1x4 instead of 2x4?

[Wing Feathers]

I'm going to be rebuilding my coop pretty soon and I have a question. Would it be possible to use 1x4 boards instead of 2x4s for a coop that will be 10` long by 4` wide? Me and my family are planning on moving sometime within the next year and I'm looking to knock some weight off the coop so it would be easier to move. I'm worried that the 1x4 boards would warp, though. Any thoughts?

 

[Egghead_Jr]

Why not 2x2''s for wall frames? For floor joist and roof you should use 2x3's for load bearing. I'm confused why folks use the more expensive and heavier 2x4's to frame buildings smaller than a tool shed.

 

[4 the Birds]

2x2's would be fine for small coop but I would use 2x4's for a coop that is 10 ft x 4 ft. Moving a 10x4 coop will not be an easy task! It will be very heavy. I would frame in some walls with a simple slant roof that can taken apart in sections. It will be far easier to move 4 wall sections and a couple roof sections. If you move the entire thing assembled then it will need to be well built or it will fall apart in the move. Just my 2 cents worth.

 

[3KillerBs]

@ Egghead Jr,

My family does it because they build everything for eternity -- figuring to build it once to last forever rather than rebuild it over and over. If it won't stand for a minimum of 20 years they figure its not worth bothering. This can be a good trait -- my late brother-in-law was the lead engineer on the rebuild of a major city airport and you want a significant degree of over-engineering on that.

@ Wing Feathers,

If you mean to move it intact you will find it more likely to be successful if the coop is strongly-built than if its lightly-built. Yes, it will be heavier and more awkward, but the stress of moving the building makes it likely that a less-sturdy structure will simply collapse because it won't be able to resist diagonal forces tearing the corners apart.

For ease of disassembly bolt the sections together rather than just screw them together. If you must use screws use smaller, thinner screws the first time and plan to replace them with longer, thicker screws when reassembled.

 

[NightHawk123]

If you plan to move soon I would not build at this time. If you move to NC I'll help you build a cheap coop that will last for ever. 2x3 work really good for a small coop. Most of the time if you use smaller lumber you will spend more money trying to support the structure. I would not use 1x4 in place of 2x4 tho.

 

[ivan3]

I'm with the some disassembly/reassembly required, school. A well designed coop is one that can be easily redesigned/reconfigured. If temp roosts are a necessity, then mount with shelf brackets to ends of roosts then to wall framing (wood screws over washers)..

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

Use 2 X 4's, but build it in sections so it can be disassembled easily and laid flat for transport.
Use HEX HEAD screws and it will come apart more easily

 

[Joe Prepper]

I saw a youtube video of a guy using 2x2 scrap wood and it turned out nice. I think if you are going to add wood siding to help with the structural integrity then you should be good.
I will try and find the video.

 

[Joe Prepper]

Found it. Framed with 2x2's.
This guy is a carpenter.

 

[aggiemae]

Our coop, 90% reclaimed/recycled, is very similar to the one in the above video.

Because we built most of it out of reclaimed components we used 2x2s and wooden shipping crates for our 4' W X 7' L X 5' H coop and it's extremely sturdy. It's on stilts for easy cleaning and the space under it is a part of the 7X10 run. I built a base using 2x4's with 4x4' legs and the removable coop sits on top of it. It's not exactly portable but it can be moved assembled if necessary and can come apart into six panels.

We have had as many as eight but currently have four hens. They have a 7" long roost but all squished into 18" on one side.