Pipd's Peeps!

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

Yes, Pattyhen, the goal is to have a secure enclosed outside area so that I can leave the coop open overnight and they can come out when they wake up in the morning rather than when I wake up. It's also because the past two winters we've had hawk attacks, so I wanted a secure area that the girls could get some fresh air in but be safe from hawks this winter. And it will give them some covered space so that they can get some fresh air without having to go through snow, too. I'm so excited to get it done!


Not much rain today! I finished screwing down the deck and the girls checked it over thoroughly to make sure I got it right. However, my mom (AKA the main builder / planner of the project) worked today and works tomorrow so likely we won't do any more building until Monday. Oh, well.

I did get pictures of the deck so far, though! And, consequently, pictures of the girls. Not too many, of course, because they were piling into my lap like they were starved for attention, but a few at least!

Here is the deck so far. We went with solid plywood rather than slats so that I could put bedding down in the winter for a little more cozy footing.

The building inspectors at work. Gotta make sure their deck is to code! (And yes, the boards did line up a bit crooked as you can see at Mabel's feet at the edge. Our framing wasn't quite as square as we thought in spite of checking several times to make sure, but it was not so far off that it was unusable. I don't need perfection, all I need is security from predators, so it's all good. )

A few pictures of the girls. First off, lap chickens! Miss Elly had to have her lap time, and Rangi the super-meek Ancona got in there, too.

Elly giving me looks. She's not so sure she wants to share her lap time.

To my surprise, Mabel hopped up, too! Mabel is a sweetie, but she has NEVER been a lap chicken, so that was different! Not the best picture because I had the camera on the wrong setting--it definitely was not that dark out!

Poor, sweet Rangi She gets picked on a bit because she's so meek. I think she felt safe there with me. She stayed for a long time.

Here's the reason Rangi gets picked on--Roha. She gets angry whenever I give anyone else attention, but she really pushes Rangi around, the naughty girl!

Iddy Biddy, who has been the main building inspector so far. She has been all over that deck, from the moment we started putting up the framing, to the instant it was done. Literally, we lined up the plywood yesterday and started to screw it down, and there was Biddy! She must have approved, because she had moved on today.

Mabel Look at that face!

Reuben, big man of the flock. Just out of the frame is Margaret, because Reub can't be more than a few feet away from her.

And to finish off, poor Easter-egger Cressida, who has started a rough molt. She usually molts in June, so this is also a late molt for her!

 

[pattyhen]

It's looking good I see your inspectors doing their jobs. That is going to be so nice when it's done.

We have hawks in the fall the most. When they are migrating I guess. They are brave to I have had them swoop down right in front of me. Between Bubba the rooster and the Ozzie the dog I didn't lose any chickens to a hawk last year. Ozzie will chase them if he sees them swooping down. He gets a little steak every time I see him do it.

Elly is so sweet I wish I had some lap chickens. I didn't socialize the girls when they were little I was so busy trying to take care of Turbo the duck. That does make a difference. Nugget my Isa Brown is the tamest of all of them but you still have to catch her to pick her up. She doesn't jump on your lap.

Thanks so much for sharing the pictures your chickens all look so happy and healthy.

 

[Cluckcluck1215]

You have such pretty chickens!

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

It's looking good I see your inspectors doing their jobs.  That is going to be so nice when it's done.  

We have hawks in the fall the most.  When they are migrating I guess.  They are brave to I have had them swoop down right in front of me.  Between Bubba the rooster and the Ozzie the dog I didn't lose any chickens to a hawk last year.  Ozzie will chase them if he sees them swooping down.  He gets a little steak every time I see him do it.  

Elly is so sweet I wish I had some lap chickens.  I didn't socialize the girls when they were little I was so busy trying to take care of Turbo the duck.  That does make a difference.  Nugget my Isa Brown is the tamest of all of them but you still have to catch her to pick her up.  She doesn't jump on  your lap.  

Thanks so much for sharing the pictures your chickens all look so happy and healthy.  

This year and last year, I've had a hawk get one of my hens around the beginning of February. Both times, they were juvenile hawks, so we assumed it was because it was their first winter and they were looking for an easy source of food. So I'm glad we'll have this structure up because then there won't be such an easy source for them! I've been hearing a hawk calling overhead for the past few days, and we do occasionally hear them throughout the year since we live in a forest, but we've never had losses or even had any hawks come after them except juveniles and always right at the beginning of the year.

It's kind of interesting, I have friendly chickens and distant Guineas, and you have friendly Guineas and distant chickens. Funny how that works!

You have such pretty chickens!

Aw, thanks!











Today's progress--we finished the deck (except for finishing putting all the screws down)! Just one picture because I'm worn out!

 

[pattyhen]

The deck has doubled in size since yesterday. It's really coming along good and I'm glad you have those inspecters to make sure it is done right.

My husband can hear the hawks when they call but I sure can't. My hearing is going.

I took some raisins out to bribe the chickens to see if they would sit on my lap. I did get Goldie to jump up but she's the older bantam cochan not one of the young girls. Spiderman is always willing to sit on my lap. I know the guineas are suppose to be wild acting but he loves to be held. He will even go to sleep when you pet him. I hope he never changes.

Have a great evening and thanks for sharing the pic.

 

[Cluckcluck1215]

Nicely done!it looks very good!the chickens sure like it!and,your welcome .

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

Some progress today! We didn't do a whole lot, but it sure feels like we did! Added kick boards along the edge, put the boards at the top that will hold the roof up, and framed where the three doors will be.

This one is from inside the coop, so you can see where the doors will be. One on each wall. The third one (on the left wall in this picture) was a late addition out of convenience, so I can get to the pop door on the coop easier. (Yep, the junky shade cover is in the background. Pretty sad at this point.)

And one last one, because apparently Scooter thinks these are perches. That's about 6 1/2 feet off the deck, not including the height from there to the ground!

We'll be building the doors and framing in the walls, but unfortunately that's all we'll be able to do for a little while. My dad's truck broke down this morning, so we'll have to fix it before we can buy the rest of the lumber for the roof or more fence wire for the walls. Oh, well. We do have enough lumber to finish framing walls and enough wire to do one wall, which I do plan to do once it's framed in. The goal is to have that up so that the original chicken yard fence along that side of the deck can be taken down. The girls will lose a roughly 3-foot-wide section the length of the deck, but that's a small sacrifice, right?


Oh, and the babies are 11 weeks old, but I forgot to take pictures. I'll try to get them tomorrow if I don't wear myself out completely with building.

 

[shadow rabbit10]

Looking good! Scooter is adorable. Hope you get the truck fixed soon.

 

[pattyhen]

Well I see all your little helpers are on the job. Scooter is checking out the top sections to make sure their level. It's coming along good and I hope the truck is an easy fix and doesn't take long to do. Thanks for sharing the pics and get some rest.

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

Sorry about no updates yesterday! I was not feeling good, mostly because I didn't sleep well at all and then worked on the 'covered porch' for the coop while feeling lousy... I went to bed early last night, though, so I'm feeling better rested today!

Here is yesterday's progress on the build! We added the wall studs to attach the wire to, and my brother cut off the extra portion of the corner boards that was sticking up past the boards that will hold up the roof.

Today, we're planning to build the doors and start putting the wire up on the walls. That's all we'll be able to do until dad's truck is fixed so we can get the materials for the roof.


Oh, and still no pictures of the babies. Oops!