Taking the Plunge

And into the blogosphere I go. For years I have been told that I should have a blog but I never thought I would have the time to write about what I'm doing because I'm always so busy doing it. When I'm not busy living my life I'd usually rather take a nap than spend more time on the computer. However, I do love to write and I rarely have time to construct the kind of essays and stories that I'd like, so this will have to do. I compose imaginary blog entries (err, posts) in my head all the time, while I work in the garden or make dinner or lay awake at 3am for no reason...but they never make it into cyberspace. So here it is. My brain in digital. I'm launching this with no intention of continuity and complete disregard for any applicable blog etiquette or rules since I don't know what they are and really don't care anyway. This is not my attempt to wow you with my well-crafted commentary. There will be punctuation mistakes but as long as you get the point that's good enough for me. This is as close as you'll get to talking to me in person and hearing about the nonsense that I get myself into...if you think that sounds like fun, well, then welcome to the circus.

Chicken Shit

So, the coop was finished about two weeks ago and I finally started to paint it today. And yes, it took a while. And no, some of you will not be impressed (ahem, Dwayne), but I don't care. I still kind of can't believe that I pulled this off. I mean, I knew I would build something, but I thought there was every chance that it would look like a giant plywood box that could go at any minute. I mean really, I've never built anything bigger than a bluebird house and the pieces for that were pre-cut. The compost bin, yes and that was a success and a great warm up project but it doesn't need to protect anyone from predators.

I suppose I could back up in case for some reason you are reading this and yet have no idea what I'm talking about. That seems boring and like it would take a long time though, so here's the short version. Five weeks ago I bought 7 baby chicks...basically on a whim. They have since grown into small chickens and at least one of them has grown into a small rooster (sad). Anyway, I built them a chicken coop (wait for it) from scratch. I know. I started with some graph paper and a pencil and here's what I ended up with. I feel like an architect and a bad ass. Hey, small triumphs are fine by me!

There are a few hundred missing steps in the photo documentation because I was so focused on getting it done that I forgot to take pictures, sorry. Anyway, you'll get the idea. I still have work to do. Build the attached run for one thing, that too will come...if we ever decide to stay home for a whole weekend and it doesn't rain the whole time. For now the chickens are basically free ranging in the yard and garden during the day and going into the coop at night. I do have a temporary movable run (read, old baby play yard) up for them with some aviary netting and plywood for shade and a little protection. These days though, I've been leaving it open so they can come and go as they please. They seem to like hanging out in the compost bin a lot which is fine with me since that's where I'd most like to have their poop anyway.

FYI, it is not my intention to have this be a chicken blog, but chickens are a good part of what's up with me right now...so we'll see.

The first few steps, building the frames for the walls and the nest boxes.

The finished coop with the doors on. The small door next to Ry's head will be inside the attached run and will give the ladies access to the run when we can't let them out into the yard.








































This little door will be outside the run so I can change out the water and food without going into the run.

This whole side opens up for cleaning. We put in a vinyl floor to make that easier and keep the yuckyness from soaking into the plywood flooring.

The nest boxes on the back are also outside of where the run will be so egg collection will be easy.