Lights, Camera, Action!

It's after 10:00 at night and I have chickens in the chicken coop!!! What a happy day! Lots and lots of details taken care of today and the girls are, hopefully, sleeping happily on their new roost (I need to go check on them once I finish this post!).

So... the lights - we have lights:



And we have a roost with poop catcher board and a ramp and a catwalk. (Don't ask. Well, ok, I didn't think the "poop board" could hold a ramp so we made it all complicated.) The clamp is there because I wanted the poop board to be removable, and without it, it wasn't at all sturdy. So, big deal, there's a cool old rusty clamp in the coop, I kind of like it.





And we have nest boxes blocked off with hard wire to keep the girls out of there until they are ready to lay some eggs:





All ready for action!!







And then there was a nap:



And someone else was sleeping on the job (when do I get a nap?):



The final detail: we build a roost in the chicken run. I'm afraid it might be a little high, only our high flier, Daphne likes it, but then she was in the rafters earlier in the day. I wanted it higher than the ramp platforms, hoping they would stop roosting on them and messing them up so much. We will see. But Luke and I made this while Frank was hanging that light... I think it's pretty clever - it folds up so we can get in and clean and stuff.











Nite, nite, chickens! Sweet dreams!

SO Close

They could have moved out tonight.... except I decided it would probably be better to let some paint dry first. The ramp to the roost has a tiny bit more work and I want to install a gate/board at the door to keep the wood shavings inside the coop when I open the doors... but the girls are moving out tomorrow! Woohoo!

Inside the Coop

Still working on things. Still need one more door. Still need to cut down the "poop board" to fit. Details, details.

Another Chicken Post

Today I went through the run and totally predator-proofed - I sandwiched the hardwire walls between a second inside board on the bottom and put screws with washers along the top. I also added a second latch to the door, one that closes behind me when I go in. And I added a string to pull from the inside to get out again! I also added a pull cord for the pop door. So... the run is finished, aside from a roost. Though the girls think the new zig-zag chicken ramp is a roost, of course they do!









We also worked some more on the doors. Here's a shot where you can see how complicated my design is. Oh well, we will get it right.



And, sadly, I had a casualty today. My trusty old wagon did not survive the building of the chicken coop. Darnit!



Oh well. The rest of my patio pavers will have to wait until I get a new one. Tomorrow I'm painting the inside of the coop and we have the one more door and then the coop is done! I think...

Have I Told You Lately....

...how much I hate making and hanging doors? Seriously, annoyed, hours wasted, and coop not done. Also, I'm not thrilled with my roost/poop board. Especially now that I see it through the door/window that was supposed to be so cute. So. Now what? We'll figure it out.

So close, but we didn't make it happen this weekend: the chickens are still in the house.

The Cutest Chicken Ramp Ever!

Ready for a giggle? This should do it. Look at this ramp! Think the chickens will actually use it? I hope so. It was a labor of love and actually really fun to build. Still working on the last two doors, wish I could say the same about them... but they will be cool when they are done - wait and see.





And I really like our pop door. It needs a rope and pulley system still, but it's *that* close to done! And, if I decide I really want that automatic door opener... this should work with one.



Zoe says she's had enough of chicken coop building. When is it time to build her a hidey-hole? Hmn???

Fun With Chickens

We are counting down to chicken-moving-out day! I hope to have them in the coop on Sunday, no later!

In the meantime, we are still having fun with them inside, they love to be held (or roost on us) and go wild for meal worms. Luke is a little more adventurous than the rest of us.





I'd love a photo of Zoe with a chicken on her head. Wouldn't that be awesome?

Happy Chickens

Last night the girls were SO loud I couldn't hear myself think, never mind hear the TV or Frank trying to talk to me from across the room. So, today, they are getting some fresh air and exercise... they seem happy enough.

Still Not Done

We only got two doors made today, in this miserable weather. I hate making doors. Actually, I hate hanging doors. Maybe I'll think otherwise by the time we are done, but right now, it's my least favorite thing. Two doors made, latches and handles installed, hooks and eyes on my vent flaps... a plan for the pop door, roost and droppings board... we will get there, and this will give Daphne time to grow some good head feathers.

One More Door Down

Hoping for a chicken move-out party tomorrow... but we will see. Need, at a minimum, three more doors, a ramp and a roost for this to happen. And it's supposed to be pouring down rain. Wish us luck!

Progress Report

What's new? It's been a week, there was a birthday (mine, still 29!), a Mother's Day (Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there!), the kiddo made the select soccer team (yay!), finished all the state testing (oh, joy! but he didn't seem to mind), and we got more work done on the chicken coop.

Before I show you the coop, I'm going to ask you to do something for me. Luke's school (which as I've shared before, is more of a resource center, but it's still a school - an alternative school in the public school district), has no playground. That's because it's an old high school campus... but we've got all ages of kids there, every day... and no playground. And with budget cuts left and right, no chance of getting one either.... unless we win the Pepsi Refresh Project! Will you vote with us? Every day this month? I'd really appreciate it! Here are the voting details - it's super easy. Thank you!!

Ok, here's the coop - we got the roof on, and the egg box done, fixed the one screen door that was sticking, attached two ventilation door covers, and got sand in the run area. Not bad! Only 6 doors, plus roosts, plus a ramp to go...