Michelle and I spent the whole of the weekend readying the coop so the chicks could move outdoors. We managed to finish the coop with the exception of paint and the green roof. Saturday, while we put the back wall on, painted it, then placed the coop & run wiring, the chicks wandered around the yard with Barley watching intently. Sunday, we finished the side walls, nesting boxes, feeder, door, roof decking and impervious layer. The chicks did the same, though in the evening, when we knocked off to grill and relax, they entered their new coop. A terrarium pad, a heat light, and a straw floor kept them warm at night, though they didn’t stray far from the heating pad. A few comical highlights from the weekend:
- Getting a bale of straw at the feed store with a station wagon. Straw bales are much bigger than the hay bales I remember. We bungied the gate closed.
- The guy who helped us at the feed store has hay fever.
- The chicks have learned they’re in greater danger from Ella than Barley.
- It’ll take ~25 dozen eggs to realize the savings on fresh eggs
- Since it was sunny, and we were noisy, we finally encountered some of our neighbors for the first time since October
- Even for a chicken coop, you end up making 3 times as many runs to the store for parts as you expect
What’s the theory on the green roof? Is it to collect rain water for drinking water?
Is it just me or did one of those photos show that you left your kid on the porch with a saw and only Barley keeping watch?
wow! looks real nice … even got rebuilding center chic! i mean chick … uh … :) remember, we don’t keep them for $$ savings, we keep them for entertainment, and cute kid pictures!
Wow, you’ve been busy. It looks great!