Helpful hints for building coops

[CapricornFarm]

We are having some renovations done, adding a big porch around the house. The guy said he can run electric and water to the work shop. That would be closer to the coop, so it would help. I am not sure husband will go for it.

 

[CapricornFarm]

I went to habitat for humanity looking for a shower door, but the one they had was too expensive. I really scored on chicken nest boxes! They had deep drawers for $2 each, so i got all 4. Solid wood and well built, they even hold water! Which i found out in the rain on the way home. Got free pallets at Harbor Freight, and i bought a new impact driver and a set of plastic storage bins for nuts and bolts etc. to set up in the workshop. I did not find any cheap paint this trip, but maybe next trip. Shopped all day and made stew for tomorrow nights supper.

 

[tigger19687]

Do you have a good Craigs List down there ? Ours is great. You might have to wait to find what you are looking for but you never know.
Our HFH stinks here, you can get brand new at the same price at the big box stores.
LOL I shopped all day today, got some Clematis's for the back wall there. I also just made Beef Stew in my Rice cooker and it only took 30 min !!!

 

[CapricornFarm]

Do you have a good Craigs List down there ? Ours is great. You might have to wait to find what you are looking for but you never know.
Our HFH stinks here, you can get brand new at the same price at the big box stores.
LOL I shopped all day today, got some Clematis's for the back wall there. I also just made Beef Stew in my Rice cooker and it only took 30 min !!!

Craigslist here is not so great compared to what i was used to in FL. I used to be on there all the time. Now maybe once a day. Poor volume. I can't seem to sell my Siamese kittens either. If i do find anything good it is an hour or more away. And gas is going nowhere but up.

 

[ScottandSam]

Heres my helpful hint for any construction project. Never work with power tools when you are tired. 30+ years working with table saws and finally my luck ran out 10 days ago.
40 min in ER
$$$ for a bill
5 stiches
10 and counting days with sometimes sharp pain in my ear when I eat AND THATS JUST GOING TO LEAD TO MORE $$$. I was cutting a 2x10x20" down to 2x8x20". when I brought it back after the last cut the blade was still on and spinning. I must have bent my wrist and board dropped onto the blade. That 2x8 flew at my head and hit me in the chin then bounced 15' across the shop. Doc just said it was great that it did not hit a few inches higher (nose) or lower (throat).Said he may have seen me a few room over in the cooler.

Scott

 

[CapricornFarm]

Heres my helpful hint for any construction project. Never work with power tools when you are tired. 30+ years working with table saws and finally my luck ran out 10 days ago.
40 min in ER
$$$ for a bill
5 stiches
10 and counting days with sometimes sharp pain in my ear when I eat AND THATS JUST GOING TO LEAD TO MORE $$$. I was cutting a 2x10x20" down to 2x8x20". when I brought it back after the last cut the blade was still on and spinning. I must have bent my wrist and board dropped onto the blade. That 2x8 flew at my head and hit me in the chin then bounced 15' across the shop. Doc just said it was great that it did not hit a few inches higher (nose) or lower (throat).Said he may have seen me a few room over in the cooler.

Scott

OMG Scott! That is just awful! Hope you recover soon. Key words: focus, and frequent breaks! If you are too tired, go take a nap. Power tools can do amazing damage in a short period of time. I bought a router once and took it back because i didn't feel safe using it.
Let us know how you do, Scott!

 

[JesusHChicken]

Rule of twos....
Make it twice as big as you think you need, walk in....
Put in twice the amount of ventilation you think you need.
It will cost twice as much as you planned.
It will take twice as long to build as you thought it would.

If this is your first flock build coop first, then get chicks.
Since you built it bigger build in a in coop brooder/chicken jail.
Dirt floor for DLM

Gary

This right here. Everything stated applies to my build.. And I'm still not done with trim and paint.

 

[ScottandSam]

Ill get threw it just if I had to have a scar on my face it would have been cooler above the eye, like a pirate. No really I think what it was is I had became too relaxed using the saw on top of that I removed the anti kick back and blade cover cause the get in the way of ripping bigger material down. In the last year I logged 100 of hours ripping all the siding and baton( still need some ripped) on our coop. What I do now is use push sticks and shut saw off before I move the cut board.
it was a good lesson and I was reluctant on posting this but maybe just maybe someone will be spared lots of pain or worse by reading this.

Scott

 

[ScottandSam]

Rule of twos....
Make it twice as big as you think you need, walk in....
Put in twice the amount of ventilation you think you need.
It will cost twice as much as you planned.
It will take twice as long to build as you thought it would.

If this is your first flock build coop first, then get chicks.
Since you built it bigger build in a in coop brooder/chicken jail.
Dirt floor for DLM

Gary

Oh so true.
and for Us and our new incubator. I say I maybe will change that rule to of 4. 4 new coops are needed.

Scott

 

[User395221]

it was a good lesson and I was reluctant on posting this but maybe just maybe someone will be spared lots of pain or worse by reading this.

Thanks for posting it. It's very good advice.

I also don't go anywhere near my tools when I "just want to get this finished" before it gets dark, or before I have to go somewhere or any kind of pressure to "hurry up". I will only get gear out when I've got open-ended time and won't have any "hurry up" stress. I always take it very slowly (I don't have your experience).