Vermont Chicken Coop Build Log

[MadChickensVT]

Quote:
2x6s ripped in half are even cheaper

Also the spacing is opened up a bit. I figure it'll be just fine since I'm putting 3/4" Advantech on them.

 

[KDK1]

What are the dimensions of your coop?

 

[MadChickensVT]

8'x12'

 

[KDK1]

Quote:
So basically your spanning 4' with 2 3/4" joists at 20" OC? I've never used advantech before but it is supposed to be stronger than regular ply. But with 2 3/4" joists it may still be a little springy.

 

[MadChickensVT]

Quote:
Yep

So far with my 215lbs jumping around on it things feel ok. There won't be much weight in it anyways.
http://www.advantechperforms.com/dare-to-compare/product-testing.aspx

 

[KDK1]

Quote:
Yep

So far with my jumping around on it things feel ok. There won't be much weight in it anyways.
http://www.advantechperforms.com/dare-to-compare/product-testing.aspx

Very true!

 

[KevinHanses]

Is that a pure bred shepherd?

I have a 1 1/2 y/o male shepherd that is my spoiled baby.

 

[MadChickensVT]

Quote:
Yep. We got him from Brown Hill Shepherds in Weare, NH. He was 2yo in July. He's my second Shepherd; my previous one was with me for 13 years. They're great dogs. He free ranges during the day with the chickens. Our neighbors have lost some hens to foxes but we haven't seen any sign of them.

 

[KevinHanses]

They are super smart dogs. My dad got one before I was born. He trained him to get beer out of the fridge (with closing the fridge door), in the garage.

My dad was also a mechanic and the dog drank some some antifreeze when I was 10.
I loved that dog so I finally decided to get one after I paid off the house and land.

 

[MadChickensVT]

Day 3

I managed to get in a few hours of work on the coop this evening. First I finished putting in the remaining floor joists. Then I put down the 1/2" hardware cloth. I'm paranoid about weasels so I'll be using this on most of the coop. I've seen mice chew right through walls and floors, leaving a nice hole for a weasel to get in and kill all our birds. I tied the sections of hardware cloth together with twisted loops of 16-guage galvanized wire every foot or less. I'll also be attaching the seams to the underside to help keep them closed. I overlapped the seams 3", which came out to be good spacing for 3 runs of 36" wide hardware cloth leaving 3" sticking out for later joining.

Next I put down the 3/4" Advantech. It got dark before I could finish screwing it down, that'll be for tomorrow.

Here's a pic of some of our birds in the yard. It's really looking like fall. Peak foliage will be in a couple-few weeks.