Lonesouth's Coop Construction

[lonesouth]

i've got the walls built and most of the trusses. I'm planning to sink the posts and get started on the permanent install this weekend.

Question for the crowd. How do you go about sinking all of the posts and ensure that they are all square and the tops are level?

I'll be using concrete on the posts, which are 8' 4x4 pressure treated, with the plan to sink 18".

 

[The Lazy L]

...Question for the crowd. How do you go about sinking all of the posts and ensure that they are all square and the tops are level? ...

I'd cement the end posts in the ground. Measuring in a X fashion from corner post to corner post to insure they are set square with each other.

Tie a string across the end posts to make a straight line for any middle posts.

Measure from the ground up on a corner post for your height. Transfer this mark to the other posts using a level (or a string level). Cut at the mark.

 

[lonesouth]

the coop is coming along. I built it upside down on the driveway, to ensure the tops of the walls were level and for ease of construction solo.




I got it moved into place and used 4 stakes and some string to determine my slope and cut the 4x4 corner posts to match. Then flopped the coop over into its final resting place. We burried some 2x4PT with a 2x2x8" cross piece 18" down to use as anchor points.





I've got most of the facia, and all of the roof supports done. I think I'm going to paint the studs next, then finish the roof and siding, then the run. I'll build the nesting boxes later.

 

[lonesouth]

we have decided to call it the Taj-MaCluck due to the over-the-top construction and over-engineering that has gone into it.

 

[lonesouth]

primer on inside and roof are on.

 

[lindseyawest]

Wow, looks great! Is that tin roofing?

 

[lonesouth]

it is, or whatever passes for "tin" these days. Still need to put the caps on the gable end.


We left the roof a little lopsided. The short end overhang is 6" to provide some protection over the chicken door leading out to the run and the other side is 1'5" overhang providing additional protection for the entry door.

 

[lonesouth]

been working at this in the late hours after work. I've got the door casing done, the exterior trim completed, the run under the coop done, the roof done, and most of the main run framing completed.

I'll try to get an updated photo tomorrow.

 

[lonesouth]

still putting in a lot of time on this. Spent most of the day yesterday working on the run. all I have left is the door. Then to tackle the rest of the coop; door, door to run, windows, nesting boxes.