Tips/help for wiring open gables *ADDED PICS*

[Blue Hill Farm]

Our first coop building project is slowly but surely progressing (framed, sheathed, and roofed with hubby's help in 3 long, HOT, days....

) but I've run into a wee problem: predator proofing via wiring the open gables is a real PITA! A very necessary step, but geez, I must be going about it the hard way. lol

I'm using 1 inch poultry wire (going to reinforce with hardware cloth when next go to city) and trying to staple/nail it to the roof frame and sheathing. Well, the wire is NOT cooperating and my poor arms bare the evidence. My question to you, is there an easier way?!! I need to get this done asap so hubby can vinyl side.

PS, the coop is 8x6 and will have two opening windows in the south wall, a large vent above the man door in the north wall, as well open gables all along the back and two in the front.


eta pics:

The gables

Back view...not much overhang makes it hard to work under (oops)

Front view...I'm only going to wire two gables and fill in the rest. DH was worried that if we left the whole thing open the roof might become a wind sail. Uh, not good!

 

[giasmom]

Happen to have a pic? ( if I can see it I can help)

 

[Blue Hill Farm]

Ah man, I knew I should have taken some pics today!

Well seeing as its nearly 1 am and pitch black outside, I'm gonna have to wait for morning. Pictures will be forthcoming!

 

[River Lizard]

What comes to my mind is this:

Cut a 1" x 2" board, prime and paint it for use later.
Measure the length of the side you're working on, then measure the gable length and the end of the gable. Once you have the overall length and width needed, cut your wire lay it flat on the ground and bend about 1-1/4" down one side of the wire. Next (you'll need 2 sets of hands on this) hold it up so the 1-1/4" is running down the wall, now nail the 1" x 2" board over the top of the wire, make sure the board is pushed up tight against the gable. Once you have the board nailed on over the wire you can pull the wire to the end of the gable and nail it in place, do this all the way down the gable and then bend the wire to cover the ends of the gable and nail them. (does that make sense?)
You would be covering the whole gable area with wire vs doing each pocket between the rafter boards.

 

[d1]

Quote:
I have some construction/mechanical abalities in and that started out confusing the crap out of me

however afetr reading this part I unsderstand it.......just wish I/you/sombody had some pics to just what you are talking about

 

[Slywoody]

It's really hard to explain, just writing it out. If you seen a pic or a small drawing it would look as easy as falling off a log.

I'm no good on puter or i could post a drawing. Hang in there, i'm sure help is on the way. How about this: You want to box in the whole soffit from the wall to the top of the rafter ends with the wire.

 

[patandchickens]

Unless you gotta get chickens in there *now* and ventilation will be seriously deficient without the gables being open, I'd strongly suggest NOT DOING IT NOW, rather wait til you can get hardwarecloth. Otherwise you are going to have to do the whole darn thing TWICE and get twice the wire cuts all over your arms. Once you've doubled them, the chickenwire will be doing no good whatsoever. So, just wait til you can do it once and for all with hardwarecloth, if possible.

You're talking about the sort of triangle shaped parts atop the gable walls, yes? Easiest thing is to make a paper or cardboard pattern, making sure it fits correctly and has enough overlap to allow hardwarecloth attachment, then trace it onto your hardwarecloth. MUCH easier than trying to cut it in place.

Or are you talking about the spaces between rafters atop the other two walls? For that, you can sometimes do the whole thing with a single piece of hardwarecloth by putting it on the *outside*, under and around the exposed ends of the rafter tails. (Make sure it is super well screwed in if you do this, as it is inherently a slightly weaker installation). Or, cut individual pieces to fit between the rafters with enough extra for attachment, and put them in individually.

Good luck,

Pat

 

[Blue Hill Farm]

River Lizard, I think I get what you're saying and I like it!

Using the 1x4 will help to hold/mold the wire in place. When DH finally gets out of bed, I'll run it by him and see if he computes.

Slywoody, yes! That is exactly what I want to do.

Patandchickens, I will/plan on having my chickens in there as soon as we can get it complete. Right now they are in the back porch of our house and we need them out! lol I know hardware cloth is the better choice, but our small town Co-op doesn't carry it so I'm waiting until the next city trip. And no, I was talking about the roof spaces, not the end gables. Sorry to be confusing. I added pics to visually help.

Thanks everyone!

 

[Country4ever]

I agree about the hardware cloth. I think it would be easier to mold too. You can do it in sections, and just overlap it (which would be easier).
Just wear leather gloves and long sleeves! Hardware cloth is even worse on the skin than chickenwire. And protect your eyes!
Also.......you might consider closing that area off with wood and putting in those round vents. You just use a hole-maker attachment on your drill and pop those vents in. Of course, you will get much more ventilation with the hardware cloth. Just remember to occasionally brush it well or use a leaf vac to blow out the debris that might fill it up.

P.S. Here's another tip (and maybe someone has already suggested it).....instead of having to staple everything every few inches, you can just put a strip of wood (like a long piece of 1x2 over the entire edge of the wire, and it will be covered up and held in place, and use wood screws to attach it to the coop overhang wood. That way, if you ever want to change/replace the wire, you will just unscrew that piece of wood, and undo a few staples, instead of tons of staples.

Also.........since I used so many nails/screws/staples/wire on my coop, I bought a magnet on wheels and always go over the area after working on it, since I don't want the chickens to eat any of those things. Its a great tool.

 

[CityChook]

I would wait and put in the hardware wire. Keep your chooks inside where it's safe and make your city trip a priority. No sense in doing this twice - besides, chicken wire will NOT keep your babies safe and will just end up making you yell 4 letter words.

Cut the hardware wire (I'd get 1/4 or 1/2 inch for the soffets) flush to the soffet edges with a 4 inch overhang on the downward wall side. Fold it where the seam to the wall will be. Starting at the corners, use screws and washers to secure it to your 2x4s and the exterior wall. This will hold it in place and make your work easier. Work your way across. Side over the top of the 4 inch overhang.