sn0wwhite's Wichita Coop for the Twin Cities

[sn0wwhite]

OMG, I just spent about $600 for most of what I will need to build a 5x10 Whichita Coop. That does not include the cost of the plan/materials list or the very small amount of lumber I have. I have a bunch of scraps from redoing our deck and if I had any skills whatsoever I could probably have saved a bunch and used them... but I'm a data geek. This is something completely new for me. So I pretty much used the material list like a shopping list and I'm going to stick to the plan. Except the house will be on the left not the right...

I will need to buy either Plexiglas or real glass to finish the windows and I may get some blackjack 75 for the house floor yet....

Wish me luck. I'm alternately excited and very, very afraid.

 

[aart]

Looking forward to watching your build here!

 

[sn0wwhite]

Thanks. With the help of a friend, we started digging the trench for the block foundation. Since it's raining this morning, I'll have to take pictures this afternoon.

In the meantime, I was looking at other people's Wichita Coop build threads online last night, and I want to save some links here for my own reference if I get stuck as I go along.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/loveland-wichita-knockoff

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...a-style-coop-build-with-youtube-documentation

And this one is flipped like I need to do.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/tuans-coop

This one has some nice close ups of the joints and connections:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/cottage-coop-de-ville

 

[sn0wwhite]

Here's the start for the foundation. Getting this level is one of the things I'm most nervous about so any leveling tips will be appreciated.

 

[aart]

Here's the start for the foundation. Getting this level is one of the things I'm most nervous about so any leveling tips will be appreciated.

A good 4 foot level...or longer if you can.
Or you can rig a tube level, jug of colored water and long clear tubing. Can be tricky to set up and learn to use, but work great.

 

[sn0wwhite]

Ok, I bought a 4 foot level (it looked like I was going to need a masters degree to figure out the water tube.), and the trench is as dug as it's going to get until the blocks arrive. Delivery tomorrow so I'll see what I can get done after work.

 

[stormrider1]

Looks like a good start.

 

[sn0wwhite]

Thank you. My fingers are crossed that I can get the base really level and solid so that the rest goes well. Supplies arrived this morning

 

[sn0wwhite]

Another reference link, thanks to stormrider1.
http://informationcupboard.com/25/

Got the supplies moved into the garage and staged for Daughter to paint and put 3 blocks in before it got dark.

 

[stormrider1]

sn0wwhite, do you plan to insulate your coop? I am 2 hours north in Brainerd, so our weather has got to be pretty close. After going back and forth I decided not to, but it should be easy to do later if I change my mind.