So we installed the door. I'm impossibly excited about it.It looks awesome. I mean, we had an idea it would look good, but now that it's in place, it just looks so official. We really have a chicken coop in our yard!!The install only took about 10 minutes. We already had screwed one side of …
Building a door, Part 2
Second time's a charm. After about two hours of work, Matt and I built a door for the chicken coop. It's gorgeous. And sturdy. And ready for install. We started out by replacing all the 2-inch screws with 3-inch. Since everything was basically pre-drilled, this went by quickly. Before we went any further, Matt ran …
Building a door, Part 1
So our work on the chicken coop today lasted about 45 minutes. I swear we started out strong. Of the two doors we still need to build on the coop, I decided the one leading into the run area would be easiest to build. Or so it seemed. We did everything right. We measured the …
Inspector’s sneak peek
So this morning, as I was snuggled in with my cup of coffee, I noticed two men clomping through the snow in my neighbor's yard. They stopped near the back, and pointed at my chicken coop. My heart jumped to my throat. I wondered if there had been a complaint. I ran to the front …
Field trip
Seeing that we almost have the chicken coop completed, Matt and I realize we need to start thinking about the actual chickens! We still have lots of preparations before we pick up our baby chicks in February. So today we went on a field trip, and drove out to Tractor Supply Company (we found one …
The nesting box
Never underestimate the power of a dozen doughnuts. That small box from Dutch Girl Donuts on Woodward in Detroit singlehandedly fueled a productive five-hour day on the chicken coop. Today Matt and I worked like a well oiled machine. Each task seamlessly led to the next; the only loss for the day was a busted …
Back to the grind
The pumpkin pie was barely chilled from Thanksgiving, and we were back out in the yard working on the chicken coop. The decision to get out there was a painful one. Matt and I curled up on the couch, imaging the cold air nipping at our fingertips. "Can't we just wait until tomorrow?" Matt asked. …
The final stretch?
Seven hours of work in freezing temperatures got us ahead of the curve. Matt and I bundled up in ski pants, winter boots, hats and gloves ... and worked until the sun set in the sky. Two cups of hot cocoa and sheer hustle kept us from freezing solid. But the payoff was big. We …
Chicks, man.
In all the hubbub surrounding the chicken coop construction, inevitably the questions turn to the obvious. Chicks, man. What kind are you gonna get? inquiring minds ask. This has taken much more research than determining our coop design. We had to take many things into consideration, including temperament, size, beauty, and egg size, color and …
Material girl
T-minus six days ... and then we start building the chicken coop! We've spent a bulk of the weekend buying materials. Even though I have a detailed list provided by the Wichita Cabin Coop designer, the task at hand is daunting. So far we have purchased screws, wood stain (color: Natural Sequoia), a paint brush, …
Chicken Scratch Fever 