Restoring An Old Hen-house

[griffinkid02]

I have started on my next Chicken Project. There is an old henhouse on our property. It's probably been standing for 40-50 years. Made of old grey, rough cut hickory wood. For many years it was a hay barn when DD was using square bales. Then, when I was in highschool it was going to be a green house FFA project, before I simply never had time to finish it. For the last several years it has been a wasp and bumblebee resort, and home of the South's Healthiest Poison Ivy Tree, Esmerelda. The ivy managed to get in under the fiberglass wall and since I did manage to get one wall and the roof done in the greenhouse fiberglass it stays warm enough inside that at no point in the winter does the Ivy shed it's leaves..... It's HEALTHY. But, It SHALL be a chicken coop again:

This is what I started with:




This is Esmerelda, the above mention Poison Ivy Tree:

I say tree, because after 3 years of solid growth without having to take the winter off. She would remain standing if the rest of the building blew away tomorrow....

Here are some pics of what I have accomplished so far, this weekend:



And some of what I have left to go, before I can start repairing actual damage:

The back is where I'm going to have to do the most construction, however only siding is going to have to be replaces, all studs and rafters are solid and sound. and yes, that IS a pecan tree, and YES, it IS coming OUT of the wall. Not as bad as it looks though. I cut it down 3 years ago and never poisoned it. This time I won't NEED to poison it. I'm putting CHICKENS in with it, they'll just eat it to death, lol. Oh, yeah, and Esmerelda, there IS still Esmerelda to deal with... I don't suppose that chickens eat poison ivy with no ill effects do they? lol

 

[marlo1968]

Looks like you've got a lot of work ahead, but in the end it seems it will be a fantastic and roomy hen house....have fun and best wishes...try not to touch Esmerelda

 

[griffinkid02]

It will, there is something like 15 nest boxes along the one wall, two pop doors, still attached, still functional! I will have room to put up some dividers for storage, a couple of brooder pens for mama's to have some peace and still gossip with their lady friends, and I'm gonna fence in around it and use that covered shed section for run on 3 of the four sides. One of my questions though is concerning the old lumber siding, I LOVE that old grey look, but I also know that even though it's survived this long, I will be replacing lumber regularly if I don't' do SOMETHING to preserve it. What would the more experienced recommend for treating that older weathered lumber with?

 

[griffinkid02]

Also to give a fair idea of the age of this building, the foundation is NOT concrete or cinder block, it is flat, stacked river rock set with clay-mud.... I LOVE it, am checking it fully for strength as I clear the brush, though. As much as I enjoy the thought to the old building having survived to be revived, I will knock out a rotten stone and slap in a cinder block in a heartbeat it I need to, lol. I'm just so amazed at how well this thing was built to begin with that I'm seeing so little rot, but then being built out of hickory probably helped, bless me when I have to drive a nail into that stuff, lol.

 

[perchie.girl]

I have started on my next Chicken Project. There is an old henhouse on our property. It's probably been standing for 40-50 years. Made of old grey, rough cut hickory wood. For many years it was a hay barn when DD was using square bales. Then, when I was in highschool it was going to be a green house FFA project, before I simply never had time to finish it. For the last several years it has been a wasp and bumblebee resort, and home of the South's Healthiest Poison Ivy Tree, Esmerelda. The ivy managed to get in under the fiberglass wall and since I did manage to get one wall and the roof done in the greenhouse fiberglass it stays warm enough inside that at no point in the winter does the Ivy shed it's leaves..... It's HEALTHY. But, It SHALL be a chicken coop again:

This is what I started with:




This is Esmerelda, the above mention Poison Ivy Tree:

I say tree, because after 3 years of solid growth without having to take the winter off. She would remain standing if the rest of the building blew away tomorrow....

Here are some pics of what I have accomplished so far, this weekend:



And some of what I have left to go, before I can start repairing actual damage:

The back is where I'm going to have to do the most construction, however only siding is going to have to be replaces, all studs and rafters are solid and sound. and yes, that IS a pecan tree, and YES, it IS coming OUT of the wall. Not as bad as it looks though. I cut it down 3 years ago and never poisoned it. This time I won't NEED to poison it. I'm putting CHICKENS in with it, they'll just eat it to death, lol. Oh, yeah, and Esmerelda, there IS still Esmerelda to deal with... I don't suppose that chickens eat poison ivy with no ill effects do they? lol

OH my goodness what a fabulous project. We dont have poison ivy here though I have heard how difficult it can be to eradicate. There is another one very similar here that someone restored just like you and it turned out exceptionally well. I cant wait to watch your progress....

 

[griffinkid02]

Thank you perchie, Once, Esmerelda has been dealt with, I will get some pics of the interior, right now she is hugging the door and it's a little hazardous to get in, lol. I had a time of it getting in to spray the first dose of round-up. I doubt that will take her out in one dose, but if it'll de-foliate her enough that I can move in and out of the door freely, that'll make it easier for the next round; Sectracide.

 

[perchie.girl]

Thank you perchie, Once, Esmerelda has been dealt with, I will get some pics of the interior, right now she is hugging the door and it's a little hazardous to get in, lol. I had a time of it getting in to spray the first dose of round-up. I doubt that will take her out in one dose, but if it'll de-foliate her enough that I can move in and out of the door freely, that'll make it easier for the next round; Sectracide.

LOCK and LOAD.... hee hee. I have a friend who has an old barn she is trying to repurpose the wood for and she has a similar poison Ivy tree I will pass on the Sectracide info She is in Virginia.

deb

 

[griffinkid02]

oops, that should be spectracide, lol

 

[perchie.girl]

oops, that should be spectracide, lol

LOL.... I figured that out when I googled it... Stump remover stuff right?

deb

 

[griffinkid02]

Weed and grass killer, although they DO make a stump remover.