Large, Open-Air Coop in Central NC

[3KillerBs]

We don't even have the lumber all salvaged yet, but we went out to flag the footprint this afternoon so we can start drawing better plans.

Initially, we flagged out DH's idea of an 8'X16' coop. Once we had it marked DH said, "That looks smaller than it looked on paper."

I didn't want to go much further downhill and he wanted to leave room to get the pickup truck around it without knocking down the fence anyway, so we've expanded the plan to 12'x16'.

He's planning on cementing the corner posts into the ground but using deck blocks for the other posts and he intends to create a clerestory roof.

Tentative plans are to wall in the uphill side, 8' of the northeastish side, and 4 feet of the northwestish side.

Those dimensions should give us a lot of flexibility for subdivision as needed.

 

[Sally PB]

Sounds like it's going to be great! Will you paint it the wonderful rosy color of your current coop?

 

[3KillerBs]

Sounds like it's going to be great! Will you paint it the wonderful rosy color of your current coop?

I'm fond of barn red and white so I'll probably use that same color scheme. While we have the paint I'll probably repaint the old coop to since it's suffered from our brutal sun.

Barn paint is great because it's designed to use on rough, unprimed wood.

 

[aart]

What, no plans and pics of staked site?!?!?!

 

[Sally PB]

As the kids often say, no pics or it didn't happen!

 

[3KillerBs]

What, no plans and pics of staked site?!?!?!

It was getting dark.

I'll have photos and maybe some initial sketches tomorrow on my day off. The weather is supposed to be decent so we'll work on wood salvage.

 

[Sally PB]

Good. Looking forward to seeing what you're doing.

 

[3KillerBs]

OK, the contractors left before it got dark so I got to go out and take some initial pictures.

I don't know how visible the orange flags are. It's 16 feet left-to-right in the photo. 12 feet near to far. Ground slopes to the right and this is high ground on that terrace.

These are the first two heavy, treated boards we've salvaged. 12 feet long, I think? We have to get the nails out but it shouldn't be too hard. We can just cut them with the oscillating tool it's it's too annoying.

Shots of the building we are salvaging. Some of the round poles are good and lots of other boards in 4 and 6-foot lengths.

The metal is not in good shape. It's thin, full of small holes from the nails, and tears easily. I may use it cut down to 12" strips to contain the bedding inside the wire -- covering the sharp edges with old garden hose.

 

[3KillerBs]

More salvage accomplished:

16-foot-long 2x8's

These poles are not sound enough for structural purposes, but can be used for things like temporary field shelters, food/water mounts, etc.

The metal is appalling. Like foil.

The next layer is going to be the heavy boards in 4-8 foot lengths but we've got contractors in the house at the moment.

 

[Stephanie8806]

It will be so cool to see what you create from all this! I love the idea of open air coops, but orientation is important l, to my understanding, and I live in the crook of a canyon that has swirling high winds all the time... but I love living vicariously through other people’s builds!!!