Helpful hints for building coops

[jvls1942]

Hi all,
I saw the video. neat. it is something how those wild birds learn where to get a free meal.
I was ice fishing , and there was a bald eagle on shore well over a quarter mile away. closer to a half mile. I tossed a perch into the air and it landed on the ice not too far from me. that eagle flew out of that tree and glided the whole way to the fish. picked it up and went back to the tree. I played that game with him a couple more times ..
......jiminwisc....

 

[CapricornFarm]

We got the windows installed today! And started the divider. Plus I installed the goat walkway that goes through the fence and into the goat house.

 

[mapurcel]

Here are the detail photos of the exterior-mounted, vertical sliding door: It pulls open with a rope -- formerly from outside the no-longer-attached run.

You inspired me! I went for it. Instead of using wood as a track I used metal shelving rods. I noticed the shelves at Home Depot fit/slid perfectly in them and could be screwed into two wooden posts easily.
I made the opening smaller than the door by about an inch on the sides and 3 inches from the ground and the top of the opening. The string runs along the side of the indoor part of the coop to the front where you can pull it up!

I spent hours on it haha so I didn’t get to the self lock part, but I think it will be okay. There is nowhere for predators to grip and lift the door up. That should be enough ...right? I will add more detailed photos when I can!

 

[NewBoots]

Nice job on that goat house Cap, your projects always look good.

So I saw a new one today. We went fishing again today and I caught a couple more of the kokanee and one of them was oddly skinny. Once I landed it, it's scales fell off like rain. So when I cleaned it I found that it had swallowed a huge bass jig, so big that it completely filled it's stomach and nothing at all was in the rest of the digestive tract. Plus, the jig was so big that it's stomach had ruptured. That fish was dying when I caught it. Darnedest thing I've ever seen,

 

[aart]

Was finally getting used to the heat, much assisted by the whole house fan which really helps change out the hot air in the house later in the day. Was rather less humid yesterday, which makes the heat easier for me to take, feeling so good fired up the grill for some steak, I was hungry from eating dribs and drabs instead of cooking the last few days.
Felt great!

Then fan, which is pretty damn loud, started making a new noise...
....a squeaking which may be a bearing on it's way out.

Have the original owners installation guide for the fan,
guy who built this house saved everything. The motor has a place to oil (I never have) hopefully that's it and I can fix it easily.
Got up extra early so I can get up there and look, which is NOT going to be fun, before it gets too hot.

 

[jvls1942]

Aart, don't use wd40 on the fan.
the best oil by far is good old 3in1..
but you already know this, I just wanted to remind you..
I have buds on the squash, tomatoes on the vines and peppers on the plants. life is great..
had a nice short storm last night. plenty of rain in a short time. no damaging wind or hail.
sort of the same forecast for the next few days. hot, humid and scattered storms..
daughter brought me some more tomato plants and self watering buckets. IDK what she thinks I am going to do with 40 tomato plants ????? maybe my next build will be a roadside veggie stand .
your fish sounds like my first musky. it was 37 inches long, but so skinny . it had barely any meat on it's bones.
a friend of mine caught a northern pike that had a 14'' walleye in it's stomach.
people claim that a northern can eat 2/3rds it's own length..
......

 

[3KillerBs]

You inspired me! I went for it. Instead of using wood as a track I used metal shelving rods. I noticed the shelves at Home Depot fit/slid perfectly in them and could be screwed into two wooden posts easily.
I made the opening smaller than the door by about an inch on the sides and 3 inches from the ground and the top of the opening. The string runs along the side of the indoor part of the coop to the front where you can pull it up!

I spent hours on it haha so I didn’t get to the self lock part, but I think it will be okay. There is nowhere for predators to grip and lift the door up. That should be enough ...right? I will add more detailed photos when I can!

I'm glad the idea worked for you.

 

[aart]

Aart, don't use wd40 on the fan.
the best oil by far is good old 3in1..
but you already know this, I just wanted to remind you..

I do know that, but thanks.
It's only the motor shaft that can be lubed, but it feels fine.
Took a look.
Bearing on fan blade shaft is pretty loosey goosey,
part would be pretty easy to change out, but I doubt I can find one.
Sealed bearing there so no use in lubing it, it's just wearing/worn out.
Belt is a bit loose, looks good but I feel a of bit dry rot,
don't think that has any bearing(haha!) on the squeaking tho.
Tightening or replacing belt might speed the bearing failure.
Not sure what, if anything, I'll do about it.
But at least I know I can still get up there, been a long time.

 

[jvls1942]

A few weeks ago I took the motor off of my cement mixer. it has sealed bearings.
I took the seal off of both bearings. there was no grease packed in the bearings from the factory.
I packed the bearings and put the seals back in place. it works like a charm, now.
we have a store here that can get any size bearing you need. there is a number on the bearing.. that's all you would need.
I even check new bearings for grease.
bearings are not expensive..
.......jiminwisc......

 

[Molpet]

A few weeks ago I took the motor off of my cement mixer. it has sealed bearings.
I took the seal off of both bearings. there was no grease packed in the bearings from the factory.
I packed the bearings and put the seals back in place. it works like a charm, now.
we have a store here that can get any size bearing you need. there is a number on the bearing.. that's all you would need.
I even check new bearings for grease.
bearings are not expensive..
.......jiminwisc......

So long as you don't need to get a bearing press, bearings aren't expensive