Quail_Antwerp: Words from the Barnyard...

[Dace]

Aww, what a cutie

Looks like our day worked out just fine after all!

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

So today's project included working on the breeding coop, again. Or maybe I should say still.

Sigh.

Anyway, this is how the front of it looked when we started..

and then I had the kiddos come help me with the trailer that the former woodbox now turned into chicken house was on. We wheeled it back to the breeder pen, and I fanagled it into the run area. Really thought I was going to need a chain and a come-a-long, or else get a hernia.....but I managed, and Ernie ran out and helped but only a LITTLE bit and he didn't do anything that required holding anything heavy...or lifting...

Then it was cut a window into the box, so the poor chickies will have some fresh air...

We used pieces of pallet wood to build a frame around the window. The framing serves a dual purpose, decoration AND holds the wire on. This way we only had to screw on the framing, no staples in the wire, so later if I need to replace the wire I just have to take the framing down. Also, need to put in the roost and the nesting box.

We cut out a pop door under the window. We're going to put the same kind of frame around the pop door, and hinge the door as well to life up and hook, and I plan to build a ramp for the outside for the chickies to get out.

We also put a gate up on the front of the run, and all there is left to do is attach the middle 2x4's along the framing and put up the wire.

This was the view from inside the run. I think it looks so pretty, with all the greenry around, etc! Not that it will stay this way LOL I'm sure the chickens will have it down to dirt in no time!

I'm hopeful that we'll have it completed before tonight, or at least tomorrow at the latest. I'm moving my trio of Welsummers in it as soon as I can! For now, they'll have the 12x24 run all to themselves, but later it will be divided into 2 12x12 runs with housing in each so I can have two breeding pens out of it.

We only stopped because the drill battery died, and as we need the same battery for both the saw and the drill, we needed to charge it. Takes 45 minutes to charge, so I'm going to cook dinner and then we'll go back out.

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

oh and I took this pic today, too...

I couldn't help it, I love black and white photos, so I was playing with the camera. I like different kind of photos, and I thought this one of Baby Boy's hand, picking a leaf, was cute.

 

[big brown horse]

That is a nice photo!

Great coop!!

 

[reinbeau]

You have a good eye for photography, Aly, and I especially like the b&w photos.

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

Thanks, Ann. I really enjoy taking pictures. Rarely do we ever go have portraits taken of the kids. I usually do them all myself in our backyard or if it's winter, in the house. I used to have a semi-professional camera...but that's the one I sold to purchase my chickens. It was worth it, and one of these years I'll have another camera of good quality.

I always say each year that I'm going to enter some of my photographs into the local Amateur Photography show at the local street fair. The street fair is every August. Maybe I should actually do that this year?

Maybe I'll enter in the black and white of Baby Boy's hand? I dunno..

I did Baby Boy's birth announcements myself and used a photo that I had taken. Several of our family members asked where did we take him to get his picture done LOL I had to tell them, "My bedroom!"

So this evening I managed to get the trash burned, put up the rest of the 2x4's on the outside of the new run, and cleaned out the driving path between the two pens. It's now mowed and almost ready to be used for driving vehicles between. This is needed so we can get back to work on pasture field, and will also make it easier when unloading bags of feed.

Tomorrow evening I'll put the wire on, and then fix the gate so no one can escape, and hopefully by tomorrow night my Welsummers will be moved into the new pen! We've already separated out my Blue Laced Red Wyandottes, and all three girls are laying. I hope that means I'll be offering up eggs for sale from them soon!

 

[keljonma]

Love the pictures. The new pen is looking good, too. What will you use to cover the windows in a few months when we are up to our knees in white stuff?

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

Love the pictures. The new pen is looking good, too. What will you use to cover the windows in a few months when we are up to our knees in white stuff?

We kept the pieces that we cut out. I've a few small sets of hinges. Both the pop door and the window will be hinged on, and we'll use hooks/eyes to hold them open during the day.

When it gets really, really, really cold all chickens will be moved back into the main coop and housed together.

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

Today was a long, long, long day.

Started off this morning by stopping in here, cleaned a little house, and then off to run errands and to Ernie's therapy. While in town, picked up hook and eyes for coop doors, hinges, and staples for the staple gun.

Picked up kids from the sitters and headed home.

Really felt the need to take a nap.

Instead, checked all feeders/waterers, made sure they were full, and then worked on the new run again. Got all the wire on. New run is almost completely enclosed now.

Tomorrow I will finish attaching wire to the pallet gate, to keep chickens in and predators out. I also need to close off the area above the gate, which means I'll be ducking in and out, but that's OK for me. Also going to hinge the doors over the window and pop door tomorrow.

I'm whipped. I think I could sleep for a week.

 

[Beekissed]

Cute project, Aly! Like the little window. You can always cover it with plastic like I do mine each year. Is that the great chain link fencing you got at such a bargain? It looks brand new! How's the mini-horse, BTW?

I love the B&W photo also....sweet little hands, chubby and innocent.....how I miss those!