Chickens, and things related

[bmac]

bmac,

I'm not sure where I got the idea that you were leaving your rafter tails exposed. Just thought it up probably. Anyway, covering them up with soffits is an excellent way to clean up the finish of your building. They sell a Luan exterior plywood that's real nice for this. It gives you a satin smooth finish. Of course, just regular 3/8 exterior plywood works too.

Eddie

I already have the ventilated HardiPlank soffit for the eaves and non-ventilated for the gable ends. Hopefully, it will work OK

 

[Tororider]

Something like this?

22" White Vinyl Octagon Gable Vent

Looks like a lot of miter cuts to trim out. Are you intentionally trying to make this project last even longer?

Couldn't you just use a jig saw to make the cut out? Or even a roto zip in a pinch?

 

[bmac]

Couldn't you just use a jig saw to make the cut out? Or even a roto zip in a pinch?

That's what I'll do, but I want something to (a) cover the hole for appearances, (b) minimize water infiltration and (c) keep critters out. A hole with screen over it would would vent and keep critters out but wouldn't look too good and blowing rain would probably get in. The louvers on a vent help keep the water out.

Here's what I'll use to cut the hole:

Craftsman Mini Circular Saw - Model 10872 at Sears.com

I got this for my birthday and it worked great for cutting out the windows and doors. Much nicer cut than a reciprocating saw (in my hands, anyway).

 

[EddieWalker]

bmac,

That's the exact vent that I was refering too!!!!!!!!

I've never seen that type of saw before, but it looks kind of handy. I probably have two dozen saws, but that might be one I need to add to my collection.

For the trim, you just cut twice as many pieces and make the angle half of 45 degrees, or 22.5 degrees. Real simple.

Here's a picture of a window that I installed on a house I built last year. It's trimed in Hardi with Hardi Lap Siding.

Eddie

 

[bmac]

bmac,

I've never seen that type of saw before, but it looks kind of handy. I probably have two dozen saws, but that might be one I need to add to my collection.

Eddie

I think the maximum cut depth is something like 7/8" - not sure exactly. Its small and light weight. Its the only saw I have with a built in laser light. Now, I don't know how long it will last (I had it pretty hot cutting through the T1-11), but it never stalled and the laser made following a chalk line real easy. I really like it.

Anyone that has 24 saws probably needs 25.

 

[bmac]

bmac,

For the trim, you just cut twice as many pieces and make the angle half of 45 degrees, or 22.5 degrees. Real simple.

Eddie

Real Simple. Nothing is real simple for me, Eddie. I'll probably go through 40 board feet of trim to get 8 matching pieces.

 

[bmac]

bmac,

Here's a picture of a window that I installed on a house I built last year. It's trimed in Hardi with Hardi Lap Siding.

Eddie

Ok, OK - You're hired! When can you report to work?

Beautiful result, Eddie. As usual.

 

[Tororider]

Well, of the 33 eggs I started with in the bator, on Day 14, today, 30 of them look as though they are still going. This makes me happy because I thought for sure I would have messed something up by now. Its kind of cool to see the little things wiggling around in there.

Funny story, at least I thought it was funny. My pullets are pretty quiet, the only noise I hear them make is "bok bok" when they hear me opening the pen with treats. Well I have the floor joists for the coop done so I thought I would put one of the pullets on them and see if they would hang out. The most timid pullet flies up after the leader, which really suprised me. The one I put up there jumps down after a few seconds wanting nothing to do with it. I go out and continue covering the flowers my wife just planted as we are having a frost freeze advisory tonight. Anyways as I am walking back up to the garage I hear this loud "ba gawking", I mean pretty loud. So I go back there thinking one of two things; either there's a neighbor kid messing with them or she just can't figure on how to get down. It was the latter, she was making a ruckus about how to get down, so I helped her out. Just thought it was funny that she got up there by herself but couldn't get down and then was so loud. It suprised me how loud she was. I got a chuckle out of it.

 

[bmac]

My daughter's bantam roosters are beginning to get very vocal. At least a couple are. It was hilarious when they first started to crow. Can't even imagine which letters to type that would reflect the kind of sounds they would make. Now, they are beginning to sound like roosters. I like the noise they make.

I was a little worried about my neighbors. When I told one neighbor that we were getting chickens, her first question was "Will any of them be roosters?" Well, I immediately thought she was going to object to the noise. But, when I told her that, yes, some of them will be roosters, we just don't know how many - her response was "Great! I love the sound of roosters crowing" In fact, she had been asking her husband if they could get a rooster just for the noise. When she learned that we would have them, she decided to just enjoy the sound of ours.

 

[dooleysm]

I kind of miss hearing our rooster crow, but he sure made good soup! I'm hoping my other roosters start crowing soon. I think they're 8 or 9 weeks old now, I can't quite remember for sure.