# pole barn



## powderhogg01 (Jun 4, 2013)

im not sure its the name for what im building, but its the basic idea. I want to build a roof over my 12x15 run. To do this I have decided to build a simple pole barn. I am curious who has built their own barns and what insight you might have for a first timer. 
I am looking up the spacing needed for my posts, which will be beetle killed pine I harvest from the forest near my home. I want the apex to be about 9-10 feet, walls right at 6 or 7. I am going to use corrugated platic for the roof, both clear and solar grey to help fecilitate ice and snow melt. 
Keeping snow load in mind, I can get out often to clear the roof when needed, but I want to make sure the structure is sound. im going to error on the caution side and make extra supports, figuring they will be extra roost space for birds to play on come winter.
any advice on the width of my posts and the spacing apart will be awesome, as there is tons of stuff to filter through before finding a good source. I decided to use wranglestars approach to timber framing, only on a simpler method. if you dont know who wranglestar is check it out on yourtube


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

If the hubs was home he could give you some tips. But from what I understand its a pretty straight forward process. The hardest part is doing the roof.


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## powderhogg01 (Jun 4, 2013)

I have been a framer for a few years, so I do understand the basic concepts at play. I just got done harvesting my poles, I think I will strip the bark and leave them as is, i like the look they have. I am planning to use the treated lum,ber i already have for the cross supports. I may end up taking a few more lodgepoles out of the forest for supports and struts as needed. as for now I will start taking some pictures of my process.. should be mostly done by the end of the week, gotta do this part quick as hunting season is nearing and this year I have to get it done quick, my meat freezer is empty


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## powderhogg01 (Jun 4, 2013)

I took down the chicken wire, minus the bottom layer which is buried in the ground.. going to try and not have to dig that up.. it will be a pain in the you know where. I got rained out, figure just as well been at it all day. Tomorrow i hopw to get the old beams out of the ground and somehow move the entire coop out of the way for now. the flock can eep their normal home, only it will be moved for the time being.

once my hone gets charges I will update with a few pictures. the next few evenings should move along fairly quickly. my plan is to get the posts in, leveled and cut to the right height by tomorrow night, If I can have the cross beams in place and the roof figured out by the weekend I will be a happy guy


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Looking forward to sitting here with my coffee enjoying the pics of your hard work. Sorry, couldn't help it.


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## powderhogg01 (Jun 4, 2013)

thats always the best part. If I can inspire even 1 or 2 people to build things the way they want then I have done my job. I like doing things the hard way.. if you have not noticed.. This is only the next chapter in getting to where I want to be


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

BTW, what's the latest on the fridge bator?


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## powderhogg01 (Jun 4, 2013)

I am going to start a control hatch tonight actually. I am going to do so using the hovabator, following the average egg instructions. Then I will start some experiments in the fridge, but as of now im about 2 weeks out of putting everything together. which will be perfect timing for this first hatch to either succeed or fail


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

This is going to be with eggs from your girls, right? You should have a better success rate if all that stuff I read is true about adaptation to the higher elevations.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

What I like is you talking out loud here on the forum. Gives us all something to think about.


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## powderhogg01 (Jun 4, 2013)

I will be hatching both my eggs and shipped eggs. for this control hatch it will me eggs from my lovely ladies. I will also be keeping meticulous records of the hatches to follow, especially when the fridge is running.
But thats a different topic. On the subject of my pole barn, I have the logs stripped and should have the coop moved by tonight. I am now thinking and re-thinking the roof. I know it would be easier to have one side higher and hold the same pitch fo the whole roof, however, i like the look of a pointed roof with a slope on either side. thoughts? 
*side note* I think you are one of the most active users robin, thanks for keeping things lively, as I can only do so much..


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## powderhogg01 (Jun 4, 2013)

My big thing is learning and improving everyday. I am on a continues mission to build myself the best ecofarmstead imaginable. Because I was dumb with credit right out the gate at 18, I have been fighting to get it back into a good spot to buy my own land... in the mean time I like to play with new ideas, experiment and learn about ways to make things easier and better. That way when I do finally achieve my own land, everything will be secondhand knowledge and things can be that much smoother. 
Last winter I cursed myself, likely more then the chickens cursed me for not building a different style run that kept more snow out. This year I will provide a place for the birds to mingle more or less snow free, I am also putting in a large sand box for them to dust in. changing my coops themselves will also fix a few issues I had last year.. one was the door freezing closed.. which was a hassle to open and has never been right since..
so far i have invested all day and 2 pairs of cheap leather gloves into this project.. if I can keep its costs to 300 bucks, I will be a happy guy.. craigslist has been coming through in the clutch with windows and stuff.. very thanksful for like minded people who cant throw stuff away


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## Fiere (Feb 26, 2014)

Pallets are the way to go! Join your local freecycle as well if you haven't already.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

My issues with a conventional roof is water shedding off. It means water has to run off both sides and have a place to go other than the pens or coops. Plus the shed roof is so much easier to build. With the shed and your opaque panels you can aim them towards the sun to draw in that little bit of extra light and warmth.

You saw my Dutch coop. That is not what I had in mind, I wanted a shed roof. Instead I got that and it minimized its ease of use. My Guinea coop had a shed roof. In the beginning there was an issue with water getting in to the building because the low side of the roof was on high ground that pushed the water inside. A simple gutter made of 1X4 wood solved that problem. 

And a shed is cheaper to build. 

What Fiere said about the pallets. I'm amazed at what they are doing with pallets. Some business' give them away. Check your feed store. Mine had some they had to return but the others were scrap and were offered to anyone that wanted them. And they allow for easy application of sheathing on both the outside and inside giving an air pocket for a bit of additional insulation.

One question on the opaque panels, are you going to lose a lot of heat out of them once the sun sets? Do they have something that is double walled?


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## powderhogg01 (Jun 4, 2013)

they do sell these roofing sheets with a double wall and a layer of argon in the middle, but they are way outside my budget for now. I do expect to loose heat, however it will not be any worse then the run with only hay and chicken wire.. as i see it anything with a roof will be a great improvement over last year.
thanks for the feedback guys, when it comes time for the coops I may just do a pallet coop, my insulation foam could slide right into the middle and be perfect, cross that bridge at a later date though


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## Fiere (Feb 26, 2014)

Don't worry too much about heat loss in the run. The birds will be moving about and keeping themselves warm while they're in there. If you can keep the wind and snow out (or at least to a minimum) they will go about business as usual. Worry about the coop being able to keep warm and VENTILATE WELL. If the coop is tight as a drum to retain heat, the moisture content in the air will play hazardous on their systems. Good airflow in your peak to move that "warm" moist air out and having the chickens kept draft free where they live and roost is your most important steps. Cold, dry air is much better than warm, moist air in the winter.
I make my coops very snug on all four walls, then leave the eaves open - cross-breeze type air flow is your friend. I live next to the Atlantic so our winds are high and our air is damp, damp, damp. Making sure the dampness is off the birds is my number one priority. They can survive the cold, they can't survive the dampness paired with the cold.


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## powderhogg01 (Jun 4, 2013)

well for those who were asking about an update, here it is. I got the project half way completed then got hit with a building violation. Pretty unheard of in my area, but whatever, the new way is here and I have to fix some issues. one of my issues was height, apparently I am not allowed to build a freestanding building with out a concrete pad and it must not exceed 10 feet.
it was a drag, but I tore the work down and am planning to start over again once the permit comes. I will not be building it nearly as large as I wanted and well, thats ok, it will still serve the purpose I am after.
it also did not help that I had a predator come through and take out nearly my whole flock, hedemora, my EE and both my orpingtons from jim... though I did manage to hatch out an egg from the two. 2 lavandar orpintons put out a black splash colored fella, he is now growing up in the coop with his sisters. 
My real job is runnign a ski tuning shop at a ski area in colorado, that has taken up a bit of time as the early season tends to be our busiest. hang with me and see what comes, I am not one to let government types shut me down. If I do not get the permit needed to build what I truly want I will build a high tunnel style greenhouse. this will provide the same function, without the need of permit.. though it will be less attractive.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Oops. I didn't know you lived in an area that might have building regulations because I've lived outside of areas like that for so many years. 

You could still do your post and beam, just make it shorter. Sorry, couldn't resist.


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## Fiere (Feb 26, 2014)

That sucks! About the building and the birds, unbelievable.

I'm with Robin, though. I would've cut the posts off at 9'11 LOL


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## nj2wv (Aug 27, 2013)

Sorry to hear that. I hope things work out for the new building.


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## powderhogg01 (Jun 4, 2013)

I did think of just knocking it down to their limitations and telling them to F off, but in the end, neighbors are a life link out here, and in such a small community its best to follow the rules. I think I will do a make shift high tunnel just to get through the deep part of winter. while this is going on I can be building the timber frame parts for spring time. I think it will just be easier on me, and since its already snowing here.. I missed the bus so to speak so anything I do now needs to be quick and mostly temporary.
on the plus side I did get my 6x6 cube coop built, it seems much better suited for the flock through the winter. they have a lot more floor space to avoid each other, with my coop being directly on the ground now, rather then in the air it also allows the birds to scratch at the earth, which is mostly frozen, but still has some small grass shoots and what not available under the pine bedding.


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