Hurricane Harvey coop rebuild (Picture heavy)

[aart]

By the way, we have a lot of pine trees if you couldn’t tell. Is there a predator resistant netting that won’t collect pine needles for the roof..?

Is that what's hanging from the mesh run roof? I wondered....either pine needles or some dead viney type thing.
Solid roof panels would be the best, not sure any kind of netting would not catch those puppies.

 

[Rubysword]

Not exactly netting, but would this work? It would keep hawks out, and I don't think a coon could reach from the roof to decapitate things, lol. https://www.lowes.com/pd/Blue-Hawk-...zed-Steel-Welded-Wire-Rolled-Fencing/50017408

 

[Tesumph]

Is that what's hanging from the mesh run roof? I wondered....either pine needles or some dead viney type thing.
Solid roof panels would be the best, not sure any kind of netting would not catch those puppies.

Yep, lots of pine needles. They’re extremely annoying, feels like walking through spiderwebs constantly lol. What’s the cheapest solid roof paneling that would still let sunlight in? The area over wooden deck has a tin cover.

The above wire is what’s already covering it. Some of it is stapled on, some it just laying on top. I hate it lol, it warps and it’s heavy and awkward.

 

[Tesumph]

I want to come help clean up and build! How soon are you wanting chicks?

You don’t know how many times I thought “man, if Kiki were here...”

I have no idea. I don’t want to get them until this is done. No one else really cares about the project so I either have to relentlessly nag or just do it myself.

I don’t even know how long I’m going to be living here. 6 months.. a year.. eternity... Whatever, if I start down the what-if trail I’ll never stop.

 

[Tesumph]

I think I’m over complicating this. I don’t have the time or support to make it perfect.
What if I just leave the stapled roof wire on where it’s already stapled, remove the stuff that isn’t stapled, and cover the stapled areas with a solid cover to avoid rain and pine needles getting caught. The parts that are left uncovered after that can be covered in some kind of netting (baseball netting) that I’ll just have to periodically clean or prop up to keep off our heads.
About half the roof will be totally predator and element proof, the other half will be open and not as strong...

 

[aart]

Whatever, if I start down the what-if trail I’ll never stop.

Analysis Paralysis. BTDT...like almost every day.

I think I’m over complicating this.

It's 'complicated' because there are always so many options and choices..easy to get stuck in the decision spiral. When I start spinning, I engage in one simple task to break the cycle(for awhile anyway haha!)

What’s the cheapest solid roof paneling that would still let sunlight in?

Those clear or semi-opaque polycarb(?) roofing panels, they ain't cheap but sometimes are on sale. You'd need to install purlins for it to be fastened too. I would think you'd want some shade with the heat you get down there, or is that area always shaded?

What is the span of the roof that you need?
(length of blue line below)
Looks like roof goes further back than what is fenced of for birds?
Can you remove that part of roof and use wood an wire elsewhere?

2x4 welded wire on roof?
It's not 'warped', per se, rather sagging due to not being attached well enough and/or supported enough from below...needs more rafters(like where blue line is).

So you'd need more rafters, purlins applied perpendicular and above rafters for roofing panels.

I'm not sure of your skills and tools available to do this stuff. Most folks can learn to do about anything if they have to tools and some guidance.

 

[Rubysword]

What if you got something like clear corrugated roofing? The pine needles would(should) slide off, and it lets sunlight in, but keeps rain out.... I have no idea about installation tho, lol.

 

[Tesumph]

Analysis Paralysis. BTDT...like almost every day.

It's 'complicated' because there are always so many options and choices..easy to get stuck in the decision spiral. When I start spinning, I engage in one simple task to break the cycle(for awhile anyway haha!)

Those clear or semi-opaque polycarb(?) roofing panels, they ain't cheap but sometimes are on sale. You'd need to install purlins for it to be fastened too. I would think you'd want some shade with the heat you get down there, or is that area always shaded?

What is the span of the roof that you need?
(length of blue line below)
Looks like roof goes further back than what is fenced of for birds?
Can you remove that part of roof and use wood an wire elsewhere?

2x4 welded wire on roof?
It's not 'warped', per se, rather sagging due to not being attached well enough and/or supported enough from below...needs more rafters(like where blue line is).

So you'd need more rafters, purlins applied perpendicular and above rafters for roofing panels.

I'm not sure of your skills and tools available to do this stuff. Most folks can learn to do about anything if they have to tools and some guidance.

View attachment 1436092

Thought about this all night. I am trying to spend next to nothing on this, AND make it as simple as possible. Tall order. I researched polycarb panels and more tin roofing but I’m just not sold. Same for baseball netting. We have so much junk in the shed on the property, surely I can come up with something that isn’t brand new materials. The area over the wooden deck is covered in tin roofing (if you can see the large nipple waterer, that’s where the wood deck and tin roof is), that’s where their “coop” will be. So they already have decent shelter. I’m more interested in predator resistance (not necessarily proofing for the roof) and shade.

Then I realized, there’s an old elevated pool decking behind the house that came with the property. It’s got wooden lattice around the side that fences in the underneath. I’m wondering if I can pull that off (we’re going to knock that area down anyway) and use it as a roof material. It’s not total protection from sun or shade but partial for sure. And it might not sag, depending on how strong it is. Pine needles wouldn’t get caught either. And the existing wire on the roof could be stapled up onto it to solve the sagging issue that’s already there.

I’m about to go out and properly measure and make a diagram to see if this could work. If it does, I think it would make a pretty cool roof. Sorry if none of that made sense, documenting ideas is hard lol.

 

[aart]

No, you explained it well...made sense to me.
Hope I can make sense to you too.
The lattice is not going to be stiff across that span, it too will sag.
Lattice added to mesh will not shed those needles, it may just make them harder to remove and trap them between mesh and lattice. You'd be better off using a tarp for shade.
You still need more rafters across under there to reduce the mesh, and anything you add to it, from sagging. Once you get measurements maybe you can find rafter material to add...I'm still eyeing that 'extra' roof framing behind the run enclosure

 

[happyfrenchman]

Muscles are not as important as persistence. You have a lot of work to do, but you have a lot to work with also. Those pens are nice. Your coop will be better than before..... (That tree really destroyed your coop part.... )
One thing I know, if I had it to do over again, my coop would be much more open air. I have an enclosed box that serves as a roosting area. I would leave that open. In Houston, open would be alright. You might be closer than you think to being ready.