Our Chicken Coop...

It was suggested I share the story of how the chicken coop in our backyard came to be. I would be glad to share with your guys, since it is one of those things I used to be able to tackle. Nowadays when I see the coop I think to myself "I can't believe I actually built that!"

I was about 5 months pregnant with Whippersnapper and Mr Wonderful was traveling a lot for work during the week. I was into one of my obsessions, namely keeping backyard chickens. I really, really wanted to build a chicken coop and had been making all kinds of building plans. I researched what was needed, I surfed the internet for hundreds of pics of actual coops, and I asked the owners about what worked and what didn't etc. I really threw myself into it because I wanted to do it right, and well because I get obsessed about things.

Now the more responsible, patient, and sain portion of the patnership, Mr. Wonderful, suggested holding off on building a coop until later in the spring and after a bunch of other to-do stuff got done. As you all now know I don't have patience and I decided to just do it myself.

When Mr. Wonderful got home that Friday evening, I had coached the kids ahead of time to keep quiet about the coop in our backyard. First thing out of Spud Man's mouth was this.... "Mom built a chicken coop, it's out in the backyard! Wanna come see it Daddy?" Kids shhhhhhhh! Dang it I did not even have a chance to buffer the situation or anything. Mr Wonderful was dumbfounded and said "Well I guess you're not waiting for me to help you then huh?" I blushed and grinned from ear to ear. He loved it and thought I was crazy all at the same time....but you know what...he is the first to direct people's attention to our coop and tell them all about how I did all the cutting, screwing, designing etc and that he had nothing to do with it........I just really love that man....pitter patter goes my heart! Truth be told he did help me some.....he promptly added 575 pounds worth of reinforcements (that I did not feel were neccesary) that made my once somewhat mobile coop impossible to budge from it's temporary building site....thanks Honey!

A quick note about my practicality.......when we did this it was mid January! Luckily it was very warm for that time of year and it was a wonderful time for us to be outside. I think it was in the 50's most days but still got cold at night.

Here is what I got done the first day or two.

The entire coop was built from scrap materials and cost about $50 for hardware, paint, and misc items. It is sided with cedar faced plywood Mr Wonderful brought home from a job dumpster years before.

Of course I had them put to work from day one, and they loved every minute of it! Even if the little one occasionally got hungry.

I caulked all seams for weather tightness then painted over them for extra coverage. I am picky like that. Oh and I am in the process of roofing in that pic too. By the way I never said I was a particularly neat worker either...much like my indoor activities.

Slaving away painting the interior. I just love those guys!

Here I am painting, preggo, and evidently expecting high water! Check out those pants!

You'll remember I am impatient right? Well here I am trying to dry paint with a worklight (they put out heat). I was too impatient to wait to paint until the next day. of course just as soon as I finished painting the temperature dropped down to freezing and I was worried the paint would be a mess it it froze while wet.

Sunshine and Spud Man expertly demonstrate the run door pulley mechanism.

We finally got the coop moved, oh man that was hard, it is sooo heavy, it took several helpers to come move it!!!! Thanks Again Honey! Every hen needs a ladder to climb to get in, right?

Brave soul that I am, I was so darn proud of that thing I actually agreed to have my picture taken just 8 days away from delivery!!! Ok enough!! I am annoying myself with all this bragging....yuck!

Oh ya, one more thing, Mr Wonderful said I had to wait until the coop was completely done before I could even think about hatching out any chicks. I still have no idea how we ended up with a new incubator and these beautiful brown eggs in our house especially before the coop was done.....still a mystery. Hee Hee. So much for patience!!!!

Stay tuned for the journey of hatching chicks....coming soon.

Disclaimer: No unborn babies were harmed in the making of this chicken coop....see? Healthy and Happy.