Micro Farm Coop Worklog [UPDATE: SHINGLES ON - PAGE 27]

[mightieskeeper]

Skylights! I want a cupola for my shed also. Could you show lots of roof pics?

 

[DarkWolf]

LOL... Ok... Seems like the voting is really split between skylights and dormers.

I MAY just end up trying both out and doing a skylight on the sunrise side. The rafters will be framed out the same, so if I get fed up with it, I can just remove it and add a second dormer.

I sure will take alot of pictures as I go and if you want more details on the existing framing now is the time to ask as it would be hard to get shots with the sheeting down.

Now if I could just get some dry days to work on it, I could have the sheeting up and start on the dormer, cupola and skylight.

Come to think of it, I could work on those in the basement.. Huh... Guess I should do that..

 

[CityChook]

I put in an eastern window specifically for my girls to bathe in the sunrise. They love it, and I love doing it for them.

Nice work - I'm enjoying watching it come along. I am so glad to not be building again this summer. Man, it's a lot of work.

 

[DarkWolf]

Spent this evening cutting the rest of the rafters and getting them in place. The only thing left rafter wise I need to do is frame out the opening for the dormer[s, or skylights, or whatever.. same size] with 2x4's.. Then I can get the ends trimmed to size and sheet the whole thing.. Woot! Or at least most of it.. May need more materials. Yet another trip to Lowes, wee!

The end overhang is all framed out as well on the south side. I just need to tack it in place and nail it up, which shouldn't take but 15-20 minutes.

CityChook: I've got two roost level windows for them to hang out on. One on the south side and one on the east, though the east side is shaded a bit by the house. The roosts will be about 2" below the window bases, so they'll be able to stare out.

 

[Cheep a'lil Talk a'lil]

Pictures, pictures, I need pictures!

 

[DarkWolf]

Too dark, too dark, it's too dark for pictures!

Oddly enough, the grand daughter of the person who built this house stopped by today, so we didn't end up coming in to eat supper until around 8.

So I didn't have aaaany time to snap any photos.

Besides, it's still covered with a tarp.. I just moved sections of the tarp to work on it as needed, then put them back..

I'll surely snap pictures later though before I start sheeting.

Funny thing, wish I DID have my camera on me.. I left the birds out while we ate supper then went out with a lantern to round them up and bring them inside.. I'd left the ladder set up in their space.. Two of them were roosting up on the next to the last rung.

Silly birds. I'm surprised they weren't hanging out in the loft space.

 

[Cheep a'lil Talk a'lil]

I keep forgetting about the time difference. Almost 8 and the sun is still shining, well, as best it can behind all the rain clouds.
Looking forward to the pics!

 

[DarkWolf]

Just heard the weather alarm go off so I checked the weather.. Supposed to have rain for the next four days totaling 3.5"... BLAST THIS RAIN!

I can't get the coop done.. I can't get the freakin' garden plated... Argh!

The only good thing is we did get 3 of the 4x10 raised beds planted and did get our 100 tomato plants out.. But EESH! The rest of the garden NEEDS PLANTED!

 

[Cheep a'lil Talk a'lil]

Your lucky you can get yours in the ground. Its still to flippn' cold here. I made some cold frames from some old windows I got from freecycle so I tried putting in the potatoes. They don't seem very happy. The cold frames are mainly to keep the elk out, not really for early or late growing season.
And do I ever understand what your saying about the rain.

We get and average of 125 inches a year. And thats not including the snow!
I've been able to do most of my coop building on the covered porch. I'm to the point that it needs to be moved out to the chicken site and put together before I can move on.

I can't wait to get my chickens. I love to let them in the garden area after the growing season is over. What a field day they have!

 

[DarkWolf]

Wow... 125" a year... We get an average of 60 or so inches... This time of year we get alot though.. Till the summer droughts suck up all the moisture.. Then it shoots up to 100 degrees out from time to time.

I wish I could have done more work under cover.. The finish work [besides trim] I should be able to do that way.. Got the basic framing for the dormer[s?], then the cupola. Plus I've got three.. err.. four.. or maybe five... windows to build for it that will be a single awning window over two out swing windows.

Well, if we're both lucky we can get things moving so that we can finish up.. On the bright side, you DON'T have chickens yet.. Dummy me, we got the chickens before the coop was even considered. Darn spur of the moment purchase.

Once the growing season is over, or before it is I should say, I'll be building a tractor to let the birds work the garden plot and knock it down.. Also before the new growing season next year I'll let them run it.. Just need to check the garden and pull any tomato vines and what ever else may be bad for them.. Heck, had some deadly nightshade growing in it last year... Mmmmm... Nightshade...