What I do when I'm not scrapping...

[Wags374]

I started this project this past Sunday. The little red chicken tractor is about 95% done now. The roof panels are on, (they are green) but I have to wait until next week to get the ridge panel. The company that sold us the panels doesn't carry the ridge pieces. Also need to get the wheels on the coop so it is more mobile - I can move it by myself right now, but just barely. Have to say I am pretty proud of myself for building it- even if my cuts aren't all that straight. :) Especially since I built it from looking at a low resolution photo of a coop in the UK.

Took the pullets on a field trip to inspect their future living quarters since we had a little bit of sun today. They seemed to approve and really enjoyed trying out their new wings. Couple more weeks and they will be old enough (if the weather cooperates) to move in permanently.

When it is 100% finished I will make a proper scrapbook page - until then here is a little something I threw together showing the work in progress...

http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1NiELSKQS8VtE1hKzIFlgLLqvb1aB_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1NiELSKQS8VtE1hKzIFlgLLqvb1aB)

[lindajay]

Jane! That's adorable, if you can use that kind of adjective for a chicken coop. You should be so proud of yourself.

When I first saw your thread . . . "What I do when I'm not scrapping" . . . I thought to myself, "She has a LIFE?!" :D Good for you :)

[quillabee9]

jANE,
Wow! You work hard. They looks neat (the coop, the collage, and the pictures).

[Wags374]

Thanks Linda and Gail!

The coop I was trying to copy retails for around $2,000 - way more money then I have! It has been good for my diet - doing all the cutting by hand is a lot of work and my muscles let me know it every night! Yesterday I stapled on all the wire and this morning I couldn't use my right hand when I first woke up - literally couldn't hold a spoon. But a cup of coffee and some pain meds and I was back at it.

[SenorSlick]

The chickens will apreciate the work indeed. From what I can see, you are doing just fine. They will have nice digs. I raised and kept a small flock myself some years ago. Had about 30 (egg layers). They are actually an interesting bunch to observe, I built them a 12 by 12 foot shed with assorted shelving and laying boxes and over many years lost only very few, even when we had stretches of 20 and 10 below zero for weeks on end. Lots of hey, and plastic sheeting around the entire structure during the winters kept them healthy, and comfy I guess. Harvey

[kayser]

I'm impressed! I can't imagine what my coop would look like were I to attempt such a thing. I'm sure they'll like their new home.

[Wags374]

Thanks Kay and Slick. The whole time I was building I kept wishing for PSE tools to do it. :) But unfortuantely there is no "undo" button, no eraser and no paint bucket that just auto fills a space....

[AngelicKim]

Jane, it looks great. You are a natural. Once you get it all done you'll probably be wanting to build all sorts of things. Hey, do the kids have one of those nice sturdy wooden swing set/fort/jungle gyms yet?:D

[GaryK]

Jane

I don't think that wire is going to keep the kids in.:D


Looks good though for chickens.;)

[Rusty]

Jane,

My "other hobby" is woodworking -- in my learned opinion, you are doing just fine. I have the impression you are doing your coop just from seeing what another looks like. If that's correct, you have no detailed drawings/plans, then you are really doing well.

It would be nice to do it "like PSE". One thing you have no doubt discovered by now: Most wood shop projects come complete with a Stupid Button :D

Now, what are you going to build for your goats?

Rusty

[Wendy]

Hi Jane ...

... Oh well done !!

It looks great ... and they all seem impressed with it :)

Wendy

[kimh]

Wow Jane you are ambitious.
Looks like you did a wonderful job.
Kimh

[mom to 4]

Jane:

Wow, that bought back some memories. I had a couple of chickens when I was a kid and my Dad built a hen house that looked very similar!!! Henrietta and Minerva. That was their names. Only they couldn't have both been female as they had babies :D !

Does anyone remember where those names came from??? Anyone old enough to remember "Diver Dan" ???????:eek: :D

[msbrad]

Jane,
That is looking great. I never would have attempted such an undertaking.

Colleen, I remember Diver Dan.
m

[Wags374]

Kim – thanks! Funny you should mention those play structures. I was thinking one of those could be my next project… in a couple of years!

Gary – the kids are a good test to see if the coop is raccoon proof.

Rusty – thanks! You are right, no detailed plans or drawings to work from just a general 4x4ft coop, 18 inches off the ground and a total of 4x10ft pen including the space under the coop. Everything else was decided as it went. I laid the end frames down on the T1-11 siding and traced it to come up with where to cut. Not exactly the professional way to do it I know, but it worked. The goats will be using an old dog house for at least a year or longer. Just need a place to milk out of the rain when the time comes.

Wendy – thanks! All of the best looking coops seem to come out of the UK!! But they don’t import to the US or sell the plans. If I would have had the money I would have contacted you or Kev and asked you get one and ship it to me. But alas I didn’t win the lottery.

Kimh – thanks!

Colleen – if you had fertile eggs then one of them definitely wasn’t a hen. Of course hens don’t have to have a rooster around to lay. Hens are one of the really in backyard pets in suburban areas now. Both Seattle and Portland have a “tour of coops” every year for people to show off their chicken pens. And I think there are coop tours in other places too.

Michelle – thanks!

[JulieM]

Those look like luxury accommodations! :) :)

Well done! Your kids will always remember how mom made a house for the chickens...

[Wags374]

Thanks Julie - I'm hoping they will learn and be of help with my future projects. I definately could use the help holding stuff in place!