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Picture Diary of Ferret Court construction


Madcowz
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Hi,

 

I am just about to start work on converting an old shed into a ferret court and thought I would put up some pictures as a way of a picture diary.

 

The shed in question is very large, and was used about 10-15 years ago to house poultry. Since then it has fallen into disrepair.

It consists of four different sections, the last one being where I plan to have the ferrets, that way we can keep our wood store and tool storage areas.

 

Anyway, here are some 'now' pictures.

 

Starting from the left, the 1st section I have just finished slatting with wood from old pallets. I was trying to save money & recycle. It took weeks and was hard work, never again! Just needs to be felted and it is done. This is where we are going to store our gardening tools. Also in picture is one of four raised veg beds and to the left of that you can just about make out an old Bedford Plough I found when clearing the ground.

 

2nd section (bit with the corrugated roof) This is our wood storage area as it is the only dry bit.

 

3rd section (bit without a roof) This is going to be the ferts tools, food and net hanging area

 

4th section (hidden by holly) is going to be where the ferts live (also has no roof).

 

42jyz4n.jpg

 

This next picture shows the inside looking from the entrance

 

2a6oy9k.jpg

 

Ok, now we are looking from the 3rd section into what will become the court.

 

2cxizj7.jpg

 

Now we are looking into the court area, though the door. As you can see, it is need of some ‘modernisation’ to use Estate Agent speak. I have just bought 7 sheets of OSB2 board to use as shuttering, so the inside will be completely fert proof. The floor is going to be dug out and concrete laid (borrowing a mates mixer for this). Will quickly knock up a door, replace the broken window, and use welded mesh on any other areas.

 

As with the 3rd section, this also has no roof on. I have bought some corrugated plastic roofing and plan to make a start on this over the bank holiday w/end. The court will be under trees so won’t get too much sun.

 

3zrrdix.jpg

 

And finally, looking towards the 4th section from outside, where the holly tree is, is where the outdoor part of the court will be. This is phase 2 of the build as I want to concentrate on the indoor part first. The trellis panels on the left of the photo are the same as those in the 1st photo. As you can (just about) see, the shed continues for quite some distance here.

 

29ymdt0.jpg

 

Well, that is it for now. I am hoping to get this completed in time for the ferts. But I have a backup plan if my project slips. I have just been given a 4 storey rabbit hutch by someone on Freecycle. This stands higher than me, is in excellent condition and just needs the 4 hutches connected via ramps/tunnels and it is all ready for the wee things.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Ok,

 

have started work on the sheds now. Cleared out the inside and started on reroofing. Had to clear a large holly tree first before I could even get to the shed. Then rip off old roof which had a lining of asbestos (yuck). Just 2 panels up when I took this picture, although I have done 4 now.

 

The welded mesh front is going to come off and be replaced with decent mesh, all looks a bit tatty just now.

 

3z86wy8.jpg

 

 

As i said earlier, if all this restoration timescale slips, and we all know things like this never run on time, I have been given a multi-storey rabbit run which I am going to use as a temporary hutch for the ferts. As you can see from the greenhouse next to it, it is very tall.

 

4grykig.jpg

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Ok,

 

roof is done, so now working on the inside. Ripped out the front so I could get the soil out & concrete in easily. Was pretty rotten so no loss there. Need to buy some 2 by2 and 3 by 3 to rebuild the front frame later.

 

34o4zg4.jpg

 

 

Here we are looking inside through the front. Have dug down 9 inches and will lay some sub base first and then bung concrete over the top. Can see the beginning of the formers at the back & left. Going to lay some DMP first behind them and then screw these to the existing frame.

 

Luckily our neighbour dropped off a half bucket of sand/stone mix with his teleporter so that will save a bit of cash on aggregates.

 

4h240wl.jpg

 

The project is at that stage that all builds go through where it looks worse than when it was started. But I am hoping that by the end of the w/end I will have the DPM in, formers in and sub base laid. Then just a case of pouring the concrete and I can move on to shuttering up the inside and making it look pretty.

 

/Mad

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Ok,

 

roof is done, so now working on the inside. Ripped out the front so I could get the soil out & concrete in easily. Was pretty rotten so no loss there. Need to buy some 2 by2 and 3 by 3 to rebuild the front frame later.

 

34o4zg4.jpg

 

 

Here we are looking inside through the front. Have dug down 9 inches and will lay some sub base first and then bung concrete over the top. Can see the beginning of the formers at the back & left. Going to lay some DMP first behind them and then screw these to the existing frame.

 

Luckily our neighbour dropped off a half bucket of sand/stone mix with his teleporter so that will save a bit of cash on aggregates.

 

4h240wl.jpg

 

The project is at that stage that all builds go through where it looks worse than when it was started. But I am hoping that by the end of the w/end I will have the DPM in, formers in and sub base laid. Then just a case of pouring the concrete and I can move on to shuttering up the inside and making it look pretty.

 

/Mad

 

cant wait to see the results of this as im half way through building mine but at the min its come to a halt due to diy work on the house as the mrs is nagging

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All went a bit 'Pete Tong' last week. Firstly the shed slipped down a good 6 inches due to very little support in one corner so had to jack it up and put new struts in. Got it back on an even keel though. Phew

 

Then had to take a break as some tree surgeons felled two huge oak trees in our close and we asked them for the wood. Took me 4 evenings to carry the huge rings round to the back garden. Once I get the old chainsaw fired up later we will have enough wood for about 3 years.

 

Anyway, back to the shed...

 

Finally we can see a bit of progress

 

33dl251.jpg

 

Farmer is going to drop off a buckets worth of road scrapings for me to use as hardcore & to mix in with the bucket of sand he brought round earlier.

 

and just in case there was any confusion of the type of bucket... :-) (that's our chicken grain being delivered)

 

46xxc0x.jpg

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If you spruce that up much more, you will qualify for planning permission and building regulations. :lol:

 

Its a great thing that you are taking pictures, you will appreciate them when its finished.

Over the years I have been involved in quite a few projects and when its finished you have to say to people, "if you can imagine.......", being able to show the pictorial progress is priceless.

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Its a great thing that you are taking pictures, you will appreciate them when its finished.

Over the years I have been involved in quite a few projects and when its finished you have to say to people, "if you can imagine.......", being able to show the pictorial progress is priceless.

 

Absolutely. We have done so much to this garden and most of it you forget over time. I like to remember what a mess things were when we started and how they have improved.

 

This w/end I started putting up the lining on the inside. If you look closely, you can see that above the formers for the concrete, I have included a 15cm high section of lining. This is so I can remove this around the whole shed and level off the concrete then screw it back in. It was either that or wait until the concrete was in first before adding the lining and I just wanted to see some form of progress on this thing B)

 

62569a8.jpg

 

 

And from a different angle:

 

5z58v0o.jpg

 

 

Will remove the glass and wire mesh from the window, cover it in weld mesh and then shutter up all around it to make it flush and look nice. That window is North facing so will get the brunt of the weather, so I may put some louves up on it.

 

 

I would have got more done this w/end but had to move this lot from the other end of the close (those rings are about 2 feet in diameter and bl**dy heavy.

 

 

5xylo2x.jpg

 

Then on top of this, had to re floor the chicken coop to stop the damn rats nicking the eggs and put in a new ceiling to stop the mites from having a great place to live.

 

And thankfully, that is another w/end over and I can go back to work and relax!

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  • 1 month later...

I had a bit of a break from the court as I had to get on with the rest of the tasks in and around the house, ie new chicken run and new lights in the bedrooms (yawn).

 

But, with the birth of Flash's ferts, time is a ticking, so I have made an effort to crack on.

 

Here is the first two of three sections of the concrete floor in. As you can see, my removable 15cm strip of board that I put in for levelling has worked a treat. I just take it off, level the concrete and then put it back on again. Didn't know if my plan would work or not.

 

6goj4ld.jpg

 

and another picture showing the now re-meshed window and surround. It had on flimsy wire netting which would have lasted 5 minutes with the ferts in there. Used a bit of welded mesh I had lying around, and then my neighbour said he had a whole stack of it in his garage I could use. Bonus :blush: I now have enough to have the entire front of the court in mesh. The window has old feed sacks covering it just now as it is North facing and the rain comes in. I plan to add slats to the outside to reduce the wind and rain.

 

5z2mvxl.jpg

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  • 3 weeks later...

Ok...!

 

the project is really starting to move along now.

 

Here we have an inside view showing the floor, which is now all laid, and the walls/ceiling which have had their first two coats of undercoat.

 

631plxc.jpg

 

 

 

And from the outside showing the mesh front.

 

4qdu15v.jpg

 

 

 

Has come a long way from when I started:

 

4h240wl.jpg

 

Only 4 weeks left until I collect the two jills from Flash. Still need to:

 

1) Gloss the inside, decided a coat of gloss would make it easier to keep clean and hygenic. Easy to wipe down.

2) Build some shelves and nest boxes. Going to build quite a few corner shelves, esp agaisnt the wire at the front so they can sit and watch things going on.

3) Finish off the roof, few bits required on the roof to make good.

4) Build door

5) Add shutters to the window.

 

/mad

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...so we may let them have a look around there house first, make sure there happy

 

I have a show home available for them to look around, fully fitted carpets, all fixtures and new kitchen.

 

If those bleeding ladies aren't happy they are just too damn fussy!

 

:unsure:

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Thanks for replies guys.

 

Glad others share my wholesome love of sheds.

 

This w/end I have been adding shelves to the court. Have 8 in there so far. 6 of which are quadrants (half a semi circle, I think that is the right name) fitted in to the corners. The two rear corners have two in each stacked one on top of each other. The other two are at the front against the mesh so they can sit and watch the world go by without hanging off the mesh.

 

Under each shelf will be four hooks for attaching any hammocks/beds/swinging toys for them

 

Also filled any last gaps before sanding and painting, and sealed around the base of the wall where it meets the concrete.

 

Next week is painting. The walls and ceiling will get a couple of coats of gloss white on top of the Magnolia I have done already, mainly so I can wash and wipe down easily. The shelves will be painted different colours, reds, purple etc. Why? Well, we have the paint and I wanted to brighten it up not just for the stinkers but also for me who will be spending a fair amount of time in there.

 

After the walls are done, am going to paint the floor red, again as we have the floor paint. Used it to do our kitchen. Don't like buying things me.

 

6cpf055.jpg

 

 

Not such a good picture this one, hard to see what is what, but you can see the shelves at the back. Imagine these with stuff hanging off them.

 

May have to take a break from this for a couple of days as we need to extend the chicken run before the w/end. Hopefully going down to the Ardingly Smallholders Show and getting some new chooks.

 

 

/Mad

 

4kk29w8.jpg

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Not much progress to see as I am at the finishing and making good stage.

 

Have painted all the wood gloss white so it is easy to wipe down and keep clean and painted the floor red.

 

4vgthd4.jpg

 

Good enough workmanship to rent it out to 12 polish immigrants

 

 

Once the floor has had two coats, I will start to paint the shelves different colours to brighten it up a bit and finish up some of the many tins of paint we seem to have lying about.

 

Bought a CD rack from a charity shop this week, will make a really good ladder once i take the angle grinder to it, Will use this to join a couple of shelves together.

 

 

Still 2- 3 weeks left until the ferts arrive so plenty of time now. Was getting a bit worried about the schedule slipping earlier but have caught up now. Just wish I could get rid of the stink of paint.

 

/Mad

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FIXTURES AND FITTINGS

 

Time to start making it look nice!

 

Took the Angle grinder to the CD rack below and produced two nice ladders. Each one will be attached to the shelves so they don't slip.

 

 

63js5dj.jpg

 

 

 

Quite pleased with this, even if I say so myself!

 

 

 

68k44fo.jpg

 

 

6aio194.jpg

 

 

 

/mad

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Excellent work, been following it all through, can't wait to see it finished and full of slinky stinkers :yes:

 

I would have got bored half way through day one, sacked it off as a bad job and got a man in. If it hasn't got a keyboard or wings I can't do it :good:

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I would have got bored half way through day one, sacked it off as a bad job and got a man in. If it hasn't got a keyboard or wings I can't do it :good:

 

heh, the fact there are no keyboards is what is keeping me going. Good break from normal day to day work, only so much SAN Storage/Active Directory a sane man can take.

 

I didn't let the ladies choose their own colours but I think I may have a suitable scheme for them.

 

Alternating purble and blue, although the tins call it something completely different, more like sun kissed aubergine. B*llocks to that!

 

 

5x79gjo.jpg

 

 

6d2mzuo.jpg

 

 

Started to construct their nesting box today. 24" x 12" x 12" with a hinged lid. Thinking of attaching this to that wall quite high up with either ladder or pipe as the only way to access it.

 

/mad

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