How do you attach legs to your coop?

[Hokum Coco]

Just as an after thought (you probably know this anyway). Make sure your legs are plumb and square before you attach your braces.

There were very good suggestion by other members also (some even better than mine all though a bit harder to visualize for some people).

This is what works best for me and I hope it does the trick for you as well. Will be watching for your updates.

Solid and straight is what you want and this will achieve it if done right.

Here is a couple links and good starting point for anyone interested in carpentry.

http://home-tools.wonderhowto.com/how-to/use-framing-square-198506/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steel_square

 

[bjones1128]

All web sites are not created equal I have found.

Thanks so much for the suggestions. I am very much a beginner who is learning carpentry because there is no one else to do it (no more husband around). Several months ago I actually purchased plans to build a shed but couldn't do it simply because I didn't understand the jargon - and most web sites are the same way. I guess they figured you wouldn't be trying to build anything if you didn't know what a joist or skid was...

I am willing to do the work but most places assume you have a knowledge base... (which I do now!)

I ended up paying someone else to build the bare bones of the shed but am trying to build my coop and finish the shed by myself. I call the neighbor man when I get stumped on something. He's very helpful but it's aggravating waiting a couple of weeks for him to help me with something whenever he gets a spare moment. I have been trying to educate myself via the web as much as possible, but it's slow going.

However, in the past few months I have learned all kinds of things! I learned to use all kinds of tools (including that "square" you were talking about - which is actually a triangle shape, as my 10-year-old son keeps pointing out every time I ask him to "hand me the square" lol). I am also making a lot of mistakes along the way.... yep, my cord got tangled in my circular saw last weekend and got cut up

(neighbor man showed me how to wire it back together, thank goodness).


I have found I actually really enjoy carpentry and I enjoy learning, including whatever I can learn from other people on this forum. Thanks so much for the advice!

 

[Hokum Coco]

Your not a real carpenter until you cut the cord of the circular saw anyway.

I cut the cord on one circular saw so many times at the last I had to replace the whole cord it became so short!

I have done it more than once and I will probably do it again some day.

Desire is the main ingredient in become a good carpenter or anything for that matter.

If you can cut a board and pound a nail that is all you need. The rest will come with mistakes, practice and patience.

Every body has the first day. The question is will they be around with the right attitude to learn on their second.

 

[bjones1128]

Your not a real carpenter until you cut the cord of the circular saw anyway.

I cut the cord on one circular saw so many times at the last I had to replace the whole cord it became so short!

I have done it more than once and I will probably do it again some day.

Desire is the main ingredient in become a good carpenter or anything for that matter.

If you can cut a board and pound a nail that is all you need. The rest will come with mistakes, practice and patience.

Every body has the first day. The question is will they be around with the right attitude to learn on their second.

Encouraging words! Now I won't feel so bad the next time I cut that cord, lol. Thank you!

 

[locoguru]

Your not a real carpenter until you cut the cord of the circular saw anyway.

Been there done that!

 

[RentaPig311]

Actually the whole make sure everything is plumb suggestion came just a bit to late...and it wasn't. My angles don't quite line up for the triangle supports. Found some metal brackets that will do the trick and give me a bit more wiggle room, just doesn't look as nice. I actually didn't make a frame for the platform and drill the plywood onto. I cut the ply wood and drilled the frame one piece at a time onto it. Oh well now I know. I did actually go back and level up the walls though. Here is the progress so far.

The flock 7 ameraucana chicks...all odd balls( half muffs, leg feathers, etc)




The platform. I've thought better of this design and decided to cut a whole in the chain link and move the actual house out of the run to give them more room.



The start of the front wall.


The temp coop- 100 gallon (I think) rubbermaid It was flipped the other was a brooder but they got to flying out and roosting on it so now they have been kicked outside to the chicken run.


This was the bonus question. The joints don't sit right together but have a little crack. I think it was just the lack of elbow grease and needing a bigger pilot hole.


After this thread I added some "studs" I wanted to have a floor opening as the main door but would also like an automatic opener so may go with a front wall door. Unless anyone has ideas on how to make a bottom open automatic door without squishing the chickens. The original idea of the bottom door is why the studs are not evenly spaced.


With support bolts in the side. Much more stable



Spray foam insulated the bottom...the straws broke off and I had to find my own method. It was a bit messy.



The back wall is ready for install with framing for an 18" nesting box.

 

[Hokum Coco]

I think you are too much of a perfectionist when it comes to rough carpentry. You are not building a piano as one member mentioned. No house is perfectly square or plumb. All the cracks and gaps are hidden when the finish work is done. Strait and solid is the main goal and accent on the SOLID. There are some coops that are build crooked and have a charm all their own with a sway back roof even!

You are being way to critical!

What you have done is perfectly fine and looks good to me!

 

[RentaPig311]

I think you are too much of a perfectionist when it comes to rough carpentry. You are not building a piano as one member mentioned. No house is perfectly square or plumb. All the cracks and gaps are hidden when the finish work is done. Strait and solid is the main goal and accent on the SOLID. There are some coops that are build crooked and have a charm all their own with a sway back roof even!

You are being way to critical!

What you have done is perfectly fine and looks good to me!

That sums it up pretty well. On that note I got out and just did some work today. Looked for hours and didn't find any real answers to how the short walls on the "leaning" type coops are typically done so I just did a normal wall to the height of the short wall. Lost a few inches of space because it didn't fit just right but you are right I'm working to hard for a coop and just wanted to make it stable.I figured the gap it will leave towards the roof can be filled with the plywood or used as ventilation. I didn't want a base board on the other side so that I could just scoop out the bedding and get an easy cleaning out of it. So I used the suggested triangle to sturdy up that wall.


The flock is ready for a house with somewhere to perch



Side view, open wall with Triangle brace. for ease of cleaning I didn't want studs on this side.



Rear View




Front view. Front door area has a random triangle brace. It was just an extra piece I had and that wall needed some more support.




Many thanks for all the pointers. Hopefully the siding will not be to much of a challenge and I can warp this up soon. This is likely a dumb question but you put plywood on first and use siding right and not just siding?

 

[Hokum Coco]

When your sheathing is in place your walls will be as solid as can be you will see~!

You are bang on with the plywood first. I would recommend a vapour barrier between the plywood and siding. Tar paper would work and probably would be the most economical.

Even the plastic off a mattress would do for all you need. Then again there are some people that just paint the plywood and do not bother with siding or vapour barrier or insulation (me being one of those people in one building I own).

You should be proud of what you accomplished there is far worse out there!
This baby barn building is just sheathed in with ¼ plywood and painted no insulation no vapor barrier and no problems outside of a deer in my beans.



!

 

[RentaPig311]

Now that is a beautiful view. Nice barn too.