Rolling repairs...

Food, Nutrition and Agriculture
British Red
Posts: 428
Joined: Sun Feb 06, 2022 11:45 pm

Rolling repairs...

Post by British Red »

We have a lot of chicken coops ( eight at the moment) because we breed our bred chickens using broody hens we need a lot of space to raise chicks

When we started out we bought some flat pack.coops and it didn't take me long to realise that they are mostly poorly made from flimsy materials. These days I build our coops. I save no money over cheap flat packs but the ones I build are made from heavy duty, tanalised wood, properly felted and butumened with all stainless fastenings etc.

However, we are left with the original coops. They have become a bit "Triggers Broom" with more new parts than original wood now.

Before breeding starts next month they all get checked and repaired. The ply lining on the roof of this one is shot

ImageCoop roof by English Countrylife, on Flickr

It's rubbish stuff - probably 3mm and I doubt exterior grade

ImageDelaminated ply by English Countrylife, on Flickr

So today's job was to rip it all out!

ImageRotten ply by English Countrylife, on Flickr

I'm going to replace it with 9mm stuff. Naturally that's not going to fit in the rebates of the edge strips, so I'm remaking all of those deeper. This would cost a fortune to buy, but a table saw is massively helpful in ripping wood to the right size

ImageTable saw by English Countrylife, on Flickr

A chop saw for cutting all the relevant pieces to length is super handy too

ImageChop saw by English Countrylife, on Flickr

Trying to live self reliantly means a workshop is almost a "must have" for us. We can work our way through most carpentry, electrical and plumbing tasks. I'm embarrassed to admit that my metal work is sub par and my engine work is rubbish. Our best mate & neighbour excels in this area ( he manufacturers engine parts from scratch) but that's no excuse for me not to improve - especially with him as a teacher!
jansman
Posts: 13621
Joined: Thu Dec 30, 2010 7:16 pm

Re: Rolling repairs...

Post by jansman »

We keep poultry,aviary birds,and rabbits too. Housing repairs are a constant issue. Like yourself,a workshop is essential. My late dad said to me when we first moved here,many Summers ago, “ make your workshop as big as you can”. I should have doubled it! I was lucky to have a father who was an old- school householder. He could fix most things,and that knocked on. The only thing I don’t prat about with is cars. Mainly because they bore me!
In three words I can sum up everything I have learned about life: It goes on.

Robert Frost.

Covid 19: After that level of weirdness ,any situation is certainly possible.

Me.
British Red
Posts: 428
Joined: Sun Feb 06, 2022 11:45 pm

Re: Rolling repairs...

Post by British Red »

My Grandad was amazing - turned his hand to most things - including a fair hand at resoling shoes and boots! There's so many old skills ( and tools) getting lost now. I try to keep a completely "manual" set of tools as well as power tools - but a table saw really is a wonderful thing. It's easy to see why, straight after windmills, people built sawmills powered by water & steam.
Yorkshire Andy
Posts: 8732
Joined: Thu Oct 03, 2013 4:06 pm

Re: Rolling repairs...

Post by Yorkshire Andy »

Nice to see a diyers workshop with All the guards fitted and adjusted :lol:

They don't take prisoners I've responded to fingers off due to "circular saws" they make a "mess" :roll:


With the current cost of timber steel clad PIR filled sheets are comparable so is uPVC cladding to wood with less places for poultry mites to hide
If your roughing it, Your doing it wrong ;)

Lack of planning on your part doesn't make it an emergency on mine
British Red
Posts: 428
Joined: Sun Feb 06, 2022 11:45 pm

Re: Rolling repairs...

Post by British Red »

There's lots of options. My buddy converted a 110 Landrover into a chicken coop

Imagelandy coop2 by British Red, on Flickr

Hard to use Landrover off cuts for kindling though ;)

ImageScrap wood by English Countrylife, on Flickr
Yorkshire Andy
Posts: 8732
Joined: Thu Oct 03, 2013 4:06 pm

Re: Rolling repairs...

Post by Yorkshire Andy »

British Red wrote: Sat Mar 12, 2022 7:20 pm There's lots of options. My buddy converted a 110 Landrover into a chicken coop

Imagelandy coop2 by British Red, on Flickr

Hard to use Landrover off cuts for kindling though ;)

ImageScrap wood by English Countrylife, on Flickr

Wait to see what the Ukrainian farmers start using with a the captured "tanks" :lol: the fox will have a hard time chewing into them unless he buy javalins on the black Market :mrgreen:
If your roughing it, Your doing it wrong ;)

Lack of planning on your part doesn't make it an emergency on mine
British Red
Posts: 428
Joined: Sun Feb 06, 2022 11:45 pm

Re: Rolling repairs...

Post by British Red »

Lot of good steel in one of them...pass the forge...
British Red
Posts: 428
Joined: Sun Feb 06, 2022 11:45 pm

Re: Rolling repairs...

Post by British Red »

Oh, for the woodworkers amongst us, this bears watching. A DIY tracksaw!

https://youtube.com/shorts/quNJJyKxFSc?feature=share
British Red
Posts: 428
Joined: Sun Feb 06, 2022 11:45 pm

Re: Rolling repairs...

Post by British Red »

Well , time for some "before and after" shots



This was the inside of a roof panel - thin ,( maybe 3mm) ply - not exterior grade so delaminated. Basic steel screws rusted to ****.



ImageDelaminated ply by English Countrylife, on Flickr



Now with 9mm exterior grade lining, 2 coats of 5 year Cuprinol, new rebated struts and all stainless fastenings



ImageRelined roof by English Countrylife, on Flickr



We removed the nest box ( they are useless for broody coops because chicks can't get up into them and usually leak) and replaced with a large removable panel for easy cleanout



ImageRemoved nest box by English Countrylife, on Flickr



And back in place. Hoping that Avian influenza "flockdown" ends before they start going broody!



ImageRepaired coop by English Countrylife, on Flickr