Finally starting on my coop!

[Appalachickens]

One side mostly done. I ran out of the longer screws I need for attaching the HC apron. Rather than using screws and washers, I just screwed a second piece of wood over each part of the run, and it seems to be pretty secure. I’ll admit I am getting tired of staining boards! The bottom three feet is a double layer of welded wire fencing on the inside and whardware cloth on the outside. Once I’m able to finish attaching the apron on that side, I’ll dump some topsoil on it and transplant a bunch of wild strawberries and some perennial herbs onto it.

 

[Appalachickens]

I finished fencing in the run this morning. All the parts of the welded wire and hardware cloth fencing that are against posts have a second layer of 1 x 4 screwed in to hold it all firmly in place. After I attached each one, I would pull on them as hard as I could and they aren't budging without a screwdriver. And if a raccoon can break into my garage, borrow the driver, remove a board and then pry off the fencing, he probably deserves a chicken dinner.

On the sunnier side of the coop, I'm putting in some herbs (lavender, rosemary, sage, oregano and thyme so far) and then after I've gotten more landscape pins to secure the edges, I'll put down top soil, mulch and some groundcover plants.

On the shadier side I've started adding soil and am transplanting flowering had-tolerant native groundcovers there - wild violets, chrysogonum (green and gold), cinquefoil, and wild strawberries. Still need to add more soil and a little mulch.

I went to an Earth Day event yesterday that included free native saplings, so between the road and the coop I added in a dogwood and two American plums, just behind the three rhododendron I'd already put in. I have small projects left to do, but now actually feel confident all will be ready by the time the chicks arrive.

 

[NatJ]

I have small projects left to do, but now actually feel confident all will be ready by the time the chicks arrive.

That is a wonderful feeling! Congratulations!

 

[Mother of Chaos]

I finished fencing in the run this morning. All the parts of the welded wire and hardware cloth fencing that are against posts have a second layer of 1 x 4 screwed in to hold it all firmly in place. After I attached each one, I would pull on them as hard as I could and they aren't budging without a screwdriver. And if a raccoon can break into my garage, borrow the driver, remove a board and then pry off the fencing, he probably deserves a chicken dinner.
View attachment 4096862
On the sunnier side of the coop, I'm putting in some herbs (lavender, rosemary, sage, oregano and thyme so far) and then after I've gotten more landscape pins to secure the edges, I'll put down top soil, mulch and some groundcover plants.

View attachment 4096864
On the shadier side I've started adding soil and am transplanting flowering had-tolerant native groundcovers there - wild violets, chrysogonum (green and gold), cinquefoil, and wild strawberries. Still need to add more soil and a little mulch.

I went to an Earth Day event yesterday that included free native saplings, so between the road and the coop I added in a dogwood and two American plums, just behind the three rhododendron I'd already put in. I have small projects left to do, but now actually feel confident all will be ready by the time the chicks arrive.

You might also look around for cranesbill or wild geranium (Geranium maculatum). I’ve also seen it called Carolina geranium. It’s true geranium, a distant relative of the familiar potted plant geranium, which is actually Pelargonium spp.
Very easy to grow - I had some last summer that re-seeded and popped up everywhere, but it’s very easy to pull out, so not invasive. My pullets go wild for it. (The veg beds haven’t been planted yet. Today was the girls’ first day out of their run.

 

[Appalachickens]

You might also look around for cranesbill or wild geranium (Geranium maculatum). I’ve also seen it called Carolina geranium. It’s true geranium, a distant relative of the familiar potted plant geranium, which is actually Pelargonium spp.
Very easy to grow - I had some last summer that re-seeded and popped up everywhere, but it’s very easy to pull out, so not invasive. My pullets go wild for it. (The veg beds haven’t been planted yet. Today was the girls’ first day out of their run.

View attachment 4097124

I have lots of that around - nice little native plant. Also, loads of chickweed which my son’s chickens were nuts about.

 

[Appalachickens]

That is a wonderful feeling! Congratulations!

Thank you!

 

[Appalachickens]

I installed the rollout nesting boxes today, but write about that separately here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/roll-out-nesting-box-completed.1659837/#post-28540060

 

[KyCoop]

It looks wonderful and you should be very proud that you did your homework and built a beautiful, safe coop BEFORE you got chicks. That is going to kick your chicken keeping journey off to a fun, more relaxed start.
Your not going to be that person on here desperately asking how many will fit in a prefab.
You did good. Very good

 

[Appalachickens]

It looks wonderful and you should be very proud that you did your homework and built a beautiful, safe coop BEFORE you got chicks. That is going to kick your chicken keeping journey off to a fun, more relaxed start.
Your not going to be that person on here desperately asking how many will fit in a prefab.
You did good. Very good

What a lovely thing to say - thank you!

 

[Bawkbok]

Wow, I read this entire thread with enthusiasm on your behalf. What a lovely place you live in and what a fantastic job in building a coop and run on such a challenging terrain. I enjoyed your posts and your pictures and appreciate your humor. You've got this 'nailed' right down to the plantings before the birds take residence. Great job. You may want to consider writing and submitting an article on how to build on a slope. Thanks for sharing your journey. Can't wait to read about your new girls and their life in the woods. Congratulations.