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.

Sons and Zipties

You can't have too many. Really!

I wanted a bigger space for my 'teenage' chickens to run around outside. I had been putting them out in a rabbit cage, but they couldn't get really good access to the ground due to the bottom of the cage.

My husband and I pondered a cheap, easy solution, and came up with a temporary chicken tractor design. Today, my sons Vik and Troubles assembled it.



When it was warm enough, we took them outside for their first real scratch session.





I baited the grass with some king mealworms. You gotta make the first time rewarding, right?



Grow and learn, Ladies, grow and learn. Thanks, Boys, for the makeshift tractor!

What To Do When Its 75 Degrees

We are having beautiful weather right now; in the mid to high 70's. You have to visit the park when spring gives us a sneak peek, right?! Here's how we spent the our morning:



This is a game they play when we visit this park. Two swing as fast as possible and two run through the middle of the swings, attempting NOT to get hit.



The Littles love this 'rock'. It was base during chase-and-tag and was leapt from repeatedly.

I rarely get good pictures of this Lambie. She decided to be camera-shy several months ago. She didn't know I was snapping this one from far away. hehehe

Coop Progress

We worked a bit more this afternoon. My Honey hung the muck-out door, cut the egg collecting door out of the south wall of the coop and got the nest boxes about three-quarters of the way finished before it got dark.



Tomorrow and Friday's plan is to finish the next boxes, sand the opening they will fit into, attach them, add the ventilation screens and begin the roof.