Helpful hints for building coops

[CapricornFarm]

Doing a different build today, a cat scratch tower. Got the frame together and starting to tack carpet on.
Up at the coop i put all the chicks out in the run and closed the pop door. They need to get used to being outdoors.

 

[CapricornFarm]

I got more carpet tacked on the scratch post, and came to the conclusion i am going to need more carpet.
I also stained the inside of the workshop doors today and started winterizing my bunny coop. The young chickens have had a good day outside in their run, and all but one went back inside when it started to get dark. One in every group!

 

[aart]

I use the torque screws. (star head).
less slippage when putting them in or out.
my second choice is square drive, but only in a pinch..
Philips drive are reserved for absolutely emergency situations when I cannot find the other kinds. so far that emergency has not come up..
don't make the mistake of using drywall screws for construction. the do and will break later down the road.

Bahhh!
Philips are fine if you can keep your axis aligned.....and don't use cheap driver bits.
Takes 'the touch'.
Same goes for drywall screws, don't over torque.....
.....or use in high stress load applications.

 

[jvls1942]

I drove thousands of philips. I had the touch.
I still don't like them.
In fact, a few years ago I had most of a 40# box of them in a truck that I sold. I left them in that truck..
I helped a guy start his new house.
we had lots of planking screwed down for scaffolding. I told him to get square drive screws to put it together . I told him that if he got philips head, he could take out all of those when we tore the scaffolding down.
He got some of each, when we were taking the scaffolding apart , every time I came to a philips, I told him that it was his to pull out.
after many many stripped heads, he began to see why I didn't want philips.

I have two short pieces of purlins to put up.
then the subfascia and I can put the roof on the other side of the shed.

I got rained out about 5 times today.
despite that I got the south side of the roof done.

I used my 4" grinder with a diamond masonary disc to rip the 8 foot piece of steel roofing.
it worked really well.

we don't have any cats. as far as I can remember, we had house cats only twice in the 50 or so years in this house. each one lasted for less than 6 months.. cats are for outside. but we don't have any of those either.. the dogs won't allow any strays on the property. however, they were OK with one of the house cats..

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

 

[jvls1942]

everybody must be sleeping in today.
I went out before the rain and finished doing all of the purlins.
the wounded puppy is doing very well.
we kept him in the house away from the bully puppy. he was shy at first, but after a day or so he has become almost a pita wanting attention..
the bully is in the kennel, we let the pita out to run free. he is hanging around the outside of the kennel. maybe a few days of this and the other one might get over being the bully.

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

 

[CapricornFarm]

everybody must be sleeping in today.
I went out before the rain and finished doing all of the purlins.
the wounded puppy is doing very well.
we kept him in the house away from the bully puppy. he was shy at first, but after a day or so he has become almost a pita wanting attention..
the bully is in the kennel, we let the pita out to run free. he is hanging around the outside of the kennel. maybe a few days of this and the other one might get over being the bully.

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

No, i have been awake for 2 hours. Just feel so darned tired all the time. I must have something wrong besides a sinus infection to feel like this. I am going to finish up this water and go feed and let out the guineas and open the chicken pop door. Then get more work done on that cat scratch post and maybe dig more to bury that skirt around the run.
You are doing great, Jim! Post some more pictures if you will.

 

[jvls1942]

I will post some pictures after I get some of the construction mess cleaned up. ladders, horses, drop cords and board end cut offs ..
and a little sunshine would be nice, too.

your project is coming along nicely.
when I die, I want to come back as one of your pets..

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

 

[aart]

Am exhausted after slaughtering 4 culls yesterday,
the kill to chill part is relatively easy,
it's the setup and clean up that kicks my half crippled butt.
But am down to good winter population numbers,
the cockerel (new flock cock) is behaving nicely(whew!),
and it's a huge relief to have the decisions and deeds done and over with.

 

[CapricornFarm]

I will post some pictures after I get some of the construction mess cleaned up. ladders, horses, drop cords and board end cut offs ..
and a little sunshine would be nice, too.

your project is coming along nicely.
when I die, I want to come back as one of your pets..

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

Jim, How is that pup coming along with the abcess? I had a Sheltie once that had one of those, the vet stitched a tube in place until it all drained out and started to heal. I am also cleaning up construction debris by the coop and moving the work table and cedar slabs over to the other side of the coop so i can start siding that. We are supposed to get 3 days of rain starting Sunday so i may just be working in the work shop then.

 

[jvls1942]

the pup is doing fine,
the abscess is still draining , the swelling around his eye went away.
he is eating, drinking and piddling plenty.

and now when I call him, he come a runnin'
before he would just ignore us.

I got the sub fascia on. now if I wasn't so lazy I could be putting metal on.

pictures of the shed, and the mess to follow.

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