Getting there...recycling slows me down

TomK · Post by **TomK** » Mon Sep 12, 2016 1:53 pm

The new coop is close...tried very hard to recycle material..the floor framing is all 2x8 PT I recovered from a deck I took down for a customer..the top was gone but the substructure sound so a win there...I got new 2x4s on sale, yay!, And I got a deal on some OSB... the shingles off Kijiji from a guy who salvaged building materials off job sites in Ottawa...and I took an old board fence down on another project and salvaged almost every one of the 1 x6 x 5' fence boards to use as sheathing on the two ends...been working on it as I have time...getting board and batten pine siding next week...off to Baker's Feeds in Forfar this aft for fencing...poultry mesh for the three pens inside and corncrib welded wire for the outside pens...now, back to Kijiji for a 32" door for the entry...otherwise I have to make one...like I have time..lol...took a load of crap to the landfill a few weeks ago...stuff they pile and cover rather than in the bins so while unloading I spotted windows... got four huge windows...I weighed in with my load and on weighout I was only 20 kg lighter...lol..shoulda seen the eyes on the attendant... anyway, used two of the windows in this coop..East and West ends...so I figure at least 40-50% of this coop is reused material...

Post by **Home Grown Poultry** » Mon Sep 12, 2016 2:11 pm

that is looking really great man! right on! I hear ya on reclaiming building materials, thats mostly what I build with. it always need prepping one way or another and a double and triple check to make sure no screws or nails are going to destroy the saw blade. ya it may take longer but it sure is satisfying to say... that was almost free. my 2500 square foot coop n run cost me all of 8 2x4 and screws, but I had already paid for the screws a couple years before by buying them by the box. now reclaiming nails and screws SUCKS! LOL. one other thing I do when using reclaimed material is figure out what I can build with what I have rather than draw a blueprint and hope I have enough material, I do the same for screws if im running out.

Do you have a Habitat for Humanity ReStore near you? they have almost everything one could need to put together coops, pens, gates ect...

Cheers Man!

TomK · Post by **TomK** » Mon Sep 12, 2016 2:25 pm

Al...yeah, very true...my hitch was i wanted the end result look like the house in finish, so board and batten and stained...theres a new barn coming that will be attached to the high side of this coop...i was in TSC a few weeks back and found 7-1/4 framing blades for 3$ so i nabbed a bunch.. Tend to never sharpen those so running into a hidden nail doesn't faze me much...i still have tons and tons of nails and screws left over from various jobs so i rarely buy any and like my dad i straighten nails too..lol...i have a crapload of reclaimed PT 2x4 which will frame the new outside runs off this coop...there are three separate pens inside..guillotine drop doors to the outside...three nesting boxes per pen...and a full size door for me to get into each one..coated the floor with the rubber coat from Lowes i got last year...great buy, that....need some more feeders and waterers, especially waterers as i don't heat water in winter, just swap out twice with fresh water from inside the house...now, for that door.........

...and yes, theres a restore in brockville and ottawa..and Smiths Falls has a private coop version of one as well

Post by **Home Grown Poultry** » Mon Sep 12, 2016 2:47 pm

what's your plan for ventilation? If it was me I would put a steel mesh soffit type material all around under the overhang and place a 8x12" ish vent on every wall close to the ground. lots of ventilation is the key to prevent frostbite.

TomK · Post by **TomK** » Mon Sep 12, 2016 5:33 pm

Al..yup, just haven't cut the holes in the OSB yet under the high wall overhang...will cover with double hardware cloth...worked well in the old coop...gonna see about finding some used cold air return grates for the bottom end...one for each pen..restore here i come

Post by **Home Grown Poultry** » Mon Sep 12, 2016 5:42 pm

gotta love it when a plan comes together! I can't wait to see your birds in it man!

TomK · Post by **TomK** » Mon Sep 12, 2016 8:02 pm

I promise, Al...lol...can't wait for that myself

Ontario Chick · Post by **Ontario Chick** » Mon Sep 12, 2016 8:37 pm

Looking good !
So how many chickens can you house now?

Post by **Home Grown Poultry** » Mon Sep 12, 2016 8:45 pm

Ontario Chick wrote:QR_BBPOST Looking good !
So how many chickens can you house now?

AHAHAHAHAHA! now thats the real question now isnt it!

TomK · Post by **TomK** » Mon Sep 12, 2016 10:13 pm

The easy answer would be "all the ones i have now".. But really, i haven't figured out the max