For the last several years I have been dreaming about owning some chickens. Poured over many pictures of coops, outside nest boxes and tried to learn as much as I could for when I took the plunge and got some chickens. So over the 2012 Mothers Day weekend I bought 7 chicks of various breeds. Took them home and had to build a quick brooder for them to live in, decide where I was going to put them (house or garage) and setup their first home. Was I prepared - nope? Was I ready and excited - yup!
My son has looked at everything I have brought home that I loved about someone’s coop. He has planned and drawn up so many differing coops for me in the last year. So now it's time to put plan into action. I tell him he's the worker bee and I'm the creative genius behind our efforts. Not sure he believes me but he loves to help build things with me. He tells me that my explanations take the scenic tour when I try to explain what I want. I get caught up in the fun things (decorating) - not the main things (building, plans, material lists, measurements etc)... So let me take you on the guided scenic tour of my coop experience.
The corner where I decided to put the chickens. On the end of the garage, not really obvious to the eyes of any neighbors. Did I tell you that I'm kinda sneaking them into my rural town? My neighbors love the idea, not sure the rest of the community would. Anyhoo, this is where you go around to my shed and compost area. The shrubs had grown just a bit too big and I thought this would be a great way to encourage me to tackle that concern too... Multitasking.
I cut back the maple tree, moved rocks, and thought about how I wanted this area to look afterwards. It’s important that it blends and fits into my life and gardens.
Coop after the first weekend.
Original town had the Dutch inspired decorations on every building. Through many renovations I have grabbed some pieces others were going to haul off. Thought they would add character to my coop. What doesn’t show is that I added an additional fiberglass roof over the existing roof that reached to the garage so they will have a dry and snow free area during winter months.
I moved all the rocks, plants and decorations around the Maple tree. I had trimmed up the tree some in this picture but it needed more before I could put up wire over the top of the run.
Finished coop and run. I hung old wooden windows on the wire, painted it all brown, placed an old piece of picket fence on the bottom and put in a flower bed in front.
A better view of the flower bed before I hung the windows.
I love my chicken coop, run and the girls. All 7 of them.
Thanks to donations from friends I didn’t buy any lumber except a few 2x4’s, and posts. I didn’t buy any chicken wire as I had been given 5 rolls. I was given 10 sheets of fiberglass roofing. My expense in this project was in screws, hog rings, fender washers and time.
My son has looked at everything I have brought home that I loved about someone’s coop. He has planned and drawn up so many differing coops for me in the last year. So now it's time to put plan into action. I tell him he's the worker bee and I'm the creative genius behind our efforts. Not sure he believes me but he loves to help build things with me. He tells me that my explanations take the scenic tour when I try to explain what I want. I get caught up in the fun things (decorating) - not the main things (building, plans, material lists, measurements etc)... So let me take you on the guided scenic tour of my coop experience.
The corner where I decided to put the chickens. On the end of the garage, not really obvious to the eyes of any neighbors. Did I tell you that I'm kinda sneaking them into my rural town? My neighbors love the idea, not sure the rest of the community would. Anyhoo, this is where you go around to my shed and compost area. The shrubs had grown just a bit too big and I thought this would be a great way to encourage me to tackle that concern too... Multitasking.
I cut back the maple tree, moved rocks, and thought about how I wanted this area to look afterwards. It’s important that it blends and fits into my life and gardens.
Coop after the first weekend.
Original town had the Dutch inspired decorations on every building. Through many renovations I have grabbed some pieces others were going to haul off. Thought they would add character to my coop. What doesn’t show is that I added an additional fiberglass roof over the existing roof that reached to the garage so they will have a dry and snow free area during winter months.
I moved all the rocks, plants and decorations around the Maple tree. I had trimmed up the tree some in this picture but it needed more before I could put up wire over the top of the run.
Finished coop and run. I hung old wooden windows on the wire, painted it all brown, placed an old piece of picket fence on the bottom and put in a flower bed in front.
A better view of the flower bed before I hung the windows.
I love my chicken coop, run and the girls. All 7 of them.
Thanks to donations from friends I didn’t buy any lumber except a few 2x4’s, and posts. I didn’t buy any chicken wire as I had been given 5 rolls. I was given 10 sheets of fiberglass roofing. My expense in this project was in screws, hog rings, fender washers and time.
