Just bought my coop!

[Dornes]

So, we had some storms and tornados come through this part of wisconsin last night and it just so happens that a coop that i have had my eyes on on craigslist got blown off the trailer that it was sitting on for sale in town. I called the guy tonight about his craigslist ad, not knowing the coop was damaged in the storms. I drove up, took a look at the damage, it looks like a pile of clunk right now, but all the walls are still in very much good shape, just needs to be studded back together, the windows didn't break and the door surely is in good shape. The only wall that took the brunt of the damage was the back wall, in which the guy has extra rough sawn (amish) pine lumber he is gonna give me. And shingles to replace the ones on the roof!

Needless to say the 800.00 coop I have had my eyes on these past few months while I was still trying to convince hubby to let me get chickens and try this adventure, was now reduced to 150.00 for a pile of walls and a floor.

Hubby will not be helping me with any sort of construction he says, so the repair process is up to me, and surely, I can get that thing back together if some of you ladies on here can whip up a whole coop from scratch! Wish me luck, we pick up the pile of rubble on Wednesday!

http://lacrosse.craigslist.org/for/2380909964.html (that's the back side) Here's what my coop will look like once it is fixed, the pop out doors are all still intact too! (and the trellis arbor that was lighter and sitting right next to this coop was unscaved in the tornado damage yesterday. Crazy how mother nature works!

 

[True Grit]

Ohhh, I'm happy you're getting your coop but sad your DH won't help you build it. Maybe if you pretend to do it wrong he won't be able to stand it and will come and help.

You already know where to go for advice and here it is: I think you will need to add ventilation up high. Good luck!

 

[Kudzu]

Pay some young stud to help you and hubby might change his mind.

 

[Dornes]

Yeah, great, thanks for the tip!

I was planning on putting some sort of vent in there, but high up is a great idea. I will probably end up cutting some lengthwise 2 or 3" high openings, and they run the length of the shed on 3 sides. There is pop out doors on there too, you just can't see them in that picture. I really really would love a wooden coupla sort of thing on the top of there, just need to figure out how to do it and vent it.

And then possibly some of those slated ones that you see in the pictures that are posted on here. Covered in wire.

My hubby is so against having chickens, he really is. It has taken me quite a few years to get him to the point of "okay maybe it will be fine, but if I have to feed them or care for them they are turning into fryers". He's a silly man.... and I know once he sees that they are actually helping cut cost on the food bill he will be appreciative. And of course, I will feed and care for them.

He did say if something is too heavy on the reconstruction of the coop he will help with that, but the run is up to me as well as everything else.

We dairy farm, so I so can see where he is coming from not wanting anymore on his daily chore list than he already has. But, I don't go to the barn so I think he is worried I won't like the chicken thing... That's okay, my chicks are on there way this week. And all the research I have done, if I didn't think I could handle it, I wouldn't get them

Our kids and I are so super excited, they have names already picked out for the chicks and I just ordered them. It's all going to work out just fine, and I have all you wonderful chicken-eers to help with any questions that pop up. I will be sure to be posting pictures as I reconstruct and get my coop just right before the chickens see it!