Helpful hints for building coops

[CapricornFarm]

The cord goes through the pvc pipe to be plugged in. No , i have no tested it yet but it will be tested because our weather is getting cold now.

 

[jvls1942]

Oh no kidding, I've never knew that. Thought it was an eastern US thing.

I always thought Wausau was unique, then I found one in Florida and one in Wyoming I think it was..

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

 

[jvls1942]

MERRY CHRISTMAS

 

[CapricornFarm]

Merry Christmas, Jim and all other builders or builders to be!
My new table saw and new circular saw will see a lot of use. Wore the last circular saw pretty much out!
Hubby also got me a rooster weather vane for the coop.

Some assembly required!

 

[Ryn2011]

I started my day-old-chicks in a pumpkin box in our three car garage and purchased a premade coop and built a "run" for them.

This is the coop I purchased from a local tractor supply. Holds 3-4 hens. I am going to modify the ramp as it is a little narrow in my opinion.

We built this and attached the coop to it. It's about 8x6x8. I haven't decided how to do the roof so there's just plywood up there for now. The heat lamps have been removed and soon I'll be finishing the roof and adding more perches. I had heat lamps because my meatbirds feathers didn't grow all the way in and they basically had bare bottoms. The meatbirds have since been slaughtered so it's just my 4 Barred Rocks now. My backyard is over 1800sqft so they have plenty of space everyday when I let them out. We rent our home so I can't do anything more permanent.

Once we decide on a more permanent home for our family we will build something custom and more permanent. This was just thrown together.

 

[aart]

I am going to modify the ramp as it is a little narrow in my opinion.

Not too narrow, but too steep. Just stick a concrete block tall-wise under low end of ramp.

Here's a great prefab modification that might help:
http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1134399/help-hens-roosting-in-nest-boxes/10#post_17749535

Welcome to BYC!
What is your location/climate?
Good to add to your profile like this:

 

[jvls1942]

good morning,
-15F below with a wind chill of minus -30F
I just came in from spending 10 minutes out there without gloves on. can hardly type..
our forecast is for 10 days without the temp getting above single digits ..
who in their right mind would have settled here in the first place ?
I had to buy a special wrinch to loosen the
gib screws on the 4" jointer blades. and it
still isn't doing the job. I had to grind it narrower to fit in the stingy slot they made.
"they" is Rockwell..

I am going to bring the whole jointer into the kitchen; where it is bright and warm, to work on it.

all 9 of the pups are doing well.
usually when Frankie has pups, one of them dies right away. not so, thus far..

 

[aart]

who in their right mind would

go outside in

-15F below with a wind chill of minus -30F

without gloves on

??
Glad the pups are doing well.

 

[jvls1942]

go outside in

??
Glad the pups are doing well.

I never , ever, claimed to be in my right mind..

I had to go out and use the bench grinder. I did it in 10 minute sessions.
when I came in last time, I said, I don't care of this fits or not, I am not going back out again..

luckily it fit and I got all 3 blades out of the jointer. .. I always thought the jointer had only 2 sets of knives.
nope: there are 3...
the reason it chatters so badly is because the blades are about as sharp as butter knives..

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

 

[jvls1942]

up at 5 this morning.
all coffee'd up already.
I worked a little on hand sanding the blades.
quit because I didn't want to wake anybody up with the scraping noise.
found out that wet/dry sand paper works best when wet. makes more noise, too..

let the dogs out, they didn't stay out any longer than they had to.

have a call in to Fastenal for some special machine screws.. of course, he didn't call me back like he said he would..
they are about only 5 miles from me, maybe I will drive there .. hard to ignore me in person.
I found replacement Rockwell "part" screws .1/4-28 x 3/8" with 5/16 hex head
$3.67/each. there are 9 of them on the machine..
I have some with 7/16" heads.
what I really want are 3/8" heads.

might have to make a jig and grind the 7/16" down to 3/8" ..

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