Washingtonians

[Stumpfarmer]

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Happy Birthday!

See, I define "not working" as just doing chores. No project work, no laundry, and no cooking.

 

[Totalcolour]

All my BYC WA buddies - GET WELL!

I light candles for folks with maladies, and right now I'm running out - there's just too many of you!

Sending everyone of you the best

And new Mommies too - I know it's hard going back to work; "needs must when the devil drives". Candles for you too.

 

[Stumpfarmer]

Oh, well. I shall just have to accept that the EE kids make a racket at sunset: I went in and checked their water and feed and they're all OK. I'm going to try to give them a low perch tomorrow, see if that makes their lives easier. But they are NOISY right as it's getting dark.

 

[Kaneke]

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they probably get that from Roopert -- LOL

he always crows a whole bunch just as it gets dark ... from reading about chicken behavior, it's to "talk" to the flock and keep them together as they get ready for roosting time

 

[cheryl98117]

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Happy Birthday!!!

 

[HoneysuckleHills]

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Fix them up and resell. Charge for delilvery.

That thought had crossed my mind but since I ain't got much of a mind it was a very brief crossing.

You are too funny!
I am going to use that line!

 

[HoneysuckleHills]

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x2
and a very happy birthday to you!

 

[cheryl98117]

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Oh I still have almost 2 weeks until the dirty 30! lol The 21st is my actual date, but thank you for the advanced B-day wish!

 

[cheryl98117]

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Hopefully the time will fly by!!!! Happy Birthday when it is your B-day!!!

I hope it does too! And thank you broody!

 

[HoneysuckleHills]

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Thanks, I like it, too.
I made a model out of copy paper and tape and showed it to my father, a retired contractor.
He laughed at me but said he'd help.
We build it out of scrap lumber and old pallets.
He helped at all the critical points such as cement work and making the whole thing square and stable.
For Mother's Day, my children gave me the hardware and roofing tiles.
I had tons of old white paint.
It's really a pallet coop with lots of "make-up" - kinda like me - I clean up okay

Do I have photos? Well, yes, millions!
But first, please remember that I am a CPA.
I reseached a ton before I made the prototype.
So, good with research, analytical, blah blah blah - but NOT a contractor!
So, first a wide shot so you can see where everything fits in.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/62344_happy_hen_house.jpg
Here's a photo of me pretending to be a roofer. See the high quality materials?

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/62344_ruth_the_roofer.jpg
Next shot you can see the upper roost that sits in a notched 2x4.
Under that is a removable poop board with loose vinyl on top. This poop board slides forward for easy cleaning.
I think you can see that I have a vinyl floor that runs up the back wall of the coop. It's loose in front, tucked in by a lip board.
When I clean, I can lift the vinyl and clean everything, ending with a good dusting of DE, food grade, of course.
The nesting boxes are dark to make them more inviting. (A scrumptious leftover plum chocolate color!)
Can't see this but I attached the lip in front of the nesting box first on either side to a 1 inch block of wood so that there would be a 1 inch gap between the lip and the nest allowing for easy sweeping of the nest box litter into the main coop for clean up.
Electrical cord is enclosed in that round pipe which was grey until I painted it.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/62344_coop_details_1.jpg
Here's the way I made a removable lip to help keep shavings inside the coop. It also hold the vinyl in place.
You can see the junk wood in this photo, too!
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/62344_coop_details_2.jpg
The pop door is a piece of leftover acrylic that slides easily in simple tracks. The entire run is secure so the pop door doesn't have a lock.
I keep the water under the coop so the girls can't sit on it. Keeps the water so much cleaner.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/62344_coop_details_3.jpg
The pop door lifts with a simple pulley system. Here is a shot of how we ran the rope through the hardware cloth.
Keeps everything neat and tidy, just the way a CPA would like things.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/62344_coop_details_4.jpg
Then, of course, needed to secure the rope so the door stays up.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/62344_coop_details_5.jpg
In the next shot you can see the pallet board construction.
We hung the feeder on a board that slides out. We used the hardware from an old kitchen cabinet. I don't know what the slider-outer-thing hardware is called. I hope it's clear enough in the photo.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/62344_coop_details_6.jpg
The floor directly under the coop is cement. On the storage side it's just cement. On the other side - the run side - it's cement covered with sand. (The rest of the run has harware cloth covered with sand.) I really like having supplies close by and secured from rodents. (of unusual or the usual size!)
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/62344_coop_details_7.jpg
Extra ventilation window propped up with a stick that hangs handy.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/62344_coop_detail_8.jpg
More storage with adjustable shelves. There's a sheet of metal on the floor of this cabinet just in case rodents ever feel like making a try for the snacks.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/62344_coop_details_9.jpg
A notched 2x4 in the run holds a branch or a 1x4 or 2x4, depending on the season.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/62344_coop_details_10.jpg
And, lastly, since I clearly got carried away with this show and tell, I decided to add another favorite shot.
Obviously, I am not a builder, or a breeder for that matter.
Just a city slicker who loves keeping birds as does my daughter as evidenced below.
Seriously, this is probably way, way more than you wanted to see or read!
Thanks for letting me share.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/62344_lily_and_the_chickens.jpg

I think you win both the prettiest and most functional coop awards! I love how you access the feeder! Do you cover the hardware cloth on the coop doors in the winter?

Thank you, Monique!
Yes, I have acrylic inserts that fit snug into the doors. (Repurposed acrylic pieces that we framed with more pallet boards, of course!)
I wait until it's really cold before I put those in.
I've heard so many times that good ventilation keeps birds healthy.