Hurricane Harvey coop rebuild (Picture heavy)

[Tesumph]

Finally found time after all this rain to work on this again.

Big step done this morning! The middle wire partition is completely gone. It went fairly smooth with hubby’s help (only one smashed shin).
Two middle beams were left because removing them would hurt structural integrity. I figure the chickens won’t mind more roost spots.

I’m hoping to go to in-laws today and try and bring the coop home, as well as level out the sand/shavings mess that was in the small run. We had to stop because it is so dang hot outside. It’s only 91f but with this humidity, the heat index is 102.

Biggest concern right now is the rotten bottom boards. I know they will be covered up by deep litter, but if I’m covering the entire walls with hardware cloth, what do I secure the cloth to at the bottom? Do I just dig the ground back and bury it a little and not try to screw/staple into rotten wood? I don’t know if that makes sense but I need ideas.
Picture is of a board that fell apart when we took off a door.

 

[Hope Hughes]

you are doing an awesome job cleaning it up and getting ready for new chicks! Wish I could help. And you are getting great ideas and help from everyone. I can not wait to see how it turns out!! ​

 

[Conan]

This is awesome! It's looking great already!

 

[Tesumph]

you are doing an awesome job cleaning it up and getting ready for new chicks! Wish I could help. And you are getting great ideas and help from everyone. I can not wait to see how it turns out!! ​

Thank you both! I feel like I’m so close yet so far! Documenting it here definitely helps my motivation and keeps the idea train rolling.

 

[Kiki]

If you are planning on digging down and burying hardware cloth (an apron) you fold it out/away from the wall, think L shape so you don't necessarily need that bottom piece of wood.
You could use zip ties to attach the L shaped hardware cloth apron to the fencing.

 

[aart]

Divider wall was where blue line is?
I thought the space to the left of line was not going to be used,'
why I was suggesting using that roof wood.

 

[Tesumph]

If you are planning on digging down and burying hardware cloth (an apron) you fold it out/away from the wall, think L shape so you don't necessarily need that bottom piece of wood.
You could use zip ties to attach the L shaped hardware cloth apron to the fencing.

Zip ties are a good idea. I also realized that we have giant stacks of bricks behind the shed. When I say dig down, it’s not a true buried cloth, it’s just to the level that the wood was originally at when it was installed. It’s so old that the outside ground has “buried” the wood and cloth by itself already.
I’m thinking I’m gonna “dig down” a little, making the hardware cloth same level as the other wire, put zipties around wood where it’s applicable, and then pave the outside perimeter with giant bricks. Is there any problem with that that I’m not seeing?

 

[Tesumph]

Divider wall was where blue line is?
I thought the space to the left of line was not going to be used,'
why I was suggesting using that roof wood.

View attachment 1441730

Posted before I meant to.
Yes, divider wall was at blue line. No wonder I was confused at your suggestion. I’m going all out for these chickens, they’re gonna have 105 sqft per bird!

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

Posted before I meant to.
Yes, divider wall was at blue line. No wonder I was confused at your suggestion. I’m going all out for these chickens, they’re gonna have 105 sqft per bird!

Wow that’s awesome! How many chickens will you be getting?

 

[Pugsabi]

It looks fantastic so far but your not kidding about this heat! I'm about 4 hours away from you and I start sweating just walking across the parking lot to my car.