lessons to pass on for you build a coop

[jbowyer01]

Lesson #7 happened several times even after measuring twice. I still say the boards shrink after cutting them. I'll let you know about the paint tommorow.

 

[JennsPeeps]

Build the coop where it will "live". Wood is heavy and back surgery is expensive/painful.

 

[Sylvie]

Use screws because it's easier than removing nails.
I rebuilt my coop steps 4 times because:
1. I cut part wrong and had to trim off some
2. forgot I still had another part to trim
3. I have my people door opening out and it wouldn't clear the steps so off they came.
4. Still got it wrong and had to excavate where the steps rested.
Thank goodness for the portable screwdriver!

I put so many boards on and realized they were upside down, wrong side out or cut wrong. I think coop building is a stress test.

Don't try to work on the coop if you are really tired or it's getting dark.
My last advice is don't cut a lot of boards off one measurement. You won't save time, they won't all fit because a square building doesn't exist in real life.

 

[jonbanks]

me and my wife about beat each other building the coop. lol plenty of fighting went on, lol we both KNOW EVERYTHING lol

 

[mikefromnh]

Don't forget it will take at least twice as long as you thought to build it.

 

[Dixiedoodle]

We are building my coop right now, I agree with all of the list but I would say if you think it will take two months--add other 4 months of "JUST in case"!!

My list:
1. If you are in a sever drought- Have dh take two weeks vac..and start building a coop. You will have two hurricanes, two tropical storms, a nor'easter and several good ole thunderstorms come thru --over a 5month time frame.--usually on days off or more vacation days!!
2. If you say it'll cost 600$ to build it today and wait 4months to get the rest of your supplies/materials--the cost of things will have more than tripled..

3. Don't get so excited--contact every breeder in the state and find the perfect birds for you and pay for your chickens until you coop is COMPLETELY finished...because it's not fair for the breeder to hold them for 5-6-7months..

4. Don't freak if your 'Barn Red" paint looks hot pink before it dries---It will get darker and nicer as it dries...Dh almost had a heart attack when he drove down the drive and saw me painting my coop--- what He thought was plum purple!!

5. Fill and pack all the holes around the coop BEFORE you set up the scaffolding!!

 

[CityGirlintheCountry]

- a 2x4 dropped from overhead really hurts

- Chicken wire is a torture device no matter how many layers of clothing you might be wearing. You will look like you went 20 rounds with a room full of spiteful cats.

- 2x4s, 1x4s and 1x6s are not really 2"x4", 1"x4" or 1"x6". A 4x8 sheet of plywood really is 4'x8'. The lumber people like to screw with our heads.

- A drywall screw WILL puncture a riding lawnmower tire. A new lawnmower tire costs about $15 at Lowe's, but you'll spend twice that in gas due to the multiple trips needed to get the right size.

- it's worth the money to hire someone to bring over an auger to dig post holes. A one man auger actually takes two really beefy guys to handle appropriately. It takes nine years to dig the holes with a post hole digger and you will give up long before then.

- You will make 19 trips to Home Depot or Lowes to get all the parts you actually need to complete the coop, even though you had a comprehensive list the first time.

- if you build you coop in a visible location, 7.3 people will stop by everyday to ask what you are building and why (maybe this is just in my middle-of-nowhere location...)

- Should you slave long hours to build a lovely annex to your tiny coop to accomodate the number of extra chickens that surprisingly managed to survive their chickhood with you, the little brats will refuse to lay any eggs ever. Even though they now have three times the space they had originally and 5 extra lovely new nest boxes.

 

[mustangruss]

The one I found is this
Ouch theres a window there! ( on a bald head it hurts twice as much.)

 

[Heather J]

**Before you go to the expense of buying T-posts for fencing, make sure you can pound them in your yard (major rocks, no can do.)

**Before trying to use that one-man auger that really takes two, make sure it can handle the major rocks noted above.

**Just because someone says they will come put up the fence for you (for pay) doesn't mean he will find time between his job and the family farm to squeeze you in--just plan on doing it all yourself anyway, without a second person to help--just don't forget the sunblock and pain pills.

**I you just want to add a little coop, something inexpensive to house a few extra birds, plan on it costing ten times as much, taking ten times as long, and being way cooler when you finally finish two years later. (OK, so it will be ready to move my brooding chicks into in under two years, but waiting two weeks for dh and I to get our schedules to match for an hour is proving to be the norm. *sigh* Maybe these chicks will still be chicks when we finish.)

**Just because you had the tape measure/hammer/screw driver/nail gun/etc in your hand ten seconds ago doesn't mean you will be able to figure out where you put it.

 

[bearcat73]

These are great!!!