What's New?

[digitS']

I see that @journey11 & DD are settlin' on a design that's especially cute .

This isn't especially cute, just practical:
http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/a-simpler-coop-design

Maybe it will be of use for other new projects for 2015. I read that @Beekissed is planning on a coop .

Steve

 

[Smart Red]

The coop I have is bigger, but shaped much like the one digitS' linked (8 feet tall in the front and 6'5" in the back) covered with recycled cedar siding. The new coop I am building will be nearly identical to the old one. The main difference, other than being mobile, will be my investment in red and grey metal siding to match the siding on our other buildings.

 

[journey11]

I see that @journey11 & DD are settlin' on a design that's especially cute .

This isn't especially cute, just practical:
http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/a-simpler-coop-design

Maybe it will be of use for other new projects for 2015. I read that @Beekissed is planning on a coop .

Steve

Thanks, Steve. I like seeing the "bones" of the structure. How to properly frame it out and then what to do in the inside is my main concern. Definitely more important than the cuteness factor.

I also like the idea of re-purposing a window for the door. That would let in lots of light. I have a bunch of windows lying around that I've been saving for a greenhouse. I might have one that would work for my coop. So did you just use a regular window on its side then, and slide it over in the casing to open?

One thing I learned from my last coop was to plan the dimensions of the coop based on the 4x8 plywood. Don't want to make myself more work shaving off a couple of inches of that if you don't have to. Or in my case, I should have left enough for a couple inches of overhang. I went straight to the 8' edge.

We have so much left over lumber in the barn, I am going to try not to buy anymore if I can help it and aim to use up some of that. Better get down there and pull it all out before the wasps start making nests again.

 

[digitS']

That coop faced north, @journey11 .

I used old storm windows and put a 2 by 4 between them with the latches.

That post was kinda always in the way but both windows were large. The post served to divide both the building and the outdoor pen, at times.

Steve

 

[Gardening with Rabbits]

Nothing really new and exciting, but I watched a video and I cannot find it now, but the man was planting his seeds into hydroponics cups and watering from the bottom. His plants looked great, so I decided to try a few plants. I did not want to buy any cups, so I just cut slits in a few cups and got tired of that and forgot about it, but I had 1 Tom Thumb lettuce plant and 2 kale. They were in flats and I forgot about them. In the middle I could not see the slits. I do not water from the bottom. I took the kale out today and 2 of the plants in the cups are way bigger than the rest. I did not take a picture, but might tomorrow, but I did the lettuce and wondering, why would these plants be larger and they are healthier. There are slits on the bottom too. These are not the Tom Thumb planted earlier that I ate. These were on the patio and they were not growing and looked bad other than the 1 plant, so I cut the older plants and planted these the other day.