Adding 2nd run.. If you can't laugh at yourself? (added predator pics)

[vfem]

They really do have a mess of personality don't they. Its hard to believe they are just mean little chicken eaters. No wonder you don't shoot or shoo them off.

Ok...waiting on more photos...

P.s. - It is soooooooooo hard to not let something slip on your facebook page!!! HAHAHAHA

 

[88heather]

ahh.. then I'll get the hard cloth at Home Depot.. i have a bunch of stuff I won't use anyway and i may have a whole roll of chicken wire to return. I am digging the chicken wire down and out about 2 feet from the run so anything that digs will hit that wire.. but when I have this done. I'll gather all my returns and then measure how much hard cloth I'll need for the outside of both runs together.

The engineer neighbor was very sweet!! He said when I wire at the top that it will get even more secure and recommended another or two boards running along the top (which I was planning to do anyway).. He said all that will have it secure. He did say that if he would of made it would be rectangle but he wasn't critical at ALL! He was very nice and did say he expected worse!! I asked him what he would do if it was his wife that built it? and he gave a great answer.. he said.. "If my wife built it then I'd know it was important to her and I would just fix as needed and help maintain".. Thought that was sweet!

My realtor may come over today.. I say realtor but she's more a friend but we met her for the first time through good friends and she helped us find our house. Awesome realtor and soooo nice! So if anyone is looking to buy in Colorado springs.. I can refer you to her! I LOVE my house!!

So I was back at HOme Depot this morning getting more screws (I think I'll go through my 2nd box today!

) and I must look sooooooooooooo CLUELESS b/c I got asked if I needed help every corner I turned.. Wow they are helpful at our Home Depot.. that or it's early and not packed yet! One old guy saw me and asked me how the run was going since I've told anyone helping me what I'm working on..

Ok.. REALLY hoping I'll be done today and have pics of the chicks exploring their new run!!

Better get outside again and work.. I'm soooooooooooooo close.. Of course I thought I'd get more done yesterday but for some reason everything takes longer than I predict..

 

[88heather]

LOL Shannon on the FB thing.. It's sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo HARD for me not to mention it on FB.. and it's hard that when my husband calls.. I say.. "Oh.. I'm just cleaning!" LOL LOL.. I have a few FB friends that know I'm building this and I say. please don't write it on my wall! It's a surprise.. when it's done and the chicks are in there secured.. I'm not sure if I'll crack and tell him??? OR just wait for his 2 week break and let him be surprised! I mean it's not like this is some horrible secret.. but I think he'd be shocked I took something like this on my own.. I'm usually like "honey .. pleeassee.. can you do this???". or "Help me!!!" LOL.. He'll be surprised and I'm also surprised my kids havent ratted me out! Tee hee! I never told him about buying the coop but I think I got my money's worth on it (about $500 for this built with stand and ramp).. I need to pull the ramp out as it slides into the stand! They delivered this coop for $15!!!!!!!!!!.. I would of NEVER attempted building a coop.. but who knows since I am able to get a screw in what i'll do next! Ha!!!! I want to make a temp area with mini coop for new chicks and injured birds.. I want a chicken CITY!!

 

[vfem]

Thats a good point Heather! Have you seen my 'quarentine' pen I built? Its just a wired in 2' x 2' x 4' cube covered in chicken wire and a door with latch. I put a huge old broken pot in there for housing... but I put a roof on the top of the box anyways. Its great for my chicks before they are big enough to go into the coop, but still too big for the brooder in the house.

We also took our first coop (that triangle thing that was supposed to be portable) and turned it into a real coop with run for my japanese bantams! I love it!!!

I need to get you some photos to inspire you to make one.

 

[88heather]

YES!!!! Shannon.. give me a link to pics of that! Sounds FABULOUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[dsqard]

Heather if you are getting inspired to possibly build your own coop sometime in the future, I would recommend the Building Chicken Coops for Dummies book! We are planning on building our next (and DH swears final!) coop sometime soon and ordered the book. It is great. It has plans for I think 5 different sized coops and a TON of basic building information. It is inspiring me to get out there and do it myself like you are if DH doesn't get going soon. Totally understand no more waiting, got to get it done now attitude! SOOOOOOOOOOOO cool how the neighbor was. Sounds like a real peach. Can't wait to see the finished product! Sending lots of great building vibes your way!

ETA - love the new pic of Gumbo as your avatar!

 

[88heather]

I should get that book!!! I think Shannon's hubby has his coop in there??? I would love to try and make a mini coop that I could put inside the run and make a movable wall.. Hehe! I'm getting excited just in the fact I am not scared of tools anymore!! Bwhahahah.. Hubby should be afraid (if he knew!

) I want to do that!! I will order that book.. Main coop is Spiced wine in color, new coop is sunburst yellow and I think a 3rd mini coop would be cute in a really royal bright blue!

I just painted some exterior OSB boards I had with the fence stain and will put them on the roof area in corners.. figure it will help provide more shade in there and also add to the stability.. Not many shady areas so I want to create some.. Then I think (after I get the fencing up and roof wire up) I can take an OSB board.. paint it .. use some scrap wood and just make a little table like structure with slanted top so they can go under it for shade.. add a back wall.. kind of like a bus stop.. Need to make some perches too.. but I can use tree branches and such to do that.

This is fun.. not beautiful.. but I am learning a lot! I just made a center vertical board by cutting 4 2x4's at 45 degree angles so the board can stand on it's own.. I will use scrap wood to finish this.. I refuse to go to Home Depot to buy any more wood!

We need more clouds! I'm tired of baking in the sun!! not good for your skin.... Clouds!! clouds where are you?? (putting on more sunscreen)

 

[88heather]

I'd of taken pics tonight BUT.. i'm a bit annoyed.. We have a gate on our property which I keep closed for the dog.. so best thing about that gate is no people just popping on by.. (which I LOVE) anyway.. I'm working on the run and see the little girl around the corner show up with cookies (a thank you for my bringing her home from the bus anytime her family isn't there).. Of course I am surprised then freak a bit b/c I thought that I left the gate open and then panic to look for my dog. I say to her, "was the gate open?" she says.. "yeah but it's closed now".. Umm.. Ok.. it doesn't magically open and close for anyone just walking up the driveway. I KNOW she climbed the gate or fence.. not good for the gate to climb on it.. nor the fence .. We have the gate for a reason!.. she said to me.. "i may just pop on by when I'm bored!".. I thought to myself.. what is the gate going to magically open for her? or is she going to climb our gate/fence!??! Blech.. I appreciated the cookies.. but I was going to be finishing tonight but she and her friend were here so long.. so I was done.. She's a sweet little girl but I think I'm going to find a "No climbing gate/fence" sign.. When she said the gate was "open" i heard her friend say "no".. She was obviously lying.. I mean she is only 12 or so.. and when i was young told my fair share of lies.. I just hope she's not jumping my fence to come hang out.. I have so much to do.. I don't have time to just hang out?? I think she really likes me.. and I enjoy chatting too.. but when I have time and if I'm bored and I'm never bored. I guess I'll tell her if she wants to come over and if we are good with that.. that maybe she should CALL Us! I gave her my phone number just in case the bus comes early and she needs a ride home.. She is my son's age and has a phone but my son doesn't.

Just weird.. and annoying. I hope her mother quizzed her how she was over here while my gate was closed.

sorry. had to vent somewhere!

 

[vfem]

You have the strangest people and animals popping around your parts... I must just say that!

Anyways... will so get you pictures... I'm not sure if I have any on the computer or not.

Sadly, the current tenants of the cell block 6... I mean the quarantine pen, are heading out to the old chopping block to get ready for a meeting with my freezer.

No pun intended!

 

[babalubird]

I think you're pretty darn brave to take such a project on. Congratulations. Nice job. Connie