New plan! (LOTS O PICS, adding them as I go)

[WhySayWhat]

More progress!

It was colder than I expected today (and my blood sugars have been pretty low all day) so I didn't get a lot done...but I got half of the "roof" on!

The side where the people door is I was able to do about half of it with boards I ripped off another pallet. I need about 5 more to finish that half! Right now they're only nailed on by the center of each board (using nails I rescued when I tore the pallet apart), I want to run a board the other direstion on top of the whole set once I get them all on to help secure the "split" ends.

The other half though, I put a piece of OSB that was already cut perfectly to slide between the runners on the top. I was only able to get one nail on each end (working in a roughly 6 inch tall space), but I plan to charge the drill and run a few screws into it as well. The other half of that side is going to have to be pieced together, I'm out of boards that are short enough to fit in without me cutting them down. But like I mentioned, I was working with semi-low blood sugars, so I didn't want to risk power tools today! The hammer was as dangerous as I got...and I called it quits after the third time I hammered my fingers, lol!

We also did a little shopping today! A new TV for our bedroom (40" LCD) and a sandbox for the girls! The woman at the register was going on and on about how she liked the lid because it kept cats from using it...until I told her I was buying it for my chickens, lol. That shut her up right quick! I do plan on using the lid in yucky weather...hopefully I can save the sand from "blowing away" when the wind picks up. It was $30 at KMart...if it had been anywhere else in town, I would not have given them my money! That store makes me itch...

 

[WhySayWhat]

Finally, more work!

My mother is up visiting this week (she goes home Wednesday) and today we finally got around to digging up an old flower bed to plant the Rhubarb she brought me (8 new plants to go with the 6 I already have!), she also helped pick and hold boards to help me finish getting a solid (ish) roof on the coop!

This is what it looks like now! All I need to add is a little "stuff" to fill a few gaps! Painting starts next week! (Once everyone goes home...)

 

[Hope49]

Are you going to tar paper the roof or anything? I know it rains there a lot. You are amazing, doing all this! We are in "coop design" mode at our house, and DH will probably do 90% of the building...no, 95.

 

[WhySayWhat]

The whole coop is under our covered deck, so no papering/roofing needed.

 

[WhySayWhat]

First coat of paint done (mostly)! I need to finish cleaning up, then I'll go get some pictures. What isn't done is half of the wall that faces the house (I couldn't reach it after I painted the half I could reach easily) and the area that I decided the pop door is going (need to charge the drill so I can get it cut out still). Then, I'll need to work on the inside. But, the weather today is nice and sunny with an expected high of 60, so I got the outside done in a coat of paint. I'll add a second coat next week or so, before the hardware cloth goes up the following week! Tomorrow's weather doesn't look like it's going to be very nice and I have to run my SO to the airport...so no getting paint on me on Easter!

 

[WhySayWhat]

Pics as promised!

The front of the coop. The unpainted space on the left is the vicinity of where I'll be cutting the pop door out. Not the whole unpainted area, but in that area...

The side facing the neighbors...I was using a big 3" brush and couldn't get the paint on the wood under the hardware cloth. I'll be back out there with asponge brush in a day or three...

And finally, the back! The big white spot is just glare from sunshine hitting the wet semi-gloss...I need to finish this side with a sponge brush too!

I plan on giving everything a second coat of paint as well after this one dries and I get the pop door cut. Then, it's on to the inside! That can wait a little longer, but I needed to get the outside (3 walls anyway) painted so that I could get the fencing up. That won't be for at least another week though, as my other half is going to be out of town all of next week and I know I can't do the fencing alone (I need help moving the roll of hardware cloth)!

 

[Hope49]

Oh silly me, I hadn't even noticed that. How lucky for you to have that overhand handy!! I am new here and am inviting you to our coop thread, now that we decided on a design and started it. Ours is small, but your input would be great! It's at https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=488008

Hey, we are painting ours green too!

 

[WhySayWhat]

Hope49...Your coop is looking really good!

Not a lot of work...but I got a little more done today! I got my pop door cut! Well, I got the hole that the door will cover cut... And after cutting it out, using a large drill bit and a hand saw (I can't control the reciprocating saw well enough to risk it near the finished floor, I remembered to measure the space! Yup, a little backward, but I was so sure I had the right size! The piece that was cut out is 9" tall and 8.5" wide, so not big enough! Once I get some sandpaper from the store and secure either side of the board crossing the current top of the space, I'll cut it larger so the girls will fit when they are full grown hens! But, it isn't exactly warm today and was very windy, not to mention that both of my drill batteries are about dead... So, I decided to pack it in for the day and prepare to go full tilt later this week when the weather is a little better (but I'm going out of town next Wednesday when the weather is supposed to be great)! I really don't have much left to do...which is a good thing, the girls really need to get out there! I'm bringing my Mother home with me for another visit, this time without any kids, so hopefully she can help me get it done!

Sorry for the blurriness, they looked really clear until I got it up on my computer!

 

[WhySayWhat]

Finished up the cutting on the pop door, finally! The "new" hole is 12"x14"....much better (I remembered to measure first this time

)! I even got it trimmed out in 1/2 plywood, to which th actual door will be attached to! Down to finishing paint and getting the run up!

Sorry about the pic being so big (unless it corrected itself after I posted, then nevermind.

)...I pasted, realized it was too big, deleted, changd the size, repasted, and it's still huge (unless it isn't...)!

 

[AlabamaChickenLady]

Hello Whysaywhat. I'm still hanging on down here. A little un-nerved, shaken, battered, and broken hearted ~ but thank the lord, still here.

I'm not on here very much lately, but I wanted to stop by to say that your coop is really coming together and looking great! I bet you can't wait to put the babies out there. I'm so happy for you.