Trailer Coop Build (Pic heavy)

[aart]

Yes to same piece of wood as the floor.

@ColoradoPip was thinking of cutting from underneath. If possible I would carefully snap a chalk line and go slow with a circular saw; takes a pro to use a sawzall and cut a straight line.

Circular saw are far more dangerous....takes more of a pro IMO.

 

[Ted Brown]

Circular saw are far more dangerous....takes more of a pro IMO.

@aart is right a circular saw is more dangerous, I recently had one jump out of its cut because of a dull blade and I use one all the time.

Use the sawzall.

 

[ColoradoPip]

Thank you both for all of this great feedback! Today it is raining and supposed to snow ~6", so we're going to find out where things drip and soak...right now. I'm going to pay close attention!!

So last night in my couple of daylight hours I attached the nest box. It was the last thing to put on to enclose the trailer completely. With the snow coming I thought it would be good to keep the inside dry so I can get the floor in soon.

I didn't take as many pics but there are 3 rafters, playwood, purlins/strapping, and #30 felt.

Then I added the metal roof

And closed it all in

The outer/door panel (it is a lighter color because it's not the 3/4" plywood) is going to be a double door to access the eggs but I ran out of time.

 

[Ted Brown]

Reminds me of a brick s**thouse. Good job!!!

 

[ColoradoPip]

Well I'm not able to look at the floor today to assess what did or did not happen because leaving the soffits open proved to be a bad idea.

Soffit vents are on the list. I suppose I could just close them given all of the vents I can open. Hmm.

Going to take a few days for this to dry out, that's for sure!

 

[Ted Brown]

You are so lucky! You get to dry (sorry I could not help) run all the mistakes you made and fix 'em before they bite your a**.

 

[aart]

because leaving the soffits open proved to be a bad idea.

Odd that much snow would blow in....wind must have been just right.

 

[ColoradoPip]

@Ted Brown you have that right! That was my exact thought...thank god this didn't happen with chickens inside!!

@aart I think the combination of strong winds and the direction the trailer was facing contributed significantly. I should have turned the trailer . Snow still would have gotten in with the swirling and blowing winds but it wouldn't have been as bad. I'll take the lesson learned and fix it so this doesn't happen. In the summer we get 10 minute rain showers driven by wind and I can't always be here to turn the coop so I definitely need to address it.

Bet you can imagine my surprise when I opened the door to see that!! I expected nothing or water, not snow!

 

[Ted Brown]

Wind will drive snow into any open hole, work with your prevailing wind directions.

I have seen pictures of lots of coops with snow inside, I have had it myself. Once in a while does not hurt, it evaporates or melts and is gone.

 

[aart]

@aart I think the combination of strong winds and the direction the trailer was facing contributed significantly. I should have turned the trailer . Snow still would have gotten in with the swirling and blowing winds but it wouldn't have been as bad. I'll take the lesson learned and fix it so this doesn't happen. In the summer we get 10 minute rain showers driven by wind and I can't always be here to turn the coop so I definitely need to address it.

Putting up facia(in the plan?) might help significantly.