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

[farmer_lew]

Quote:
The corrugated roof panels come in different colors and last quite a while. They are a poly-based plastic, and are installed over an OSB roof using corrugated roof screws. This coop was built using 4 pressure treated 4x4 posts for the corners and 7 2x6s for the floor structure. I used joist hangers and lag screws to put the floor together. It is covered with 3/4 plywood. The rest of the construction was done with 8 foot 2x4s. I think that we got 45 of them. I'd have to check my notes to be sure. The roof gable is what is called a "6 on 12." That refers to the angle of the roof. In simple terms, for every 12 inches of run, there are 6 inches of rise. The total width of the stucture, from one side to the other is the span. Half the span is the run. Once you know the rise and run, you can figure the length of the rafters using Pythagorean's theorem, "A-squared + B-squared = C-squared." To be honest, I never thought I'd use algebra after high school!

The wall skins are 1/2 inch OSB. It took 6 4x8 sheets for the walls and 3 for the roof. Two of the OSB sheets will have to be ripped lengthwise, making 4 2x8s for the top half of the walls.

Tips: Caulk every seam to make sure water doesn't get in and prime/seal the exterior with Kilz as soon as you can. OSB can soak up a lot of moisture if left exposed. Also, get a carpenter's square. It will come in handy in the beginning to keep the structure square. I had to use an "old school" method when I built gryeyes' coop. It would have been easier with a carpenter's square. Also, a post level is most handy to keep the corner posts plumb and level. I STRONGLY recommend using a frame nailer for the construction. Makes nailing much easier and shaves a lot of time off construction.

PM me if you have any other questions. We are movng, so I will answer as quickly as I can.

~Farmer Lew

 

[gryeyes]

With the hiatus in construction (while HHandbasket and Farmer Lew get settled in their new digs), the chickens have been visiting the coop and a pair of BCMs - a cockerel and a lady friend who sticks by his side - were roosting in there in the nasty weather. They haven't been since the weather has gotten nice. I filled nest boxes with pine shavings, and there's been evidence of chicken testing them for suitability, but no eggs laid there.

Today, I ALMOST got it together to prime the interior, but got distracted by the nice day. I cleaned two of my other coops. In between, I took rest breaks sitting on the coop steps.

Carl came up to see what was going on with me.

Later, he took one of his daughters - Daughter2, quite a good lookin' pullet - into the coop and show her one of the nest boxes made from a dresser drawer.

Alex went into the coop and came out again. He stopped to study me closely on the way.

He's a pretty handsome little fella, isn't he?

Louie, my Cayuga drake (now a widower as his mate, Thelma was killed by a predator when she was brooding in a hidden nest), came up for some momma lovin'.

Tomorrow, I'm going visiting to see the Master Builder and his erstwhile helper to marvel at how well (almost) everybody is adapting to their new Paradise. I'll also be bringing home a Light Brahma that's not fitting in well with their flock. (They originally got her from me.)

 

[HHandbasket]

Carl is such a gorgeous roo! I think we have offspring from him and Daughter___ or Delilah... 2 of 'em. You'll have to take pics of them tomorrow when you come up & then post them so maybe we can ask if they're boys or girls. I'm thinking everything I've hatched lately is a boy.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I love all your roos and Alex is so beautiful, do all your roos hang out together? I have 2 father and son, and they get along fairly well they have 20 hens to help with that. So sorry about your duck being killed I hope you can find a mate for Louie.. he looks so sweet..