What's the absolute easiest way to make a run?

[Germaine_11.20]

Quote:
I think I could make that! I am no carpenter so can you explain how you got the bottom long piece that long. The 2x4's are only about 96" and that is longer than that. How did you attach them so that they stay together?

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

Quote:
I think I could make that! I am no carpenter so can you explain how you got the bottom long piece that long. The 2x4's are only about 96" and that is longer than that. How did you attach them so that they stay together?

Mine is 18 ft long and 12 ft wide
There's one 12 ft piece and one 6 ft piece

If you look very closely at the second stud to the left from the closest corner, you can see there are actually 2 studs there, nailed together. they are nailed flush with the ends of the top and bottom pieces.

I took the picture before it was completely finished. I will be adding a couple of pieces across the width at the top to hold the 12 ft spacing


This is the old one right beside the new addition.
You can see the one horizontal brace across the center
What you can't see are a couple of diagonal braces in the outside corners

I never plan to move mine , since the first coop has been there at least 85 years, but it could be built in smaller sections and put together with screws so it could easily be taken down and set up in another location

It's also MUCH easier to put on the wire with it on the ground.
Just unroll a section. flip it with the "bow" up, and walk on it while bending until you get it as flat as possible.
Then start attaching it at a corner and keep it even as you go.
Just make sure the wall is square before you start fastening the wire

I did the entire thing (coop and all) by myself in less than a week

 

[Germaine_11.20]

Let me say that you are brilliant!!!!! My brain just doesn't work that way--I always seem to do it the wrong way at least several times. Then it sinks in.

That helped me tremendously, thank you. And it solved a problem that I have been tossing around in my head of how to make it easier to get the old poop out of the runs. Rather than a shovel and my back, I could use screws as you said and just take the walls down every couple years, scoop it out with the tractor and scoop fresh dirt in-or sand.

Wow... thank you again.

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

I could use screws as you said and just take the walls down every couple years, scoop it out with the tractor and scoop fresh dirt in-or sand.

If you plan to take it apart, use hex head lag screws with washers to keep the heads from pulling into the wood
The regular Phillips head screws don't hold up as well .
They are meant more to be put in and left in
(Don't ask me how I know)

And an electric drill (with a cord) with a socket will run them right in
Cordless drills won't have teh power to do very many screws before the battery gets weak​

 

[Germaine_11.20]

I am so happy you posted this! And thank you for helping me understand in laymans terms. Even if I don't know what a hex head with lag screws are-- Home Depot will!