It's good that ducks are small: construction misadventures

[Brigid Barry]

(I am deliberately being dry and self-deprecating, something I do to get laughs when I've frustrated myself and golly have I frustrated myself today)

There are lots of critters at my house and I build all of their houses. Over time the designs have improved as I learn from my many, many, many mistakes and find things that need work. A few weeks ago I got three new ducks and despite procrastinating as long as I could, it was time to build them a house.

Things I am not good at but I try real hard
1. Designing structures
2. Calculating angles
3. Figuring measurements so all the pieces work together.
4. spatial something something

Things you need to be good at to build stuff:
1. Designing structures
2. Calculating angles
3. Figuring measurements so all the pieces work together.
4. Spatial whatever

Instead of being good at those things, I use screws. Specifically construction screws with the star bit. Very helpful when you have to take something apart several times because you have to keep cutting it down...

Speaking of which, everyone knows "measure twice, cut once" but where's the wise saying about making sure your boards are oriented correctly before making angle cuts? When I messed that up (on all eight pieces because why stop and think BEFORE I cut everything?), I lost about an inch and a half of height off the house. But ducks are short so it's okay.

Then somehow the side pieces are too short on the inside. Shhhh. I am going to pretend that I did that on purpose so I "have room to put hardware cloth down". If anyone asks, that's the story. Besides, ducks are short.

Then, after I framed it, took the frame apart because the bottom was too big*, cut it down (losing about 1 1/2 inches of depth--good thing ducks are small!) and put it back together, I realized that I am going to have to do something on one end so that I can take the side wall off and clean it out. Or I'll have to add plywood to raise the floor. Won't know until I have the stall mat in hand, which is part of the adventure.

*Pro tip: if something is too big, you can make it smaller, but you can't make something that is too small bigger. Therefore it's good that ducks are small, and always use screws.

 

[Brigid Barry]

I was impressed with myself and wanted to share pictures because my husband wasn't sufficiently awed. Hope that's okay! (My daughter is assembling the pen panels for me. Please ignore my messy yard.)

True story on the stall mats: they're 1/2-inch thick, made from recycled tires. The product description says you can cut through them with a utility knife! Yes, and water can cut through rock, but nobody has time for that. Using a circular saw, I tripped the breaker at least twice cutting through this [insert string of colorful swears here] stuff. But sure, I can cut through it with a utility knife.

I'm putting sheathing on the inside that will be caulked and sealed to the stall mats and hopefully the duckies can start their lease next weekend.

Updated: I have no idea why the two images turned into two giant strings of text. When I open the post to edit the text disappears so I can't clear it.

 

[frimble3]

That is not a 'messy' yard - it's an 'active' yard with stuff going on, things happening, in use!
Trust me on this - I have seen messier!
It looks big enough for three soon-to-be ducks, and it looks as though there are simple ways to enlarge it if you feel the need for more ducks.
And, it looks sturdy: in Chinook Jargon (local trade language in the Olden Days) it seems 'plenty skookum'.

 

[SWest]

I stick to plumbing, electrical, and furniture. All stuff that keeps the copious swears indoors.

Sr. Esteban builds or fixes nothing. I think he confuses frustration with failure.

Him: What happens when it doesn't go right? If the directions are wrong, or things don't fit together?
Me: It never "goes right". You make it go right. You do this with the force of your will. Your will power increases after you swear.* It's really quite simple. Now hand me the big effing wrench...




*https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7204505/

 

[Brigid Barry]

Trim can hide a multitude of sins.

I learned how to cut stall mats by watching a guy do my roof. It just feels so cool to pop it into place and it's a perfect fit.

Bonus: we inherited a container of Thompsons water seal with the house and I have caulk left over from a prior project. I'll just need some gate hardware and some exterior paint. What color to paint the duck house...

 

[ElaineB]

I can't see the photos, just strings of letters and numbers. Then nothing at Google Photo.

 

[Janine R]

I can't see the photos, just strings of letters and numbers. Then nothing at Google Photo.

I can't see them either. Just 2 empty boxes.

 

[Brigid Barry]

wth. They showed up fine for the first day or so and now that's all that I can see too. *grumbles*

Try this and this .

Probably a 1D-10-T error on my end. I'm not used to Google Photos and I'm probably doing it wrong.

 

[MaeZe]

wth. They showed up fine for the first day or so and now that's all that I can see too. *grumbles*

Try this and this .

Probably a 1D-10-T error on my end. I'm not used to Google Photos and I'm probably doing it wrong.

The images in the thread disappeared for me too but both those links work.

 

[Janine R]

wth. They showed up fine for the first day or so and now that's all that I can see too. *grumbles*

Try this and this .

Probably a 1D-10-T error on my end. I'm not used to Google Photos and I'm probably doing it wrong.

That worked. Impressive construction, but—walls, roof—no longer a thing?

 

[Brigid Barry]

I am pushing open concept to its limits!

 

[SWest]

Fresh air is good for ducks...

 

[ElaineB]

That worked! Thanks. Much more complicated than anything I'd attempt. Kudos!

 

[Brigid Barry]

This is as much to show off what I'm doing (100% less puncture wounds today!) as it is for me to learn how to share pictures on the forums. Hopefully these don't morph into text strings after an arbitrary amount of time has passed...

And the answer to that is nope. So here and here for anyone interested. Slightly less open concept than before. The open side is going to be a removable wall so I can take the entire wall off to get in there and clean.

 

[SWest]

Now ya know that gets you The Clap:

 

[Brigid Barry]

I have a few finishing touches left like cutting off screw points and painting, but it's almost done! I'm so proud of this, and here.

For the pen, I just need to make the door and do the wire, then I can get the ducks out of my garage!

 

[frimble3]

I have a few finishing touches left like cutting off screw points and painting, but it's almost done! I'm so proud of this, and here.

For the pen, I just need to make the door and do the wire, then I can get the ducks out of my garage!

That is one fine looking duck-shed! I only have a couple of questions/considerations:

1. Will there be a latch or doorstopper to keep the door open during daytime? The smooth perfection of the fit makes me think ducks will blunt their beaks if the door shuts but they remember the location of the hole. (My apologies if I am insulting the intelligence of ducks.)
2. I am aware that ducks have wide/flat feet, but are young ducks going to be okay crossing the pallet-board porch with the wide spaces that's in front of the duck dwelling? You may have plans for these things, but I worry about waterfowl!
I am more accustomed to cats, who are pretty clear about their wants and needs.

 

[Brigid Barry]

It's just on the pallet so it wasn't on the ground. Those extra few inches made a world of difference to my back when I was crawling in and out of it!

I don't typically latch the houses open. Given the choice of being out or being in, the birds tend to prefer out more. If it becomes a problem I'll figure something out.

They'll be fine.

ETA: ducks are very sweet, but the ones I've had haven't been very smart. lol.

 

[frimble3]

Oh, wow! Opposite sides of the country, and yet awake at the same time! It's like we're in the same room! Sorry about the smoke the other side of Canada is sending to you!

 

[thall]

My husband and I recently built our first chicken coop and also had many false starts and readjustments...and many many trips back to the hardware store. Your duck house looks great!

 

[Brigid Barry]

I have learned a lot building these, and I tend to repeat certain mistakes, like having something for the outside sheathing to attach to. And the roof tends to get me every time somehow. I like how this one came out, I especially like the removable wall for cleaning, so I will probably be doing a sized up version for the geese. Someday.

Among my many construction adventures is going to be building a dolly to put these on to move them around.

 

[CWNitz]

I'm envious of your skills, I have two left thumbs! It looks great, super professional. And the removable wall looks neat and convenient.

 

[Brigid Barry]

So proud of that removable wall!

 

[ElaineB]

Nice job!

I've got some projects around here if you have some time...