Has anyone ever commited homicide while building their coop?

[Chicken_Lover4567]

I understand. My Dad, my younger brother and I tried to do it ALL this week because this is my dad's vacation week. We actually got it built, except there is nothing inside the coop.

 

[New2Peeps]

Oh hang in there!! I had the same thing exactly happen to me. I searched and searched for plans. Settled on plans I thought looked pretty simple and then thought I could probably get the basic structure done in a couple of weekends.

Well, the plans had some errors to begin with, plus the pictures supplied were for an earlier version of the coop---so I am looking at the pictures and then the plans and trying to figure out why they don't seem to match up

My next faux pas was in thinking I could round up odds and ends of lumber---no such luck. Then the fiasco at the store where I walked out because they could not make my lumber cuts for at least 5 days. And of course buying the wrong screws, the wrong latches etc and making trips back and forth to the hardware store ---at $4.00 a gallon

Plus the siding I got warped!!

And 6 weeks later--working solid weekends and after work, I have a cute little coop. I will post pics soon--

So yes----keep at it and it will all turn out great. When you see the smile on the chickens faces you will forget all about the hassles--do chickens smile? I think mine do

 

[greyhorsewoman]

Yes, I can relate. We bought the Home Depot 10x10 precut shed to expedite the process (since time was in short supply). It took a whole weekend to get the base framed out (getting the stone and block and boards LEVEL! Of course, we've waited for the hottest point of the summer to do this.

You'd think since all the wood is right there, precut, and a nice little pamphlet that says 'attach a to b' it would go up lickity-split, right? WRONG! Premade also means it's made a bit cheaper and you have to do a little 'adjusting' to stabilize it. Anyway, DH & DS work through 3 days straight and get everything up except the roof panels. Oh, did I tell you that the pictures in book showed the roof jousts being nailed so the precut supports so they lined up, that was WRONG, so they had to tear them all off and make new ones and redo.

Now, everything is square, plumb, level ... believe me, this isn't my husband's first carpentry project. He has a little skill in this area. The roof panel on one side is OFF ... it starts out small and by the time it gets to the other side, you have a 4" GAP in the top of the roof line. We are sure there must be a logical explanation for it somewhere, but even after he managed to cut a piece to patch and they remeasured EVERYTHING, it still doesn't make sense.

Good news, 2 weeks later, all I need is shingles, coop door, ventilation windows, floor tiling paint the outside, and secure yard installed. My husband goes, is that ALL? ... Ah, no, I forgot the nestboxes and roosts.

I don't know about homicide, but DH is heading for cliff to jump off of.

 

[speckledhen]

Has anyone ever commited homicide while building their coop?

I've certainly killed a thumbnail or two.

 

[Sugar Sand Farm]

Dont feel bad coop started in May and still isnt finished. Its finished enough for the chickens to be in it but thats all. They still cant get into their run. They will be 12 weeks tuesday everytime I turn around its I need more 2 x 4's I have lost count as to how many we have used. lol some day it will be finished or else!!!!!

 

[ams3651]

I didnt want to kill anyone because I did it myself because I anticipated the potential. After building a fouton with my boyfriend (he said he had plans when I wanted to buy) and nearly whacking him with a large hammer

...I vowed never again. My coop, as yet undone because its just me, has however almost killed me or at least attempted dismemberment on several occasions.

 

[ams3651]

Quote:
im in the same boat with 10 week olds.

 

[smith2]

DH and I have been there, done all that and more, and just need the T-shirts to prove it. Whenever we start a project together, I never know whether to kill him or myself for thinking we could work together. DH, my son, and I actually did get our coop finished, but it took us about 9 months and several redos. I couldn't begin to tell the stuff we have done together or rather tried to do together. We are still married. While we have been married for 26 years, I have only liked him about 13 of those, and that is when we are not trying to work on a project together.

Just think of all the stuff everyone is learning. Professional carpenters on the Home and Garden network make it all sound so simple. You can finish the project in 60 min with commercials. HUH!

 

[suburban farm girl]

I think this subject is worthy of a designated topic of its own - Coop Construction (Mis)adventures I'll bet everyone would have something to share!

My biggest mistake was in thinking a chicken coop was a simple project. My DH spent probably a total of 2 weeks of work on it - including the run. I naively thought it was a weekend project. (Fortunately, he knew what he was getting himself into.) I did help, but mostly I stayed out of the way, and oohed and aahed at what a great job he was doing. He finished it just a few days ago - well, there are still a few details that need to be done, but it's usable and absolutely predator-proof (I'll post pictures soon.)

We were fortunate in finding used 2x4's and plywood that were perfect for our needs, as well as cyclone fencing for the run. Despite that, it cost much more than I anticipated - my second big miscalculation.

If I hadn't had someone who was knowledgeable about construction and good with tools - as well as being very creative - to do the project, I'm not sure it would have ever gotten done! If I had built it myself, my version would have involved A LOT of duct tape

 

[d.k]

*You will note that I have mentioned in the past that after 3O years of marriage the DH and I still argue over how to fold bath towels. Think coop building will be any easier? Miss Chook's TEMPORARY run took 2 months to "discuss" and 3-1/2 days to build. Come coop building time, I hope to obtain the assistance of 1 or 2 amenable college students and hopefully spare myself a brain anurysm and/or a manslaughter charge.