With a little help from my friends - New Coop Under Construction!

[texaschickmom]

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[gryeyes]

Today, Farmer Lew, Morgan7782 and I picked up the rest of the lumber, stair risers, a box o' framing nails, and miscellaneous hardware. The Master Builder began the work, even though the yard is uber-muddy after all the rains we've had lately. It's that slick-as-snot adobe mud, also mixed with you know what. So the first task was to lay down big sheets of cardboard from broken down boxes. The stairs needed to get built early on in the project.

We uprooted the Bottle Tree and I'll place it somewhere else once we're all done with the coop construction. That "dead" plant by the steps is an artichoke, just starting to sprout again; I am hoping I can save it from the chickens and let it cover the front part of the coop underside, for chicken protection (and harvesting 'chokes later).

First came the 2x4s for the bottoms of the wall framing. There must be a construction term for those, but I wasn't paying attention. (I just wanted to show off the steps, first.)

Farmer Lew, the Master Builder, measuring. He does that a whole lot.

We put the tarp back on the floor to reduce the chance of tracking mud onto the platform. Oh! When we pulled off the tarp (it had been there due to rain for the past millennia) early in the morning whilst we discussed coop features, it had a layer of ice frozen in the tarp billows. Not thin slivers, or hoarfrost, but a good eighth of an inch of ice! Nice tinkling sound as it fractured on the ground. Anyway, one side wall frame went up first.

More measuring and nailing wooden things to other wooden things.

Back wall framed.

I wanted a high window on one side wall. Framed!

Side wall with window now fully framed.

I snuck behind one of the butterfly bushes to snap this shot of Farmer Lew measuring for the front wall framing. I asked for a square window in the front wall, too.

Front wall all framed with the window frame I requested. And a can o' Diet Pepsi sitting on the sill.

It wouldn't be right to leave out chicken action during all this work. This is Kellogg's butt.

Gilda was a constant visitor.

Three of the junior roosters: Nugget in the foreground, Kellogg middle right, and either Frick or Frack sneaking up on a pullet at the waterer.

Wednesday, Farmer Lew and HHandbasket will come over while I'm at work and put up the walls, maybe even frame the gabled roof and cover it.

I am SO freakin' jazzed about this coop!!!!

 

[WyandotteTX]

I think the 2x4 at the bottom of a stud wall is called a kick plate. The one on the top of a stud wall is called the.....top plate.
I think these terms are correct....I knew all of my years of watching This Old House would pay off in the end

 

[WyandotteTX]

The coop looks good as well. Looks like Farmer Lew knows what he is doing.

 

[cochicks]

Looking good!

Gotta say: I am jealous of your weather! I'm so sick of the freezing temps!

 

[farmer_lew]

Quote:
The bottom 2x4 is called the bottom plate. The top 2x4 is called the top plate. A toe kick is the recessed area at the bottom of kitchen cabinets, and things like that. A kick plate is the big piece of sheet metal (silver or brass) sometimes seen at the base of a front door.

And, I like "This old house" too! "Holmes on Homes" and "Holmes Inspection" are really good programs, too. Very informative.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Wow looking good! so wanting one too! and what a nice plug for HGTV!!

 

[gsim]

Also top of wall framing is called 'header' and bottom is called 'base' or 'base plate'.

I like all of those programs too. Wish there was more about the nitty-gritty details sometimes tho. Always wanting to expand my knowledge so as to make home mtc that much easier.

gerry

 

[farmer_lew]

Quote:
Keeping in mind that there are different terms for the same thing depending on where you come from, to me a header is the heavy, reinforced framing over a door or window. I have heard the term base plate used in reference to the bottom plate of the wall frame, though.

I agree with you in wishing they would show more of the nitty gritty. A more step-by-step type of format, complete with explanations.

 

[HHandbasket]

What a nice coop you're getting, Linda! Wish *I* knew somebody who knew how to build coops like that.... hahahaha.