NY chicken lover!!!!

[cutipatooti]

To those looking to build a coop. I really like the garden coop website. I built the basic coop. At first I had some help from DH because I'm was terrified of power tools, even power screwdrivers. He cut the wood for me but I put it all together. The instructions I got from the garden coop site are to a T and easy to follow. I enjoyed building the coop so much that I started to build more to sell, with permission. I am also now building brooders. I grew impatient waiting for DH to cut wood for me and learned how to use the circular saw and am no longer afraid of tools. I still have the hardware store do as many cuts as I can just so I can fit the materials in my car. Also having your own power tools will help. Lighter ones work better for me. Also check out Anna white for free plans. She as a few coops and a barn style greenhouse that I love, but the plan are not exactly step by step. Hope this helps.

 

[Beer can]

I don't have any at the moment, just a bunch of power tools, but hand saws, good ones are very easy to use, will cut through any board even big ones with ease. No need to swing a hammer and nails either. I've built many things with a drill and sheet rock screws, dog houses, rabbit hutch etc. If going drill and screw route, I recommend the screws with star bit heads, no slippage compared to phillips head sheetrock screws that will strip if they don't go in easy.
I have air nailers now. I have a big air compressor but you can use air nailers with tiny compressors, only uses pressure for a split second, doesn't use much air. Cheap ones work fine.

 

[cutipatooti]

I have not used good hand saws so.....anyway I agree with the star tip. Love them. I haven't used nails either just screws. My DH upmost bought a nail gun with a small compressor over the weekend but I opted to wait a little longer.

 

[horsekeeper]

I want to encourage those of you who say you have no carpentry skills to learn

I retired three years ago and taught myself how to build things. I'm a senior citizen and only 5'3" and my current project is a 30X32 horse barn that I am building by myself. My daughter helps once i a while to lift things that are too heavy for one person or hold one end steady while I secure things, but mostly I am on my own.

Since I have arthritis and fibromyalgia, lighter tools are a big help in keeping control of power tools and safe handling. I have a Ridgid Fuego power saw with a smaller 6" blade and a compact size Dewalt drill/driver that are just right for my smaller hands and light enough to handle easily. They do all the same things my son-in-law's big heavy versions do.

Here is the first build of a 12X8 coop with his help, showing me how to do things.



The next coop I did on my own by starting with a single 6X6 coop on one end and a closed run. The entire thing is 6X16. The next year I closed in the other end for another 6X6 coop with a feed area in the middle.





I also built a turkey pen out of 10X10 kennel panels with a real metal roof over it, a coop from a calf hutch, a small 4X4 grow out coop, and a duck hutch.

The point being that you learn how to do it as you practice. It isn't necessary to be a carpenter and know how to calculate all the angles and get it all perfect. I keep saying to myself, "It's only a chicken coop" when something is off by 1/2". No big deal

Instead of stressing over all the cuts, just get a big level (4') to make sure everything is reasonably level and plumb and mark your cuts by a combination of measuring (get a good metal tape) and holding the piece up where it is going to go and marking it in place. This even worked with the 2X6X12 rafters on the barn.

The biggest mistake on the first coop was using rough cut green lumber thinking I would save money. Every piece was a little different and needed a custom cut and fit. When I checked later I found I could get the same thing in finished lumber for the same price. It's amazing how easily things go together when you use clean straight lumber to start with.

Here is a link to how the duck hutch was put together with pictures and instructions that I entered into the coop contest on this site. Yes, I tied for first prize with it. The instructions are written for a beginner and may help you understand how to build your own coop. https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/scrap-duck-hut

Sorry for the long post, but I know how frustrating it is to think you can't do something yourself, and I know you can.

 

[rancher hicks]

Oh no, we are crazy. Just not the scary creepy dirty coop with starving birds type of crazy. We are more the sell birds at just enough over cost to raise so we can keep fresh in the fridge of our friends and still feed ourselves. By today's standards we are crazy simply because we are not out for profit. I vote to feed those we can for as little money as possible, in fact one of our "customers " won't be paying money at all, she will be paying in fruit from her property. One will be paying with work on our property. I'm not greedy well all need help and we all need food. Why not trade one for the other. That's why most consider me crazy, because I barter.

Honestly why not barter though? Rancher your a bit older than I am so your body doesn't hold out to the cold as well as mine. I'm a busy mom of 5 who always needs something to keep the kids busy. You have piles of debris on your property my kids could clean up to save you the work, you grow fresh vegetables and have fresh eggs that could save on my grocery bill. Just an example, sadly you are way to far for my to trade my time for your veggies. If you were closer though that's what we do. I have a lady who loves our eggs that makes the best bread, so sketch gives me a loaf of bread for a dozen eggs. Works out great for both.

So yes we might be a bit crazy in the fact that money only gets a person so far, but loyalty and friends get you the rest of the way.

I'm slowly giving up my chickens in favor of travel to see my grandkids. I am selling hatching eggs while I have them though, and hatching some just to keep busy.

I have Delaware, Marsh Daisies, Birchen Marans, EE's (split roo over lavender and blue hens) and Olive eggers. I also have some Frizzles that are laying but not sure how fertile Buckwheat and Frenchy's egg are. They will eventually go. Well Frenchy and Buckwheat will stay til the go to heaven I expect. At 7 and 8 they're seniors for sure.

 

[rancher hicks]

Thanks guys. I am trying to avoid prying the boards off. I can picture myself gouging out bits of my hands with whatever I'm using to to do that. I'm quite close to a Home Depot, and I suppose I will need to buy and cut at least four pieces of wood for the corners, and they can help me with that. I will try to pick nice, sound pallets. There's a place close by me that gives them away. I'm thinking I could make a rough box with them and staple hardware cloth to the insides. Roof will be slightly sloped, so whatever openings resulting under that, I would cover also. The door will be tricky!

Get yourself a nice pry bar and hammer. There are some long ones that won't require you to get your hand too close to the work.

​

This Bosch tool will slide under the board and cut the nails so there'll be no prying. Cordless and you can cut the boards off right at the location you're picking up the pallets.

 

[Purpletie3]

I want to encourage those of you who say you have no carpentry skills to learn

I retired three years ago and taught myself how to build things. I'm a senior citizen and only 5'3" and my current project is a 30X32 horse barn that I am building by myself. My daughter helps once i a while to lift things that are
Here is the first build of a 12X8 coop with his help, showing me how to do things.



The next coop I did on my own by starting with a single 6X6 coop on one end and a closed run. The entire thing is 6X16. The next year I closed in the other end for another 6X6 coop with a feed area in the middle.

WAY TO GO!!!! Rock on, Sister! You have to be incredibly proud of these beautiful builds! Nice job. I am sure you have a happy happy flock too!

 

[Beer can]

Yeah, looks nice horsekeeper.
I actually had no carpentry experience before I built my 24×28' garage. Just got a couple books from the library and read online. Built it 100% myself, even made my own rafters. Don't ask me what pitch the roof is, couldn't figure out the rafter square, so I just went with hight and angles that worked. Wife didn't want me to buy the air nailers and compressor. Kinda hard to hold boards, hold a nail, and swing a hammer at the same time by yourself. Got a good deal on them at Home Depot, on sale. Campbell Hausfeld, framing, finish, brad nailer stapler, pin, palm, $250. Only put one nail in my finger so far, glancing blow, small cut. They come in handy, garage, complete remodel of kitchen and bathroom. Palm nailer really handy. Used the pin nailer many times, just fixed my boy's wood toy barn hinge, glue and pin nailed it for xtra reinforcement.

 

[Gramma Chick]

To those looking to build a coop. I really like the garden coop website. I built the basic coop. At first I had some help from DH because I'm was terrified of power tools, even power screwdrivers. He cut the wood for me but I put it all together. The instructions I got from the garden coop site are to a T and easy to follow. I enjoyed building the coop so much that I started to build more to sell, with permission. I am also now building brooders. I grew impatient waiting for DH to cut wood for me and learned how to use the circular saw and am no longer afraid of tools. I still have the hardware store do as many cuts as I can just so I can fit the materials in my car. Also having your own power tools will help. Lighter ones work better for me. Also check out Anna white for free plans. She as a few coops and a barn style greenhouse that I love, but the plan are not exactly step by step. Hope this helps.

You can buy basic plans for coops
http://www.thegardencoop.com/
forgot
seen this on Craigs list 200.00 New unassembled a nice start ..would have to be made more secure


https://syracuse.craigslist.org/grd/5486267079.html

 

[Gramma Chick]

I want to encourage those of you who say you have no carpentry skills to learn

Sorry for the long post, but I know how frustrating it is to think you can't do something yourself, and I know you can.

Great Post ! No need to apologize..