The Evolution of the Poultry Palace

[swampducks]

DH started my coop on Memorial Day weekend. The first photo I took a week ago.

Then I went away for a week and the next photo is what it looks like this morning.

I told him I wanted to try the deep litter method and he actually dug the inside out a foot deep. Well.... I guess this is going to be the really, really deep litter method.

He has been waiting to put up the walls till I return and can paint them. We're getting a lot of rain and he doesn't want the OSB to get wet. It's going to storm this afternoon so no painting today either! Good day to go buy the paint though.

I should mention it's 6 x 8 feet and 8 foot tall in back and 6 ft in front. He's also putting in 2 chicken access doors in case I want to separate birds indoors.

 

[Rare Feathers Farm]

Cool! Looks like it's off to a good start!

 

[Jacky'sMamma]

Looking' good!

 

[swampducks]

Here's a couple more in progress photos DH took while I was gone. He decided to put the predator wire inside under the dirt instead of on the outside. I'm still not sure exactly why. It's 1/2 inch hardware cloth, said it cost $88. Can't remember how many feet he actually bought, not cheap though. It's nailed all the way up those side boards to which the plywood will be screwed on the outside. Can't see anything getting through that, except maybe termites. Oh wait...no termites around here!

He then dropped rough sawn oak boards over the top to, according to him, keep me from breaking the wire with a shovel when I clean out the coop once a year (I did mention this was going to be really, really, really deep litter, right?)

I'm hoping to buy the paint today so he can put up the walls. Looks like the rain has finally stopped.

Here's one more photo of the only wll so far with it's wire window. (Glass or something will be installed before winter)

 

[swampducks]

DH progressed a bit more on my coop this weekend. It's now roofed and has a people sized door installed. He also started on the chicken door which is in the front right corner (there are 2 holes drilled, if you look carefully, nearest the chair) but he did that after I took this photo. I applied the primer. We've had so much rain lately it's hard to get anything done outdoors!

We also had a more in depth discussion of how the deep litter method is supposed to work and he had no problem with my removing the oak floor boards and filling the hole back up with sand and dirt. YAY!!

 

[talkin turkey]

Sweet coop. Hope it works good for you and your chickens

 

[talkin turkey]

Sweet coop. Hope it works good for you and your chickens

 

[CarlaRiggs]

I'm thinking your hubby is a keeper.

The coop is wonderful; thanks for all the photographs.

Carla

 

[swampducks]

TADA!!!

The finished coop.

Well, except for nest boxes.

The run is about 9 by 28, the coop 6 by 8. It's in my side yard within the fence for the dogs. Thus far the dogs are treating them just like the ducks, ignoring them. However, the chickens won't get to free range without me being out there with them, for the near future.

The yellow rope barely visible holds the center of the netting up so I only have to duck a little to go inside.

I think my DH did a bang-up job!

 

[CarlaRiggs]

The coop/run look great... so nice to have a sweet & handy dh.

I love that you've put them under the trees.

Carla