- Jun 19, 2013
- 7
- 0
- 7
So, my wife comes home one day and tells me my 2 kids are going to start a project for 4-H and possible scouts. We're going to raise some chickens from chicks and get some eggs out of it too. So, they convince my mother-in-law that this is a good idea and come home with 6 chicks (3 reds and 3 leghorns.) Now we have a big box in the living room with a heat lamp. Now I have to rummage through what wood we have and come up with a design for a coop pronto. My wife had a few ideas that had to be incorporated into the design. 2 weeks later, surprise, they found a new place to get chicks with a better variety of breeds and here come 5 more chicks with breed names I couldn't pronounce let alone spell. The coop design is now not adequate and there is an urgency to get that part, my part, started before they outgrow their living room box. So first I had to make a temporary run so they can get out of the house during the day while I start building the coop. Being in Florida the coop had to be able to stand up to the summer thunderstorms and possible hurricanes (they would NEVER actually have to ride out a hurricane in the coop). This thing is turning into a monster especially since I am mostly faking this and the design is all only in my head. My wife says "bigger windows and big doors in the back so it can easily be swept out, and my first nesting box attempt isn't big enough". My addition is to keep the chicken ladder off the floor of the coop so my wife and kids can sweep the floor completely. Were now to the point that the coop is mostly finished (the chickens can now be safely put in the coop at night), all that needs done now ( the coop is primed and caulked) is to paint the coop and work on getting the finished roof (it at least does not leak) and building the permanent run.
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Best wishes to your kids and their 4H projects
