For the third clock time that sunrise , I glanced up to study the chicken cage . For some understanding , it demand my attention , so I walked down to support beside the decennary - honest-to-goodness poultry place . Countlessgenerations of feather folk had founddry , comfortable accommodations within itswalls .
But time has a funny path of pulling pranks . The once - proud structure was now reduced to the ungentle statue of dust receptacle .
Pulling enter the batten door required some serious muscle . I matte up like I was opening King Tut ’s inner chambers . Peering into the cobwebs revealed Old Jessie ’s harness and collar , plus a mix of push lawn mowers and bicycle .
It seemed a pity to let the building continue to deteriorate . But realistically , what could I do ?
For some time I had want another out-of-door shed . The chicken coop measured 16 - by-16 invertebrate foot — more than adequate for a work bench with flock of room . dead , interminable possibilities whirl before me with the cheerful finished social organisation increasingly unmortgaged in my judgment .
After a lunch of leftover and delineate the possibilities , the project trough on our spread ( aka my wife ) soon OK’d the impression . occupy with sureness , I marched down to the former poultry house brimming with idea .
Lorain Ebbett-Rideout
Planning Ahead
With the project now clear , I needed to settle how to keep the work flux smoothly . The roof would come off first , then the walls . lastly , I would pry the build apart to enter the overall condition .
I intended to reuse as much lumber as potential . So with wrecking bar in hand , I stepped forward .
The first few boards pull off were badly ending - splintered before I call back how to use the big 3 - invertebrate foot pry bar ’s nail - puller notch . All nails or spikes that seem usable I tossed into a prominent pail .
Lorain Ebbett-Rideout
Now , a slightly bended nail is not a lost grounds , and a whack or two with a ball peen power hammer soon come back it to usefulness . Is carry through spikes or nails worth it ? Plenty of area structure give solid with second- or third - generation fasteners .
What about used shingle ? Some rural reclaimers apply them , while some never would . But it ’s possible if they can be removed in one solid slice .
If you are so inclined , pry up all six roof nails carefully . Do n’t take on them with a shovel . Lorain Ebbett - Rideout
Lorain Ebbett-Rideout
Rotten Turn of Events
Once I pulled off the roof , some of the boards turned out to be beyond salvage . I also discovered several totally stinky 2 - by-6s .
With the Lord’s Day now shining in , I tackled draw off the inside and outside wall . Again , there were more rotten boards , but the bulk of the framing 2 - by-4s and 2 - by-6s were in decent form .
Plus , I had a big pail of fasteners quick for a new chore . All in all , it was n’t as spoilt as I had fear .
With the nude soma dismantled and sort out cautiously nearby , it was down to the understructure , which prove to be an unexpected cost . The honest-to-goodness Republic of Turkey tower stand hearty on cementum blocks ground in common gravel , uncouth in modest country builds .
But with the blocks beyond salvageable condition , the old chicken coop needed 12 young labored holders .
So with a yard full of lumber in various shape , I now want to face the fact : This projection required more construction supplies than I have a bun in the oven . An expensive trip to town was in order , or so it seemed .
Read more : Need a chicken chicken coop ? Keep these considerations in intellect .
Unexpected Bonanza
A country Sir Henry Wood - salvager just never knows where a few boards might show up , and mine follow about like most : unexpectedly .
A neighbor cease by to ask about the hay craw andnoticed my scattered lumber piles . “ Did the old cage finally blow down ? ” she asked . Iexplained my repurposing project , and then she inquire if I would have enough lumber ?
I replied that it seemed like I was persist curt . As fortune would have it , she had a slew of used timber in her tractor - spill loft that was in her way . If I want it , I could get along get it .
Dropping everything , I open fire up my tractor , nobble on the wagon and hustled over . A prompt survey unwrap several dozen control board along with motley duration 2 - in lumber .
Yeehaw ! I campaign the whole work out off the loft and loaded down the black Maria .
My kind neighbour was pleased to have her loft emptied because she expected to fill up it with next learning of some sort . Best of all , she want a heavy 8 - foot cabinet with a solid top gone , too , which I used to make the workbench .
The baseball bat ’s rough experimental condition set in absolutely with my renewal plans . I triple give thanks her and limit the gas pedal for home plate . Lorain Ebbett - Rideout
Prettying It Up
Along with the teardown , I also needed to do some landscape gardening . Nasty scrub scrub had taken over , and the flagrant grass was lade with prickly burdock . I usually allow for burdock for the crazy turkey who enjoy them and the goat who see everything as European cuisine .
A chip of work with the tractor bucketful , a few heaps of soddy soil and leveling the surrounding area straighten things up nicely .
As the yard around the repurposed chicken coop improved , I also pick out down a a few trouble trees and sum them to next winter ’s wood .
If you are repurposing a structure , why not do the same with the landscape ? More air circulation along with unfluctuating sunlight ensured this salvage material body will stand for another 40 - unpaired time of year — even if I do not !
Dry Inside & Out
Once the foothold was solid , and the floor reframed and planked in with 2 - by-6s , it was a steady progress . The wall frames were put up in a individual day , then the roof trusses train with enough pitch to get the rainfall run quickly or the coke building up .
Using a ceiling public square , I exercise out the right pitch . To be honest , the first twain attempts were n’t correct , but I shortly had a templet I could copy .
Do n’t rush a roof , and expend that 4 - substructure level often !
Once the cap was straight and true , I moved on to double - boarding the four walls with recycled lumber . The whole rescued ceiling got a stratum of black , 15 - dog pound tar report with metal border flashing to keep drip away from the former poultry house walls , finished in asphalt 3 - tab shake .
Roofing cloth , along with the cement blocks , were the only major off - site purchases .
Read more : This family converted an honest-to-god swing set into a deluxe chicken chicken coop .
Running with a Run
At this point , thing had progressed satisfactorily , but now it was clock time to get creative . I append a 10 - foot run - under roof to one gable end , away for the predominant wind . Oh , this share of the undertaking was fun and convey longer to get right then the whole roof had !
I botched several 2 - by-4s , but once it run on , I was proud of . It ply an outdoor workplace area with cover , and most importantly it pleased the project manager , too . With the door hang and recycled workbench installed , the reclaimed chicken coop was ready for work .
The thought of tearing and toss this former turkey / chicken deluxe was never even briefly considered , and a reduction of waste into the surroundings is always deserving the effort . This build was all about recycling , and it turned out well .
So the next sentence you stand before a weather - worn fowl palace expect close . There ’s new life in those old board just waiting to be released !
Sidebar:Busted Buildings
If you ’re forgetful on old structures for lumber , do n’t worry . Rural expanse have all sorts of fresh or ignored structures with potential lumber recycling possibilities . Stock barns , feed covers , woodsheds , shaft or tractor buildings — the possibilities are endless for a wood mooch .
But there ’s a couple land buildings best avoided : the outhouse and the smokehouse .
The first is , well , obvious , and the same goes for any floor from animate being sheds . Years of manure make for pitiful lumber , which is why I removed and tossed the chicken coop floor .
But the smoke house , you say , is clean ; why not recycle it ? Years of tasty smoke meat smells are impossible for a varmint to not notice . Any lurch meat hunter will happily take a poultry dinner as a solacement prize for the predict pork supper . So why put the temptation out there ?
When asking country folks about their old buildings , be civilised and upfront about your plans . Be indisputable to offer to pay , and if they ’re agreeable , be extra measured to remove only what was agreed on . And seek to work as clear as possible , forget no nails to plug tires .
Doing a professional remotion job might leave to more standing timber need for succeeding projects !
This clause originally appeared in the July / August 2021 issue ofHobby Farmsmagazine .
