Over build, over budget, build

[Starlord]

Well I spent part of the day shortening the side walls after making them to tall lol.

It was fairly easy to make the walls it was just framing them. The side walls are 8 foot with a 2x4 every 2 feet on center. The door end is 6 foot wide and I made a 2 foot wide door maybe should have done 3 foot but we will see. Started to prime it but once again ran out this now makes 4 one gallon cans but don't think I will need a 4th lol.

My normal day job (orchard managment almonds and pistachio) has going to my local ace hardware/ irrigation suply weekly so I know most of the workers well. I guess they have been going through 3" pvc like crazy lots of people are using it for auto chicken feeders they said.

 

[Starlord]

I finished painting the run other than a few small touch up spots. I started attaching hardware cloth to the run its slow going im doing 1" screws every 6 inch at max some spots a lot closer I was going for feel over looks. I hope to be able to let them in to the run tomorrow I have had a few down days with work and family obligations.
I have to hit up tractor supply for more washers I have alredy used like 350. I think once im done with this coop im going to give out a list of tips and tricks

Thinking of putting in a few ramps and a roosting bar up in the monitor roof part as we have had at least one bird up on the framing boreds.

The first one is tractor supply has by far the cheapest washers at 3.98 per pound and like 200+ washers per pound. Lowes had 100 washers for like 13$.
Don't use 2x4 when 2x3's will work just fine.
Splurging the extra on the 16 gauge vinyl coated hardware well worth it in my opinion it's looking amazing in my opinion.

 

[3KillerBs]

I have to hit up tractor supply for more washers I have alredy used like 350. I think once im done with this coop im going to give out a list of tips and tricks

We found that we could buy a bulk pack of 3 times the number of washers we needed for just a couple dollars more than the small one so we bought the big one, assuming that there would be more wire and more washers in our future.

A Tips and Tricks article would be a great idea.

 

[Starlord]

Spent way more time than I should have making and attaching the human door. Got all the big pieces of hardware cloth attached I just need to put some on the doors and the long side at back under the coop. I may need to make a brace a 6 foot run of hardware cloth may be vulnerable to predators.

Still have a lot to do including a roof lmao! Also how to attach the run to the coop.

To do:
1. Finish trimming out the hen house
2. Roof the run
3. Hardware cloth the door and back of hen house
4. Predator apron around bottom
5. Add high up roosting bar and ramp in hen house
6. Make auto feeder and auto watter
7. Figure out how to attach the run to the hen house

 

[3KillerBs]

This is a really beautiful project.

 

[Starlord]

This is a really beautiful project.

Thank you it means a lot!

 

[RoyalChick]

I finished painting the run other than a few small touch up spots. I started attaching hardware cloth to the run its slow going im doing 1" screws every 6 inch at max some spots a lot closer I was going for feel over looks. I hope to be able to let them in to the run tomorrow I have had a few down days with work and family obligations.
I have to hit up tractor supply for more washers I have alredy used like 350. I think once im done with this coop im going to give out a list of tips and tricks

Thinking of putting in a few ramps and a roosting bar up in the monitor roof part as we have had at least one bird up on the framing boreds.

The first one is tractor supply has by far the cheapest washers at 3.98 per pound and like 200+ washers per pound. Lowes had 100 washers for like 13$.
Don't use 2x4 when 2x3's will work just fine.
Splurging the extra on the 16 gauge vinyl coated hardware well worth it in my opinion it's looking amazing in my opinion.

It really is lovely! I agree with you on the vinyl coated hardware cloth - it looks great.
I think a tips and tricks thread woud be great. I certainly learned a lot the hard way particuarly about hardware cloth which is just not the easiest material to work with.

 

[Starlord]

It really is lovely! I agree with you on the vinyl coated hardware cloth - it looks great.
I think a tips and tricks thread woud be great. I certainly learned a lot the hard way particuarly about hardware cloth which is just not the easiest material to work with.

NO hardware cloth is not the easiest to work with! I got a 4 foot wide roll knowing a lot of my walls would be 8 foot. I wish I would have gone with 2 foot wide. It is kind of hard just working with something so large and I did not have a single peice with out a little extra wave in it.
On the hardware cloth if you can do 2 feet wide I 100% would. I would go back if I could. I think most coops would want a 2 or 3 foot max suport to keep out bigger predators but every one's design is different.

 

[MACCanadianCoop]

NO hardware cloth is not the easiest to work with! I got a 4 foot wide roll knowing a lot of my walls would be 8 foot. I wish I would have gone with 2 foot wide. It is kind of hard just working with something so large and I did not have a single peice with out a little extra wave in it.
On the hardware cloth if you can do 2 feet wide I 100% would. I would go back if I could. I think most coops would want a 2 or 3 foot max suport to keep out bigger predators but every one's design is different.

Dumb question, but how do you join the pieces of hardware cloth to each other? Or do you just overlap enough that joining isn't required?

 

[RoyalChick]

NO hardware cloth is not the easiest to work with! I got a 4 foot wide roll knowing a lot of my walls would be 8 foot. I wish I would have gone with 2 foot wide. It is kind of hard just working with something so large and I did not have a single peice with out a little extra wave in it.
On the hardware cloth if you can do 2 feet wide I 100% would. I would go back if I could. I think most coops would want a 2 or 3 foot max suport to keep out bigger predators but every one's design is different.

Yes! I wrestled with 4’ wide too.
If I had known I would have designed for 2’. Though I do love my finished result it was hell on earth getting there!