Coop build, moral support needed

It looks like a good start and should be a very nice coop when finished! We started our coop at the same time as receiving our chickens which I will say put a lot more pressure on getting things done. We got them in by the 6 week old mark and I will tell you that it is a great feeling having them in their proper place!

That being said, if you are overwhelmed it wouldnt hurt to get help from friends/family/husband to get things finished without sending you over the edge. My wife helped me throughout the process which made it more fun and a bit less stressful.

Keep at it! Eventually you will stop hemorrhaging money and have some free time and happy chickens.

 

you have done a great job.it took my DH several weeks to build our last coop.even though we used alot of recycle boards.we have spent alot of money on our coops and runs.but it was worth every bead of sweat and penny spent.i admire what you have done.

 

That looks so good; you're almost there.

I farmed out my building of all my coops so admire you for doing it yourself, whoa.

Slap it together, put the girls inside, you can fix the fiddly bits later!

Good luck!

 

You're doing great and you WILL get there. I was in almost the exact same situation with one difference. I've kept chickens most of my life so it wasn't that I had to build my coop while they were in the brooder. Our situation was we bought a new house and I had to build a new coop at the new place before we could move them. And, because there was some distance between the two houses and because I'm a mom and my kids get busy in school and activities.....I could only drive out to the new place to build 1-2 days per week, so it took a long time (it seemed) to get it done. In fact, I didn't get it done by move day and had to leave the flock at the old house and drive back every other day to tend to them, while continuing to work on the coop. I also felt I couldn't ask DH for help due to the pressures he is under at work. I did find a family friend who was willing to help me with the parts that require two people (my coop is 10x14 and on a coop that size, there are parts that simply aren't possible with one person).

But it got done eventually and it was worth it. Hang in there, keep plugging away, and one day you'll look back on this time and barely remember the frustration of it all.

In the meantime, what about some electro-net fencing to allow the chicks to be outside during the day? You could still bring them in at night for safety but it might take some pressure off to know they are getting outside every day to forage and eat a few bugs?

 

Your coop is looking great and I think you went about this exactly the right way! This spring, my DH finally agreed that my daughter and I could have some chickens. He was going to build a new shed and said we could have the old one (8X8) for the chicken coop. He thought we should work on the transformation this summer and get chicks next spring. I couldn't imagine waiting that long so about two weeks after he gave us the OK, we had ten little chicks living on our farmers porch in a great little brooder we built. The transformation took much longer and was much more work than I could have imagined. We ended up having to enlarge the brooder twice so our little babies would have enough room while they waited patiently for their new home to be done. Daughter and I wanted to do all the work ourselves but ended up really needing DH's help. Toward the end he was very cranky and I can't tell you how many times I heard him say "you really jumped the gun getting the chicks before this was done". This weekend we will finish the 8X12 hoop run and FINALLY be done. I feel like I lost the whole summer, it went by so quickly being so busy with the coop every single weekend but it was an incredible bonding project for my daughter and I. And DH has become as enamored of our babies (15 weeks old tomorrow) as I am. Now we enter the next stage of chicken ownership: waiting patiently for our five hens to lay their first eggs while we figure out what to do with three of the five roos. Oh and chicken math.....my daughter wants a couple of silkies and we hope to hatch some of our own chicks next spring. Great job, good luck and enjoy!

 

look at the hard work and care you've put into it already. what lucky little chickees to have you.

 

First of all . It looks great so far. But my advice to you is make it chicken safe first so they can move in and then add all the things YOU want it to be. Chickens are non judge-mental a far as I can tell.They don't care if the trim is painted white or green, whether you use sand or shavings on the floor or the nest boxes have curtains or not. Their main concern is food,water, food, food, a safe place to sleep and did I mention food. Just chip away at it. I am 2+ years into this and still modify a thing or two every now and then, more for me than them. I approach things with the attitude that the Grand Canyon just didn't happen the one day the ice melted. The water slowly chipped through the rock as it still does today. They are still only a month old, mine were about 2 1/2 months when I moved them to the big house. Keep your head up and just keep chipping. Good luck. Oh yeah keep us posted.

 

celticgarden!

Hello and welcome to BYC! Your post sounds like a slice from my life. I laughed out loud when you mentioned you were attending Back to School night. I literally walked out of the feed shed where my 7 week old monsters are crammed into my home made pen with plastic netting zip tied to the top, and got into my husbands car that whisked me off to our Back to school night. 10 minuets into the teacher talking I realized just how far down the ladder I have slipped where my personal care taking has become. I am sure between my horses and chickens, I must have smelled ripe! I found myself during refreshment hour speaking with an experienced chicken owner about whether my girls will be laying first week in December or February! I want to KILL the man who told me the pen around my coop will be ready 3 weekends ago, and yes, the hemorrhaging of the wallet is freaking me out! So, needless to say, you are not alone! I can't get over how many times I am reading threads, and how many people have similar thoughts, and problems as I do! Hang in there woman, maybe your brother can come back and help? My brother is amazing, and when he calls to tell me he is coming, I jump with joy! He even helps me muck stalls, and he is NOT an animal person! I wish I was near ya, I would come give a hand. I hope the neighbors and the zoning thing work out OK. My new neurosis is as the girls get close to laying, the noise won't offend my neighbors, as I knew nothing about "laying songs". YIKES! I have gone through 4 natural child births and understand the need to "express" yourself when trying to pass large things out of ones body!

Keep us posted, and again, GOOD LUCK!

MB