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General => General Forum => Topic started by: Jared Drake on September 29, 2005, 10:47:47 AM

Title: Anybody use chicken house trusses?
Post by: Jared Drake on September 29, 2005, 10:47:47 AM
Has anybody here every seen chicken houses or chicken house trsses used as a home? I can get them for about 45 bucks a set (a set includes two halves) but they're only 7 feet tall. So I figured either a concrete slab with two courses of concrete blocks and the trusses sitting on top of them. Aside from drawing moisture, can anybody see problems with that? I know this probably doesn't belong on a forum for building the houses on countryplans.com, but it's the only building site I know.
Jared
Title: Re: Anybody use chicken house trusses?
Post by: glenn kangiser on September 29, 2005, 10:58:37 AM
You are in the free for all section of the forum, Jared.  John allows me to reign over anarchy here, so nearly all building related topics are tolerated.

I'm not familiar with chicken house trusses, but the only problem I can see is loading to meet codes.  They may even have acceptable specs on them.

Living in a gopher hole, I have nothing against chicken house trusses. ;D
Title: Re: Anybody use chicken house trusses?
Post by: Jared Drake on September 29, 2005, 11:24:56 AM
Having grown up around chicken houses here in Arkansas/Oklahoma, I can tell you that they generally last through all the same storms that a house does. I can only remember one caving due to a snow storm. Otherwise, they're solid. Those big chicken companies aren't going to risk their investment (the birds) by building shoddy houses. What do you think about the blocks drawing moisture into the inside of the house? Would a monolithic footing/pad/knee wall pour be better in any way?
Jared
Title: Re: Anybody use chicken house trusses?
Post by: John Raabe on September 29, 2005, 11:25:53 AM
It took me a bit of Goggling to find this photo of "chicken house trusses":

(http://tinypic.com/e5laqa.jpg)

This from this site where a fellow built a workshop using this roof. I imagine this would be difficult to insulate and vent for a residence.

http://members.fortunecity.com/hoss54/willysshop/willys.shop.htm

Title: Re: Anybody use chicken house trusses?
Post by: Jared Drake on September 29, 2005, 11:52:34 AM
I don't know much about insulation and venting, so tell me why it'd be hard?
Jared