Short term solution that might turn out to be okay! - new coop

[SheltonDHW]

Hi,
I got my chickens today! 3-4mos old.
1 Australope - un-named
1 Barred Rock - daughter named her Zoey
1 Easter Egger - 3 yo named her Polly
1 Buff Orpington - I named her Purl (I like to knit)
The problem was I didn't have a coop.

My son (now 13yo) had a playhouse that he NEVER used, so I new that would be their temporary home. My husband went fishing and was expected home tomorrow. (he didn't know I was getting the hens yet). He has been busy lately and with times the way they are, money earned has priority over a coop.

Well, My neighnor asked me what I was up to when I started dragging lumber from our scrap pile. I told him and he said, "cool! I have a couple hours, lets get going!"

Thanks to the greatest neighbors IN THE WORLD, my playhouse is now a coop! Tomorrow I will make the run, but for now they are safe and secure in their new home. It isn't fancy, but I have to admit, it works great! My husband will have to "tighten" things up a bit to take care of the drafts before the cold weather sets in, but that should be it, maybe some more roosts, I might re-do the nest boxes. I think they are too high, and not deep enough, but you can't look a gift horse (free help) in the mouth.

Here is a link to some picures:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sheltondhw/sets/72157621842765937/

 

[Mahlzeit]

Thats a pretty nice coop. Your son had a nice playhouse. I was thinking one of those fisherprice plastic ones haha.

 

[Garlydog]

That is a nice coop!

 

[~*Sweet Cheeks*~]

Hi - Welcome to BYC's from Olympia.

That's a really great space for your girls and what a great neighbor.

I would strongly recommend to get hardware cloth over that window ASAP. Go check out the Pest and Preditor section to read up on all the folks who have lost their birds due to preditors getting in through chicken wire.

Common knowledge here that chicken wire keeps the chicks in but not preditors out.

I would also put in more ventilation.

Enjoy your new girls.

 

[chaoschicken]

from the other side of Washington.

Very nice coop.

 

[SimplyForties]

Great job! What did your husband think when he got home and saw what you had accomplished?

 

[gotpoodle]

I love this!
Great neighbor, too!

Does he get free eggs for life?!

 

[SheltonDHW]

SimplyFourties - He was not very happy

. Not about the chickens, but that I cut into the playhouse he built. I told him that technically, our neighbor cut into it, but he didn't find that funny.

This is going to be very temporary, until he builds one. He just needs to find the time. Luckily, nothing but the hen door can't be undone. We can cover the hen door, though.

Maybe I should just buy a coop and save the frustration and time. Then all we would need is a run.

My bubble has been popped.

 

[muddypuddles]

I'm so sorry that DH didn't like it!

It looks perfect for your girls.