Nevadans?

[americanvalkyrie]

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try http://www.silverdesertrabbitry.webs.com/ she is in my rabbit club and could supplie you with new zealands(the big red ones on her site) and crosses. She breeds for show so you could ask fo a DQ baby or a nonshowquality baby if it is for meat only.

Thanks, Seth! I'll show the site to my husband and talk with him about it. We both raised rabbits for meat when we were growing up, and have both butchered them. The food won't be expensive, but the initial setup with hutches will be.

 

[aubreynoramarie]

Hey guys I'm drawing out coop plans right now to get an idea of how much lumber I will need. I've got the floor down but I'm stuck on the walls because in nOt sure how to go about making a slanty roof. Would I just make a basic square frame on all four walls an then make two seperate "triangles" to go atop two sides of the frame?

 

[americanvalkyrie]

Quote:
I have no input on the plans... my husband is going to help me frame mine after the beginning of the year, and he knows a lot more about framing than I do. But I'd love to see your plans and lumber estimate. I found these possible resources for lumber...

http://reno.craigslist.org/mat/2751823549.html
(He wants $3,500 for all of it. I emailed him asking if I could buy a few 2x4" beams, but it was a few minutes ago so no answer back yet.)

http://reno.craigslist.org/zip/2744196887.html
(Free pallets, 9600 S. Virginia... I'm guessing the La-Z-Boy area. Might not be in the best condition, but they're free.)

Also, if you check Lowe's or HD, be sure to look for "off-size" lumber. We saved a LOT on planter boxes last year by buying short cuts.

 

[aubreynoramarie]

Thanks Missy!

so far this is all I have, lol.

Mark really wants in idea of cost at this point so my goal tonight is to at least get the structure planned out so we know exact numbers. Were also trying to keep it as simple as possible so we are going to end up going 8x8 to minimize lumber cutting.


We've also reached a small disagreement on how this should go. He wants to save up the mOney first and then start construction, I would prefer to build in increments as we get the cash to do so that way I feel by the time we've earned enough as a whole most of the "pieces" will be ready to be assembled. Oh well

 

[americanvalkyrie]

Quote:
I understand the funding! A friend gave us 4 sheets of 4'x8' pressboard, and I have parts from an old wooden bed to make the nesting box, door, and stilts (I want a wired-in mini-run underneath) but we don't have the 2x4s yet. Certain things just take financial priority, lol. The ladies we have are fine with the existing coop, but it's almost at max capacity.

Here is the photo op of the day:
I'm going to miss this old lady. She'll be 16 years in about a week. The other two dogs need to hurry up and take lessons on what's mine and what's theirs.

Oh, and further confirmation that Tender is a roo... I gave Shadow a dog treat, and he had the guts to run up and try to take it from her! I mean seriously... he's the size of her NOSE! I grabbed him just inches away. She's fine with being a foot from them, but she's alpha queen, and I wasn't about to test out how she reacted to her treats being stolen by chickens.

 

[aubreynoramarie]

Omg so cute! Little fluffers! <3 I have a polish pullet who attacks Elvis whenever we are out in the yard playing fetch. He always looks at her like she's nuts. She just follows him around monitering him and once he gets into "bully run" mode she charges him with her talons. She's only a few months old too, it's a riot!

 

[SunnyDawn]

Hey Aubrey, the coop we built was a lean to type of shed style coop. I found a how to plan for a different sized one on the Hometime web-site (the PBS, DIY TV show). You just need to adjust the size of the shed on this site. We did not angle the roof line nearly as much as they did, since we don't have to worry about a 6' snow load in the valley, plus over an 8' long roof (plus extra for pitch and eaves) you would be hard fit to angle it like they did here. I would definitely get some of those pallets if you can. You can use the pieces for all kinds of stuff on the coop. We bought 16' lengths on the joists because it was cheaper to just do that and cut them in half than to buy 8' lengths. This is an easy coop to build cause 3 of the walls are the same height but the 4th wall is taller and gives the roof it's pitch. Leaves a nice spot for vent cutouts on the upper side walls too.

Ok, as for waiting, I do think it is better to wait til spring to get started. Wood warps in wet weather and it always takes longer to construct anything than you think it will, especially when you are a newbie and don't do this for a living. Leaving supplies laying around isn't a great idea any time but I would at least wait til you have enough funds to buy all the framing materials. After that you can save up for a couple more weeks for siding then a couple more for roofing etc, etc. Steve and I were in for a huge shock when we went to get shingles the other day! Whoa have they shot up in price!!! Unless Ron knows a cheaper way to rain proof the coop (that will last for several years) this step is going to take a big chunk of change.

BTW an 8' tall coop is way overkill. I would make it shorter then you will have the extra plywood you will need for the roof.

 

[SunnyDawn]

LOL! I thought chickens were supposed to run from predators!

 

[aubreynoramarie]

Waiting until spring isn't an option. The babies will need to go soon so I won't do that at all. The wood will be fine in the garage

 

[aubreynoramarie]

Besides, I have a hunch it will be much wetter in spring than in the next couple of weeks and I am definitely not waiting until summer. Waiting for things is not a very strong suit about me. I can't procrastinate, I'm the kind of person who needs to get going with things. No reason the floor and walls can't get done in the garage if it ever does get wet around here. We've got a few hundred spare bucks right nowand that should be more than enough to do the floor and four walls (frames)


We also weren't going to have it be 8 feet tall, just 8x8 around like Ron suggested.