need help closing up rafter area

[Cluckatar]

I think that might work in our setup. I need to find a way to get the power drill/screwdriver into the tight space inside the top of the coop. I hope this doesn't turn into an entry in the coop building injuries thread

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
Whatcha need, maybe, if it's a really awkward space, is one of those flexible-chuck attachments for your drill. It is hard to explain, but if you walk into Home Depot or etc and ask the guys in the tool section for a flexible thingie that chucks into your drill and lets you drill/drive in awkward tight inaccessible spaces, they will know what you mean. They are not totally cheap but not horrendously expensive I don't think (I don't actually own one myself, sorry) but sometimes can be nearly the only way to do a particular job.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[annek]

What I did is put a 1x6 on the end of my joists to seal that off. Then I stapled hardware cloth to the underside and to each joist bottom. I let it hang down the wall and put a 1x4 up to hold it there. I will take a picture of it this afternoon for you. I looked at doing it from the inside but too cramped and this was much easier.

Anne

 

[cmjust0]

Drills? Screws? What's are those?

I don't have electricity in my barn, so I've resorted to building my coop with:

a level
a 100' tape
a speedsquare
a sharpie
a hammer
and a chainsaw.

I've gotten to the point that I can cut boards accurately to length and just about as squarely as can be done with a miter or circular saw...much faster, too...plus, no dangerous cords to trip over.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again...a chainsaw is the ultimate cordless power tool.

Anyway, I put up the blocking between rafters night before last, and put the hardware cloth up last night.. Raccoons could actually get into the boxed-in vents and look down, drooling over the chickens, but that should be about it. I may actually order a few snares and use the vents as built-in critter traps.

 

[annek]

Okay, I don't know how to put pictures in here but I created a quick web page with a few of the soffit pictures on it. I hope you can see how I did it and maybe it will help you. Hopefully it will show up when you click on my home page. Good luck.

 

[Cluckatar]

Quote:
Haha... I had a big "Ohhhhhh!" when I looked at that

That's a great idea.

Well, I just came back from the hardware store with hardware cloth, wire snips, a box of screws and a garden mister. If the hardware cloth doesn't work, I can always spray the raccoons with my compost tea

I have equal parts optimism and doubt for both the tomatoes with the early blight and the chicken coop with the rafter issues... but I will give it all my best shot this weekend.

If anyone is interested in the coop progress, or the garden, or charming up close pictures of what I think is a fungal disease, check out the picassa albums I did today:

http://picasaweb.google.com/Lauriemandigo

Thanks for all the input everyone!

 

[Cluckatar]

Zomg, I think we did it!

Here is an interior of the eaves:

And an exterior of the whole coop:

 

[GardeNerd]

It turned out really nice looking!