Coop Today, Chickens Tomorrow!

Tris and I were up early. For different reasons though. She couldn't sleep and I had class. I love getting up early. I don't like being forcefully awaken, but being up already and getting a move on my day is the best way to start. When I got out of class, we relaxed and had a cup of organic, free trade french roast and an everything bagel from our very own kitchen. We enjoyed these lovely treats sitting in the front porch stoop, baking in the sun. Then we designed our chicken coop.

The design is very basic, and according to our friend, Michael P, quite possibly ghetto because most of the materials were found, or in our case saved from the dump. (Michael said if we waited until tomorrow, we could really ghetto-fy it by going through his garage.) We did spend $49 on the 2X4's for the frame and chicken wire. Chicken wire is expensive!!! I think it must be hand twisted. Those are the only two ingredients we didn't have on hand. (PS: There's a really hot dyke who works at the paint counter at our home depot. Look at Tris, I do not need eye candy, but sometimes a nice view is just that, nice.)

We started building our six foot long coop and small pen around 12:30 and finished at 5:30ish. Every time we do a project together, we learn a little more about each other. Tris needs pictures. I need Tris's pictures. She was trying to explain something about the back of the coop to me and I just couldn't visualize, then she drew it and I understood. Usually I can just visualize without a drawing. Here's another difference. I love that some of the wood was warped and didn't fit perfectly. My beautiful Virgo partner hated it! We had several moments of her getting mad and me pretending that I was busy. I like to have fun. She likes refinement. (As of last week, all plumbing projects are mine. She just can't handle the hundred-year-old-ness of the house.)

I am painting a picture of a very anal girl, but Tris is mostly far from anal. Just when she is building or fixing. She amazing and my perfect match. It occurred to me tonight why she always hammers. I have had all these great ideas in my head forever, but I have never been motivated enough to change my vision to reality. Step in Tris. I have an idea, she improves it and together we build it. Mostly I hold the pieces while she hammers. Part of me really likes watching her arm muscles. It's hot!

I could go on forever about her arms, I digress. Instead, I will just show you some pics from the day. The first one is Tris and the frame work. The floor and roof slats and the side of the hen house are made from cedar fence boards from my sister and brother-in-law's backyard. They got a new fence, we got hen house building material.

This is the side of the coop. It is only 6 feet long. We figured we would start small with only two or three chickens. We don't want to be overwhelmed. We lifted the roof in front by about a half of an inch so the water from rain would slope down.

This is the back of the hen house. Tris and I decided it would be easier to collect eggs from the source, so we made a small door that was low so the kiddos could collect too. 

This is the finished product in it's new home. It's a little heavy, but not too heavy to move around the yard. 

 

We are still working on the berms before we order the irrigation for the year, but I am thinking by next weekend that project should be done and soon we will have real grass. I guess I could have taken pictures of the inside of the hen house. I will tomorrow, but for now, I am staying put. I have been in bed reading all of my back issues of Mother Earth news for a couple of hours. Watching my Love hammer really drains me. Haha! Much love to all of you!

I forgot the getting the chickens part. I went on craigslist tonight on a whim to see of there were any laying hens for sale and there they were. $10 each and less than a mile away! Score! I called the lady and she said to come by in the morning to pick them up! Chickens already! Can you believe it? Now Good Night!