Helpful hints for building coops

[jvls1942]

when I pour a concrete slab to build a shed on it,
I make the forms out of treated wood.
(I leave the forms in place after the concrete is poured.)
prior to pouring the concrete I run decking screws into the boards at about every foot at about 1 1/2 inches below the top of the form. leave the screws sticking out about 2 inches.
when I pour the concrete, it sets with the screws anchored in the concrete. that holds the treated boards nice and tight.
then I nail the bottom plates of the wall onto the concrete form boards.
the walls will never slip off of the concrete slab..

.........jiminwisc.......

 

[CapricornFarm]

when I pour a concrete slab to build a shed on it,
I make the forms out of treated wood.
(I leave the forms in place after the concrete is poured.)
prior to pouring the concrete I run decking screws into the boards at about every foot at about 1 1/2 inches below the top of the form. leave the screws sticking out about 2 inches.
when I pour the concrete, it sets with the screws anchored in the concrete. that holds the treated boards nice and tight.
then I nail the bottom plates of the wall onto the concrete form boards.
the walls will never slip off of the concrete slab..

.........jiminwisc.......

Great idea! Thanks for sharing.

 

[Bobby Basham]

Both of my kids have houses, and one has 4 kids! He works 2 jobs. Poor guy is always tired.

You brought them up good, and they have a strong work ethic. It's just that some of these young folks are clueless, and I blame their stupid A$$ young parents for instilling that mentality in them. They treat them more as "friends" than truly parenting them. They say the fruit doesn't fall too far from the tree and I see it every day.

 

[Bobby Basham]

An HOA that allows any poultry I haven't ever seen. I just moved to AZ from CA and there, there is almost no place I looked at with an HOA that would let you have any "livestock or poultry". No rules against having 9 parrots, though!

I read years back when people were sick of these all-reigning HOA's establishing their own rules when the City/County allowed differently. I hope some of these residents shut down some of the s**t that the HOA's put on folks. I pay over $1,000/month for my house payment, and will be damned what I can/cannot grow or raise any animal, vegetable, mineral in my huge, bricked-in backyard.

 

[igorsMistress]

Here's my coop, 6'x12'. 1 person can easily add or remove the shade on the front. I have solid panels to put on in winter. Using DLM so the floor is dirt with pine shavings,; to keep the wood from rotting the whole thing sits on cinder blocks. Roof is corrugated something over plywood. Front wall and vents are hardware cloth, stapled AND screwed to the frame.
This project took about 4 weekends to finish. One for shopping and getting the foundation set, three more to put it all together. Maybe an extra half a day to custom fit the screens and solid panels for cover.
We did not use wood nest boxes because i don't want to be out there scraping poop off em all the time. I got some plastic ones that attach to the coop wall instead and added a plastic dishpan on the coop floor in case someone preferred that option. All nest boxes get used.
I'm considering adding a poop board under the roost but haven't yet. Other than that, I wouldn't change a thing. Super easy to keep clean, not much time needed for general maintenance.

 

[jeria]

You brought them up good, and they have a strong work ethic. It's just that some of these young folks are clueless, and I blame their stupid A$$ young parents for instilling that mentality in them. They treat them more as "friends" than truly parenting them. They say the fruit doesn't fall too far from the tree and I see it every day.

My 3 daughters are all the same married spouses who all now have their own businesses. They all work hard and have been successful at what they do. Their kids all work as well and have been active in sports. IE: One granddaughter works part time, is an All American Cheerleader, co-captain of her cheer and dance teams, plays softball (their high school team won state the past 2 years) and is on the honor roll. I didn't have help this summer on the coop because all the kids had jobs including the 4 --15 yo boys our schedules weren't meshing. I'm proud of my kids and grandkids.

 

[CapricornFarm]

View attachment 1115843

Here's my coop, 6'x12'. 1 person can easily add or remove the shade on the front. I have solid panels to put on in winter. Using DLM so the floor is dirt with pine shavings,; to keep the wood from rotting the whole thing sits on cinder blocks. Roof is corrugated something over plywood. Front wall and vents are hardware cloth, stapled AND screwed to the frame.
This project took about 4 weekends to finish. One for shopping and getting the foundation set, three more to put it all together. Maybe an extra half a day to custom fit the screens and solid panels for cover.
We did not use wood nest boxes because i don't want to be out there scraping poop off em all the time. I got some plastic ones that attach to the coop wall instead and added a plastic dishpan on the coop floor in case someone preferred that option. All nest boxes get used.
I'm considering adding a poop board under the roost but haven't yet. Other than that, I wouldn't change a thing. Super easy to keep clean, not much time needed for general maintenance.

Wow, super fast build! Do you have a light inside? Thanks for posting .

 

[jeria]

Wow, super fast build! Do you have a light inside? Thanks for posting .

Agreed fast, mine has taken forever it seems, a few things have slowed it down though. I feel like I have spent my entire summer working on it.

 

[aart]

I feel like I have spent my entire summer working on it.

It took me from June to late Sept to build mine....and I already had the building!
Tho I did have to empty/rearrange that building, and 2-3 others, to clear enough space to start building coop inside. Us creaky old women know how to persist tho

 

[jvls1942]

Nice building. 4 weekends is not bad at all.
You must have made good plans.

I don't draw up plans, but I do have a sort of short hand method for figuring material.
ie.
studs: ////////// 16"OC every 3 spaces = 4ft. now just count the studs, add the proper top and bottom plates and go on to the next wall.
////3 ft door////
add 2 studs for each corner.
4 corners x2 = 8 studs
add 2 studs for jack studs at the door.
if you are adding windows, just add a stud for each window .

and remember, U-tube is your friend..
.....jiminwisc.......