ease of loading hay bales (unloading door on a downhill side). We used to walk out on to the beams (or climb even higher) to jump into the old hay below…

I love those old barns, the beams m my Veterinarian’s barn are amazing! Massive, and they were built with no nails - every beam has a notch which another beam was fit into.

And they are warm in the winter and cool in the summer. Dirt is a good insulator. The hay in my loft I call poor man’s insulation - although at the price of hay it’s not cheep! Hahaha (pun intended)!

Spy cam tax