post your chicken coop pictures here!

[ShrekDawg]

Got some pallets. all the ones in the big pile though were too big. but I may come back eventually with the huge vehicle and get some. Though I think the ones we have are good. My dad thought the one is a "premade chicken coop" and it is really nice but it's far too small for 9 adults but may make a good brooder and/or as adults we can connect two. Although my dad seems to think full sized adults can fit through those holes to go into any added on section lol he wouldn't let me get the one inside the crate but I made him anyway because it's like the best wood there and was way lighter than the others. I don't think we really got that many to build the coop though. We really should get more but he might not take me back so idk. Anyway, I think we got a lot or a good amount. Who knows though.


I'll post the pictures soon, on data now

 

[ShrekDawg]

^^ this one was particle board.

Half to show these awesome things (wish we could take em lol) and half to show awesome sky aha

 

[perchie.girl]

^^ this one was particle board.

Half to show these awesome things (wish we could take em lol) and half to show awesome sky aha

BEST pallets I get come from sheet metal shops.... six to ten feet long and with stout four by fours running the length.

Good Score....

Another good source for materials are Garage door replacement companies. Were talking eight by sixteen or eight by eight doors often made with half inch ply wood. IN decent but shabby shape they can bet stood up or put on a roof (no snow load) Or split in half length wise and used as is.

Often times they will give them away

deb

 

[ShrekDawg]

BEST pallets I get come from sheet metal shops....  six to ten feet long and with stout four by fours running the length.  

Good Score....

Another good source for materials are Garage door replacement companies.  Were talking eight by sixteen or eight by eight doors often made with half inch ply wood.  IN decent but shabby shape they can bet stood up or put on a roof  (no snow load)  Or split in half length wise and used as is.

Often times they will give them away

deb

I'm not sure we have any of those places around here I'm sure we probably do though, I'll have to look around.

Thanks.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Oh and the ones on the bottom came from I think a discount store and the premade ones were outside a tile shop. Both the same plaza.

 

[smcgill]

I'm not sure we have any of those places around here

I'm sure we probably do though, I'll have to look around.

Thanks.

Try company's that sell / deal in plastic. Like a tub resurfacing co.

 

[bruceha2000]

I finally decided to finish the roof on my run. I had it half done in 2x4 welded wire but didn't like the look at all, and couldn't motivate myself to finish something I didn't like. The Easter Egger girls could launch straight up and out now, so yesterday I talked to my wife about corrugated steel vs lattice, and we (she) decided on lattice. Off to Lowe's yesterday afternoon, and I redid the whole thing in about 2 hours. I LOVE it, and my wife is happy, so that's great. I think it turned out way better than corrugated steel would have, and it won't hold snow as bad.



We may plant some grape vines around the outside to help offer some additional shade (and perhaps drop some tasty morsels to the girls) in the summer.

The lattice won't hold as much snow as corrugated steel in two ways:

1. The lattice has holes so the snow can fall through
2. The lattice isn't NEARLY as strong as corrugated steel and what snow does stay on it could be a problem. If you get wet snow, it might build up on top and even cover the holes in the lattice. Just be prepared to figure out a way to get the snow load off if it happens.

You might want to cover the half closest to the coop with a tarp so they have an "outside the coop" area that is dry. Or, if you have lots of money

, Lexan or plexiglass sheets which will serve the same purpose but be more attractive.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Try company's that sell / deal in plastic. Like a tub resurfacing co.

That sounds like it might be a good idea, I'll have to check around

 

[ksguy]

The lattice won't hold as much snow as corrugated steel in two ways:

1. The lattice has holes so the snow can fall through
2. The lattice isn't NEARLY as strong as corrugated steel and what snow does stay on it could be a problem. If you get wet snow, it might build up on top and even cover the holes in the lattice. Just be prepared to figure out a way to get the snow load off if it happens.

You might want to cover the half closest to the coop with a tarp so they have an "outside the coop" area that is dry. Or, if you have lots of money

, Lexan or plexiglass sheets which will serve the same purpose but be more attractive.

Sorry for dropping a novel into the middle of this thread. . .

I had to balance pros and cons of each. The run is 16x16, and as you can see the run's roof pitch is so shallow it qualifies as a flat roof (I considered trusses and a higher pitch but but they were cost prohibitive). Steel is not only heavier but would hold ALL snow, so it would really get heavy fast, and I wanted to minimize support posts inside the run, and minimize beam size to save cost. You can see I have one steel post (recycled flagpole) in the center, now set into a concrete footing (concrete wasn't under the pole until Monday night, right after I took the pictures). The weight consideration made me leery of steel. The benefit was complete dryness (other than runoff coming through) and better shade in the summer. Downsides are the total shade would guarantee no grass growth, and I was concerned about wind lift forces on the steel as the run is in a fairly open area with no nearby windbreaks, and summer thunderstorms here in NE Kansas can pack some major winds.

The benefit of the lattice we felt was it is way more decorative, and allows some sunlight through so it won't be a given that the run will be a barren wasteland (chickens free range enough that I don't think they'll completely kill everything in there). Plus its initial weight is less and will accumulate less snow, allowing me to keep support posts to a minimum, and the holes will allow wind to pass through and minimize lift forces in extreme winds. However, I do have concerns about overall snow load in the event we do get some heavy stuff or enough snow that it covers the holes and really accumulates, but I can rig a snow rake easy enough that I'm not super worried. Typically we only get 6-8" max at a time around here, so I think the strength is sufficient for our average snowfall of 2-5" in a given snow storm. A freak ice storm, though, and all bets are off. For reference, each open square in the roof is 4'x4'.

On another note, a guy nearby is tearing down a huge old dairy barn, and is selling the corrugated steel super cheap. I'm picking some up to install on the north end of the run (right side in that picture) as a windbreak for winter, and I'm kicking around the idea of getting a little extra to set up a small lean-to inside the run for some outside "inside" space, if that makes sense.

 

[perchie.girl]

Quote:
Another way to provide a wind break is to stack straw bales to block the wind.

I live in the land of wind.... LOL. and get about seventy two hours worth of snow so have used tarps now for about ten years. They last about a season and have to be replaced.... you are right not only do you have to provide structural support for the snow load but you also have to provide ground attachment to keep the whole thing from becoming airborn. Ask my horse.... ONe morning after a wind storm I went out and she was standing in the middle of a SEA of leggs and tarps wiggling one leg with her lip... When she saw me it was like.... "What... !"

she now has an engineered shelter rated for 100 mile winds and snow loading twice what is required for our area...

But with all that my next coop will have tin...

deb