Chicken Coop

John and I want to have chickens running around our acreage, so we decided to build a coop. We bought all kinds of books and read up on the chickens.  We would like to have about a dozen (or more) of 4 varieties: Buff Orpingtons, Rhode Island Reds, Plymouth Rocks and Leghorns. NO Rooster --my neighbor said he'd shoot it-- they are noisy and you dont need one to get eggs, only if you want chicks.  All our breed choices are prolific layers, so we should expect quite a lot of eggs. Then when they stop laying, they become dinner!  I cannot wait. but we are having a hard time trying  to find the time to finish the chicken coop.

We built the coop from scratch with 2x4's and reclaimed wood from an old fence

John's quite clever and talented at this. He had the whole thing designed in his head. Although its taking longer than he had thought it would.



Its coming along quite nicely!!





  This is the coop all painted .  looks good.  but it still needs the enclosed area for our feathered friends to play in and the roosting bars inside.



These boxes on the outside are nesting boxes that John designed so that we can get the eggs out easily and not disturb to chickens. We're so thoughtful :)





So as of today.... This is as far as we have gotten. 

We are 95% complete. IF we could just find 1 more day of no interruptions we could get the %$^& thing finished :)  Life gets in the way of all the fun sometimes. We have their screened lanai up but not completely screened yet.  We have to finish the roosting bars,the little ramps to get inside coop, finish screening and then put a 18" barrier underground so that the other critters cant get in and eat the chickens. When thats done we can go get the little buggers and make them work for their supper, cause I want eggs.!!!!   All this fuss so I can get fresh eggs.  But I think it will be worth it.

Next after this I think I will start raising RABBITS!!!!!