Total newbies - build thread

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Myv8growler

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Re: Total newbies - build thread
« Reply #15 on: April 10, 2012, 20:56 »
Wow myv8growler - you work fast!
It's looking good.


I'm suffering for it now!

Day off tomorrow then off to get some wood.
I'm gonna go for an outdoor, heat treated wood.

Question for all?
What's the best roofing to use, I have read all about the redmite!
What's the best mesh or wire to use?

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devonbarmygardener

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Re: Total newbies - build thread
« Reply #16 on: April 10, 2012, 21:07 »
We have a wooden roof covered with a waterproof membrane and corrugated plastic type stuff.

The mesh was really quite small - like less than an inch sized hole and we used the green covered mesh and just stapled that to the wood frame.

The inital frame for the pen was built out of those big 6 ft tall metal gate type things you see around building sites - they were buried in the ground - wod frame around that, then the fine chicken mesh.

It looks quite secure - there were footprints on our nest boxes (which stick out a bit further from the rest of the coop) and these footprints had to be cat I would think - there are 2 cats that roam around the site when they think no-one is about although, they did look a bit pointy for cat paws (having 2 moglets myself - their feet are rounder so it could have been a fox sniffing about, but the hens were safe inside by that point.

The girls keep digging right next to the fences so make sure you put some of the wire mesh underground to stop foxes etc digging in under. I keep telling them they're helping their predators but they don't listen. I go about filling the holes back in!!

Hope some of that helps!

Emma

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Myv8growler

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Re: Total newbies - build thread
« Reply #17 on: April 10, 2012, 21:17 »
Hi Emma thanks for the tips.

I have dug 10" foundations filled with rocks and concrete, so any fox will have to have some mole DNA to burrow underneath!

Some people seem to have used polycarbonate roofing, but I would have thought this would be really hot in the sunshine. I might use some form of opake corrugated plastic, but I want it to look good as well as be functional.

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Myv8growler

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Re: Total newbies - build thread
« Reply #18 on: April 15, 2012, 01:18 »
Right. After a good start, rain has stopped play.
However I had some time today between showers to get cracking. 

Managed to get the frames built for the run. It's gonna be aprox 3m x 1.3m



Got the base for the coop ready, which will have the coop 0.5m raised off the ground.
Plenty of room for the bantams to play around underneath. The basic frame for the hotel sized chicken house is in this photo too.



This next one is just a basic visualisation of the space our 4 birds will have. Not bad me thinks.



Part of the wood purchase was some tongue and groove which I had the task of attaching.
However, today I went out without the wife and purchased a TacWise 191EL Pro electric nail and staple gun. For all the blokes out there (and girls that like power tools) you have to have one.
Made this last part for today take no time at all............



I would of had the roof on today but I stupidly attached the panels to the frame the wrong way, which I will fix tomorrow.
Weather permitting, it should be nearly finished tomorrow. My new gun came with 4000 nails and staples so who knows what I will attach together by the end of the day!!!


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devonbarmygardener

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Re: Total newbies - build thread
« Reply #19 on: April 15, 2012, 07:25 »
Great progress! ;)

Have fun with your 'new toy' as well but caution - you have heard about the American who managed to shoot himself in the chest with a nail gun.

As a nurse, I don't recommend it! :D

Emma

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Myv8growler

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Re: Total newbies - build thread
« Reply #20 on: April 15, 2012, 23:30 »
Been out today in the ever changing weather.

Got the front door sorted,





Got the font tidied up after sorting a perch, and the frame for the egg box which will be completely removable.



Got the egg box walls done.



I have done a roof, and roofed the egg box but not got pics yet.
Only problem is its now too heavy for the frame base which I will have to reinforce!



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Myv8growler

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Re: Total newbies - build thread
« Reply #21 on: April 21, 2012, 21:53 »
Some horrible weather has slowed things down, and back to work this week.
However I have been out at it all day today in between the heavy rain showers and have managed some good progress.

Here are some pics of the roof for the coop before I tidied it up



Decided to strengthen the base for the coop substantially before I attach it all!





Got the base all covered in chicken wire leaving space for the birds to run around underneath.




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Myv8growler

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Re: Total newbies - build thread
« Reply #22 on: April 21, 2012, 21:57 »
Got the coop on its base and propped the run against it for a mock up.





Got some of the sides penned in with wire and attached together. And put a metre of roofing in the run for a bit of outdoor shelter.





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Myv8growler

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Re: Total newbies - build thread
« Reply #23 on: April 21, 2012, 22:00 »
Roof all trimmed, all mesh attached, door frame built and strengthened.

Hinges and locks attached.





Just need to finally paint the last few bits of wood, and tweak a couple of bits in the egg box.

Ready for some birds.

:)

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nerdle

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Re: Total newbies - build thread
« Reply #24 on: April 22, 2012, 05:48 »
Wow - you've done a great job!

I'm not sure but when I did my research I was advised weld mesh is the only fox proof mesh - I suspect a fox could claw through your chicken wire in moments.  The most vulnerable part is the bottom if this film is anything to go on.....

I got the stuff coated with green upvc - its hardly visible and doesn't make my garden look like a concentration camp!

crcHA_j30PQ
One grandma and 4 baby Pekins.

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amj

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Re: Total newbies - build thread
« Reply #25 on: April 22, 2012, 07:28 »
Wonderful build Myv8 but how on earth do you get into the house to clean it?

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Myv8growler

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Re: Total newbies - build thread
« Reply #26 on: April 22, 2012, 13:46 »
I have built it so the egg box on the side is a complete lift off, which gives the majority of the right hand side of the house to get into.

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Myv8growler

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Re: Total newbies - build thread
« Reply #27 on: April 22, 2012, 17:30 »
Like this


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amj

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Re: Total newbies - build thread
« Reply #28 on: April 22, 2012, 17:59 »
Very impressive ' a great idea ' it looks to me as if you have used a spare
length of your 1 1/4 square timber ? I think the girls would prefer at least
2" wide for their roost bar 'and rounded edges'
I think you have done a great job all over , you must be chuffed .

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joyfull

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Re: Total newbies - build thread
« Reply #29 on: April 22, 2012, 18:27 »
Well done so far but here are a few suggestions.
Sadly roofing felt provides a great hiding place for red mites to live and breed, ideally you ought to replace this with onduline or coroline.
As has already been pointed out the chicken wire is made for keeping chickens in but will not keep foxes out.
Are you fitting a pop hole door to prevent draughts?
Could you also drill some ventilation holes above the head height of your hens when perched? These wont be necessary if you use onduline etc for your roof as the ridges will provide this.
How many hens are you planning to keep in this space? If they are to be in there most of the time then they will need a minimum of 1 square metre of clear run space per bird and ideally 3 square metres each.
Staffies are softer than you think.



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