Throwback Games!

I delighted my children today. I brought out all my old Fisher Price Little People playsets.



I love that they set up neighborhoods just like I used to as a child.



They've been playing imaginatively all afternoon!



I love seeing them enjoy my childhood memories. Did you play with Little People?

Resurrection Sunday Pictures

Here's The Crew on Resurrection Sunday, before church.



Note to self...taking several pictures to make sure to get a good one is a good idea. Just make sure not to take so many that this happens:



He can't take the pressure.

Coop Progress

My Brilliant Builder designed a wonderful little gadget for our coop. This is the outside portion:



and this is the inside view:



I can lower and raise the ramp for The Ladies easily from the outside. They have mastered the art of the ramp well, too, and have not problem getting up and down whenever they want.

Coop Progress

My Honey took some vacation days this week and some of our family came to visit. They left yesterday so we worked on the coop a little more that afternoon and today.



My Honey had planned out an in-the-coop feeder that will give The Ladies more floor room.



Here's the indoor view:



Here's the outdoor portion, minus the removable, yet watertight cap:



We moved the regular feeder down into the run.

I've been told that a certain brilliant builder around here is making mental plans for a large adjustable, removable run to use for more grazing room...This nugget of knowledge makes me happy.

Coop Progress

We've done lots of work the last couple of nights, and I have failed to daily blog it. Therefore, you get a summary post. My Honey made roosts inside the coop.



I "caught" a couple of the chicks on it the next morning.

I spent most of yesterday painting. First the white primer:



Then the main color.



I had lots of help!

When my Honey came home from work, he got to work. He began hanging the hardware cloth.



He finished that job in one working session! We were able to let the chicks out the next day. They loved it!

Today some of the children spent some quality time with the chickies.





My Honey installed three roosts in the run this afternoon, but I didn't take any pictures of them. Last thing to build and install are the dropping boards.

Didn't he do a wonderful job??

Coop Progress

Yesterday was "Making the People Door" Day. Measurements were taken, wood cut, laid out and strapped together.



Then it was hung, perfectly, I might add.



By nightfall, I had a beautiful and effective People Door.



Next up is the painting of the entire coop. I might be able to start this afternoon, but we'll see. We'll then hang the outside roosts, the hardware cloth and decorations. We also need to hang the indoor roosts and make the dropping boards for inside the coop.

A Sad Tale

Yesterday as we were working on the coop, the chicks were in their tractor. I turned around and saw this:


He is King Friskies, though, and won't even eat canned wet food. I didn't think anything about it until later....when we found this:



He somehow caught the wild dove that lands on our roof and coos at me every morning when I'm outside. sniff sniff... Of all the neighborhood cats, I never would have thought it would be HIM that got it. I think we'll add a couple of zipties to that tractor.

Coop Progress

OK, so I have updated pictures, but forgot to take some of the mechinism mentioned in the last post. Sorry!

We worked all afternoon yesterday and made LOTS of progress. The latches were added to all the doors, and the few protruding screw tips were filed off.



The roof was attached, secured and approved by The Master Builder.



The electricity was run in a temporary fashion, feed and water containers were added.



We added the chicks last.


They settled in quickly and began exploring all the room they now have. They will reside in the Boy-built little chicken tractor when the remaining work is done.

ETA: They seemed to sleep fine last night, the temperature was nice and steady when I checked, and they are chipper and happy this morning. The water container slipped on the carabiner and the water spilled into the shavings. They are changed and dry now, and the water is on the floor. My Honey will add a bit of a dimple into the handle this afternoon to hold the water more securely.

Coop Progress

My hardworking husband worked more on the coop today, with the help ("help"?) of a friend. They installed the ramp mechanism. Isn't that cool? I have mechanism on my coop! I'll take pictures sometime this weekend. Tomorrow we are spending some time at the range with some friends in the morning and will build in the afternoon.

Coop Progress

More work tonight. We sanded and framed out the nest box opening.



My Honey finished building the nest boxes themselves and we mounted them.



Here's a side view:



It was a lot of work! We are getting close to being finished. I have the primer and the paint. I expect to be painting by next week.