Housing and Supplies - Raising Poultry - page 26

3. Dig four holes slightly bigger around than the diameter of the 4×4s (10×10 cm)
and between 24 and 30 inches (61-76 cm) deep where you want the corners of
the building to stand. A posthole digger works great.
4. Following the directions on the bag, mix a bag of concrete and pour it into the
first hole after you have set the 4×4 (10×10 cm) in the hole. Using a level, hold
the 4×4 (10×10 cm) straight up, and then make sure the concrete mix fills in all
the way around it in the hole.
5. Now, use the dirt from the hole you dug to fill in on top of the concrete and around
the 4×4 (10×10 cm) in the hole. Tamp it down. If you haven't dug your hole too
wide, the combination of concrete mix and the tamped-down dirt will keep the
4×4 (10×10 cm) solid and in place.
6. Repeat steps 4 and 5 with the remaining three 4×4s (10×10 cm). Be sure to mix
only one bag of concrete at a time, as you need it. An old 5-gallon (19 L) bucket
works great.
7. Now measure your 10-foot (3 m) 4×4s (10×10 cm), at the front, to determine if
they extend to equal heights above the ground. Then measure the two posts at the
back to see if they, too, are equal in height and 2 feet (0.6 m) shorter than the
posts at the front. If not, trim the top off the taller 4×4s so that the two front posts
are the same height and the two back posts are the same height. Remember, the
two front posts need to be about 2 feet higher than the two at the back. You want
a pitch (slope) to your roof.
Use one 60-pound bag of concrete for each corner post.