"Eggtopia" 10-19-08 update pg 8 The Girls are Inside...

[ChickaD]

Were you planning to use the same type of fasteners? (Not trying to drive ya nuts, I just need all the specific clues I can get!

)

 

[Cetawin]

Yes...that type of fastener will hold them in place and make it easy to remove them if I want or need to.

 

[bluey]

Any new updates/pictures on Eggtopia, Cet?

 

[Cetawin]

Well, finally an update. We had a week of nasty rain and then I had nearly two weeks of the flu. Gawd, I am so glad I do not get sick often because I am a horrid patient/sick person. So, DH says now I have to wait 7 years again before I get sick again. LOL.

So, painting and roof completion has been underway. Hopefully, we will have the girls in the coop this weekend. They are ready to relinguish the garage back to DH and I for our use.

Updated pics...

The first coat of barn red in place...the soffet on the roof and two sides of the run chainlink are up. As I do not have a door into the run from outside the coop, the end and top of the run will be the last things installed.

I found a bunch of vinyl remnants and got some adhesive and went to work on giving the girls a good floor covering. Granted, it does not match but at least the vinyl did not go to waste and the girls will not mind, especially after the shavings go on top :

DD and I created a food toy for the girls to put in the run. We are putting a couple steel loops on it so we can hang a head of lettuce and such from it for the girls to play with and eat when they are in the run.

I am also working on the sign for the coop...I just grabbed the jigsaw and went to it...this is as far as I have gotten.

So..tomorrow is finish the hardwire cloth on the windows, make the roosts for the girls, get a start on the framing inside to separate the little girls from the big girls for a while longer and start the chicken wire on the chain link for extra security...

So, more updates later...the girls better appreciate all of this. LOL

 

[jacyjones]

It is looking absolutely brilliant! WEll done - you must be so excited now that you are nearly there. I have followed this thread from the start and feel like I am there with you!!

I am so looking forward to pics when the girls are in and happy. keep at it.

 

[Cetawin]

Thanks jacyjones. It is going...hopefully more pictures in the evening. I have a ton of stuff to get done tomorrow. So....off to snooze for a bit.

 

[Scrambled Egg]

They won't bother your jasmine, I have one growing nearby on a bedrail but it wont grow nearly as fast as a grapevine will and they will love the japanese beetles and grapes and shade from the grapevines!! Great looking coop too!

 

[Cetawin]

Well the little girls and the big girls are in the coop tonight. The medium girls are still in the garage until tomorrow.

So far the following results:

The big girls are not thrilled with their roosts and would prefer snoozing on the shavings;

One of the big brats, Sandy, has found a way into the little girls area and has had to be removed three times already;

The little girls are totally confused about all the room they have, they seem afraid of the roosts and everything so they are piling into one end

There are still some minor things to do inside, the run must be finished and enclosed, the medium girls moved in with the big girls (which means a day of me in the coop with them to make sure we will have no blood bath) and then the dirt hauling and planting around the run and such.

So far the plan is to plant a few nice tomato spoon plants on the outside of the run, a couple of Jasmine, some flowers and maybe some lettuce. I am also planting Flax for them this Spring.

wow...the work continues...

 

[miron28]

that is looking awesome

 

[Cetawin]

Okay...the girls are in the Keep! They spent their second night in the Keep last night and they had a fox visit them. Now, Mr. Fox was unable to get inside the Keep and was ultimately cornered and shot.

So, a temporary wall was erected inside to house the little girls so that the big and medium girls did not get at them.

complete with a door of course:

A small foyer area was created so I could open the door to the inside and not worry about the shavings as much.

the windows were both covered with 1/4" hardwire cloth.

Chicken wire was attached around the Keep as skirting:

DH forged stakes for the skirting and staked the chicken wire down:

A drawbridge was made for the Keep. It can be lifted and attached to the side of the Keep for extra security:

The exterior now looks likes great with the exception of some touch up painting, adding a flower box, completing the chain link on the end of the run and covering it with hardwire cloth or chicken wire and making the lined drapes for the inside of the windows.

Shavings were added along with feeders, waters, grit bowls and treat dishes. the occupants did well the first night although the big girls did not want to get on the roosts and the little girls were used to sleeping together so they all found one corner to snooze in. Yesterday I added the Medium aged girls into the big girl area and took my place...sitting on the roosts with a stick to threat off any would be attacks and fights. Night two went great and everyone is doing fine inside.

Courtesy pic of my little Splash Cochin...Luna

So the work will continue until everything is done and then the planting in the Spring will commence around the run area.

Whew, it is a lot of work but so worth it to know that the girls are secure and safe from critters wanting to eat them. It has passed the Fox test now we need only make sure it passes the Coon, Possum, Cougar, Bobcat and Mt. Lion test. The bear test I really worry about, should the bear start travelling this way again.