From Civilian to Chicken Rancher timeline.

[The Lazy L]

April 18

When I built the 4 walls I leveled each wall as it was built more or less.

Then I started pounding, banging and crawling on the roof to build the rest of it. Figured the leveling may have changed. So I used a 6' level, 2 x 4 x 8', some scrap wood and started at the "high end" to re-leveled the entire coop. Then I'm planning on bring in sand to wash under the walls to maintain the level.

I wanted to make sure all was level before I sided the back wall and install the hardware cloth.






Using the 2 x 4 x 8' as a lever, pushing down on the far end raised the wall. Slide scrap pieces of wood under the wall until level.





Yep. Looks level to me!

 

[gryeyes]

Make a skirt of the hardware cloth, so you only have to scrape down about an inch, then cover it with the excavated soil, maybe a few nice looking rocks, or pavers. That will help hold it down AND provide anti-dig security. 12 to 18 inches flat on the ground should suffice.

You are doing an amazing job!

 

[The Lazy L]

April 24

UPS delivered the wire fabric today. Evidently the shipping label fell off which caused a day's delivery delay. Since I got the wire at 50% off with free shipping what's one extra day?

Got the bottom half of the run covered in wire so I could frame and install the Chunnel floor (tunnel between the coop and run). The rest of the Chunnel will be built after the coop is painted.





Once the floor for the Chunnel was built the rest of the wall was covered. I'm just tacking the wire in place for now. Once all the wire is on then I'm planning on permanently fastening it with fender washers and screws.

The bottom of the wire I didn't tack. I want to install all the long pieces of wire first. Then I'll come back with "L" shape scraps to make a flair out from the walls 12" to 18" to prevent predators form digging under the walls (per gryeyes suggestion).





The back wall will be sided with steel siding so I wrapped the wire around the corner. When the steel siding is fastened in place it will hold the wire securely in place.

I also over lapped the wire 1". Planning on weaving a wire in the overlap to prevent predators from pulling the seams apart.





Remember! Always wear and use safety equipment and gloves when working with metal. Fortunately I'm left handed and didn't need my right thumb. I performed first aid by the tried and true manly method of sticking the thumb in my mouth and sucking on it until the bleeding slowed.





Then I moved on the the other end of the roofed section of the run. I wanted to bend the wire so I measured the 11" and laid a 2 x 4 across the wire.





Then using my knees to hold the 2 x 4 in place I bent the wire up.





Why did I need to bend the wire? I was concerned about leaving a gap in the wire where the wall met the roof. So I applied the principal about extending wire out past the bottom of the runs to prevent predators from digging under the wall to this situation.





Measured the width I needed, 84". So I had a "male moment" and proceeded to cut 72" instead! I'll piece it in later with a piece of scrap. If I don't say anything about it no one will ever notice!

 

[ailurophile23]

Gotta love the "chunnel" - and all the attention to detail (like the overlap between the wall and the run roof and wiring the mesh together at the overlaps) will be so worth the time and energy (and injuries!) to keep your chickens safe. It is looking terrific. When do the chickens arrive?

 

[GoChick]

January 24th

Wireless Web Cam for the chicken coop arrived!

Coop will be beside the shop which is about 100' from the house. The wireless network I have in the house doesn't reach that far

I do have a RG6 coaxial cable (CATV) that runs from the house to the shop that isn't in use. A quick web search show that there is a Ethernet to coaxial cable converter! . Figure out the programing for the web cam. Pan, Tilt, email notification on alarm, sweet

Order the Ethernet to coaxial cable converter and wait

You can also use a Range Extender instead of wiring the webcam. My coop is 350 yards from my house so my wifi would not reach either - I installed a range extender and it is working fine.

 

[Bangarang64]

April 24

Measured the width I needed, 84". So I had a "male moment" and proceeded to cut 72" instead! I'll piece it in later with a piece of scrap. If I don't say anything about it no one will ever notice!

Now you're doing things the way I do them!

And oh yes, use a range extender!

 

[The Lazy L]

...When do the chickens arrive?

The end of May. BO. 8 + 1

 

[specklesmom]

You are doing an amazing job!!

 

[destinidawn]

Awesome.. welded wire slices hurt

 

[The Lazy L]

April 27

For this evening's project you will need the following:

1 3/4" construction screws
Wire cage clips
3/16" x 1" fender washers
Wire cage clips tool



I overlapped the wire fabric 1". I was planning on weaving a wire thru the 1" over lap to prevent predators from forcing their way in. Then I found these wire cage clips and the tool to apply them. Cool! A coil of aluminum is much better and quicker!




Then I used the construction screws and fender washers to security fasten the wire fabric to the run.





I haven't installed the wire cage clips on this section yet.

I left excess wire at the top and both ends to wrap around the corners, like wrapping a Christmas gift. A predator will have to pull out the screws and fender washers, then go thru two overlapped in different directions layers of wire to get thru a seam.




We had some rain during the day and the ground was muddy.

Look what I found on the threshold on the run door and on the nest box lid! Looks like a raccoon is already doing a recon.





I'm not sure what this is a track of....possibly one of the million stray cats the wife feeds?