How to Build a Chicken Coop | Build It | Ask This Old House
Ask This Old House general contractor Tom Silva creates a backyard chicken coop for a homeowner in Connecticut in “Build It.” (See below for steps.)
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Steps for How to Build a Chicken Coop:
1. Stain the sheets of T1-11 and allow to dry.
2. Place two sheets of T1-11 on top of each other and ensure they’re even on all sides. Use a track saw to cut the roofline of the plywood at a 45-degree angle on both sheets at once.
3. Remove one sheet and then, using a jigsaw, cut a small square opening for the sliding coop door into a plywood sheet. For all the doors, the cutouts will later be reattached as the door.
4. On the next sheet, cut an opening for the small entrance door, using the jigsaw.
5. Cut a third sheet of T1-11 to form the side walls. On one of them, cut a large opening for the egg door, using a jigsaw. The other side wall will remain uncut.
6. Cut two of the 4x4 posts to the desired length, then match the angle of the roof using a miter saw for both steps.
7. Use a driver to drive in 1 5/8-inch ceramic screws to attach the posts to the plywood sheeting.
8. Use a piece of 2x4 at the bottom and the top of the coop to give it additional support. Attach these using ceramic screws, and fasten them using a driver.
9. Construct the opposite gable end, repeating the same steps.
10. Connect the two gable ends using 2x4s, and attach one of the side walls.
11. To form the rafters, screw in a 2x4 ridge beam and 2x4 purlins (parallel roof framing), using a driver and 3-inch ceramic screws.
12. Finish the framing by attaching additional 2x4s to the base of the front and back gable walls, using 3-inch ceramic screws.
13. Then, attach two more perpendicular 2x4 joists to form the floor support for the coop with 3-inch ceramic screws
14. To form the floor, use the _-inch exterior plywood and cut out the corners to match the posts using a jigsaw.
15. Fasten the plywood floor by driving 1 5/8-inch screws into the floor joists.
16. Attach the cutout door pieces to the plywood exterior sheets of the structure using hardware of your choice. Do this by driving provided screws into the hardware.
17. Attach the chicken door by threading a rope through a pulley at the top of the door. Then attach the rope to an eyelet on the chicken door. The other end of the rope should be linked to a hook at the opposite end. A track for the door can be made using scrap wood.
18. Attach the final side wall using 1 5/8-inch ceramic screws.
19. Build a nesting box to your desired dimensions using plywood and 2x4s.
20. Cut cellular PVC trim boards to match the angles of the coop, using a miter saw.
21. Attach the PVC trim boards to the exterior of the coop using a hammer and stainless-steel trim nails.
22. Attach _-inch plywood roof sheathing to the roof structure using a driver and 1 5/8-inch ceramic screws.
23. Lay down a layer of felt paper, and staple in place.
24. Using a hammer and roofing nails, attach the asphalt shingles with a 5-inch reveal to the roof sheathing.
25. Attach 4x4 posts of the coop to a beveled base using a driver and ceramic screws.
26. Attach the beveled base to a 2x12 square using a driver and ceramic screws to keep the coop from sinking into the ground.
27. Create a pen area using pressure-treated 2x4s to desired design. Connect the pen structure using driver and ceramic screws. Include an access door for cleaning the pen.
28. Cover the pen with chicken wire by hammering in construction staples.
29. Dig a trench in the outline of the pen at least 3 inches deep, and place the structure in the trench. This is meant to keep predators from crawling in underneath.
30. Attach the pen structure to the coop structure by driving in screws.
31. Place a piece of 2x12 from the coop door to the pen to serve as a ramp for the chickens.
About Ask This Old House TV:
Homeowners have a virtual truckload of questions for us on smaller projects, and we're ready to answer. Ask This Old House solves the steady stream of home improvement problems faced by our viewers—and we make house calls! Ask This Old House features some familiar faces from This Old House, including Kevin O'Connor, general contractor Tom Silva, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey, and landscape contractor Roger Cook.
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How to Build a Chicken Coop | Build It | Ask This Old House
Illinois Adventure #1404 Kankakee County Museum
The Kankakee County Museum complex is located at 801 South Eighth Avenue in Kankakee, Illinois. The Museum Complex includes: the Main Museum Building containing seven permanent and temporary exhibit galleries, the Museum Store, the Museum's Archival Research Library, and the Museum's offices and support facilities; the historic 1855 Dr. A.L. Small House; the 1904 Taylor One-Room School House; and the Museum's Column Garden and Outdoor Exhibit Area
Noah's Ark Replica, Kentucky - virtual tour 2016
This video contains a virtual tour of the inside (and the outside) of the Ark Encounter, a Noah's Ark replica, which opened this summer (2016), in Williamstown, Kentucky.
Road Trip to Columbus, OH!
Heading to GDEX and meeting Chris and Jake! Hit that subscribe button and ring that bell to get notified for the next episode to see GDEX and downtown Columbus, Ohio!
The Farmer With 230 Tractors For Sale
Paul Rackham, a farmer from Norfolk, is putting his collection of 230 vintage tractors up for auction. Asked why, he told Sky News his family aren't that interested.
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Illinois Adventure #1601 Weaver Ridge Golf Course
What is perhaps Illinois' most spectacular Championship golf course is set in rolling hills and forested valleys, surrounded by the beautiful homes of WeaverRidge. This is a community unrivaled anywhere in Central Illinois, planned for gracious living and challenging golf for players of all ages and abilities.
How Do you Become a Freemason? How to Join
How to Become a Freemason
Hello to all Freemasons and those interested in Freemasonry,
The growth of the Freemasons Facebook page has been excellent and inspiring. Tens of thousands of people from all over the world. Thank you for making it a success.
For those who are interested in exploring Freemasonry for the first time, I thought I'd make this basic post to help answer a few common questions and help leverage time.
To become a Freemason, we have a saying
To be one, ask one
That's, it, you ask a Freemason.
How do you find a Freemason? If you know one, great -- otherwise, look up the local Grand Lodge or local lodge (make sure it is not a scam) -- they usually have a website, and contact them.
It may take a while -- dont be discouraged — also, if the lodge doesn't get back to you after a month or two, go ahead and contact them again, its easy to slip through the cracks sometimes.
Next steps:
To join you must be male, age 18 or older (21-25 or older in certain jurisdictions) and you must believe in a Supreme Being (God, Allah, etc. -- Freemasonry is open to men of Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Buddhist and other faiths)
I wanted to take a minute to help some of those who reach out. Every day I get 3-4 chat requests, emails, questions even sometimes calls from non-masons, asking about joining. I publicly list my name, profile and contact info because I love meeting new people from around the world and to connect with Freemasons and others everywhere.
First, a couple things should be noted:
- I happen to be page admin but I am by no means any sort of Masonic leader or head of the Freemasons or anything like that at all! There are MANY brethren on the Freemasons page with MUCH more knowledge and experience than me -- in fact I'd say most by far, and I'm not being modest.
- I don't admin the page full time- I have a family and job and other responsibilities- so, while I absolutely love to connect with new people and love to meet new people and definitely welcome FB connections if you want to subscribe to my personal page -- please be aware that I have limited time and if I answered everyone's individual questions it would take several hours per day that I wished I had but do not. Now please don't take that as me saying I don't want to hear from you, I do—please friend me, subscribe and let me know if you are a Freemason -- I love to speak to and meet people and especially can talk about any areas related to my work (economics/ emerging markets, investments, business, even politics) if you want to invite me for coffee anywhere on earth I'm game -- but, if your question is How do I join? or What are the Freemasons? (which I get several times per day) unfortunately it's not likely I'll have time to answer those questions, especially since they are answered so many times elsewhere. The next group of common questions are from those who just joined or are about to and have questions about balloting, the first meetings etc. again, I wish I had time but I'm only one person, there are tens of thousands on the page so I'd encourage you to ask there. [minor side note, if you are going to try to use the page and connection for fraud, don't waste your time, we've got a couple good members with strong security backgrounds]
- The very best people to answer questions about Freemasonry are local people, in your area you can meet face to face, the next best source is on the page by asking the public, this enables many members, most wiser than me, to have input and enables you to hear from a variety of people.
- One reason I publicly disclose my name is because I am happy to build a network and meet people, welcome.
Now, for the most common questions- which related to how do I join? and what is Freemasonry about? Please take a look at the Facebook page, the web page and ask around on the page as well. As far as how to join, it's simple. To be one ask one. Find a Freemason and ask him about joining.
If you are in a country that has no Masonic lodges this will be extremely difficult but if you have a local lodge, ask there. (Also, be aware of phonies, and fake Masonic organizations- real ones are recognized by certain Grand Lodges, you can ask around if you have questions.
So , this post is a little uncomfortable because it seems to focus on me too much and that's just to help some of those who contact me so often. The Facebook page and web page is a great collaborative effort and it's a privilege to be a steward of the ideas of so many.
To those interested in Freemasonry, welcome and feel welcome to connect with me personally as well.
To brethren everywhere lets connect and may we meet.....
I now open the post to additional advice, comments and wisdom from other bretheren.
Thanks!
-B
Officials tour Haywood County courthouse
Superior Court Judge Brad Letts gave Jackson County officials a tour of Haywood County's courthouse yesterday (June 16), citing that justice center as one of the best he's seen in the area in terms of design and security. In the video, Letts demonstrates courtroom technology and then explains security features. Letts told local commissioners April 21 that Jackson's Justice Center needs to be expanded and improved. There isn't enough space for court and court-related activities, and courtrooms are dangerous for everyone involved because security is almost nonexistent, Letts said. Also, people with physical disabilities can't easily participate in judiciary proceedings as the law requires, Letts said. Thirty-six thousand square feet are needed, with additional space likely to cost $300 to $325 a square foot, or upwards of $10 million. -- Herald video by Nick Breedlove
Tutorial on Documentation and EMR for Practice Perfect
A training video on the Documentation and EMR functions within Practice Perfect software
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At Issue #2915 - Peoria's 325th Birthday
The program focuses on highlights of local history as 2016 marks 325 years of permanent settlement by Europeans at Peoria. Four historians discuss what attracted Native Americans to the location of Peoria Lakes, the French settlers' interaction with the local tribes, the burning of the French settlement in 1812, whiskey production, vaudeville, and the three major waves of immigration by the Irish, Germans and Lebanese.