dalthauser

I'm on my last actual vacation day. It was very restful in spite of it being "working" time off. It's nice to get out of the routine for a little while.

CHICKENS
The chickens are doing fine. They are all still alive. I had a little issue with "pasty butt" which caused me to have to drive to the drugstore and buy little cuticle scissors so I could trim the fuzz on some of the babies butts that was caked with poop. Very gross but necessary.
They are like little space aliens - very entertaining, but there's so many of them!!!
My friend Barbara is going to take 12 of them, so that will cut down the population a little.

Day 2 (chickens 3 days old) I made the brooding area alot bigger for them. It takes up a third of the bedroom. There is a little box there with two chicks in it. It's time out box. One was getting picked on, so I moved her and stuck another one in there to keep her company. I moved them both back on Sunday, and all seems to be well.

And a closeup.....

COOP
I spent the last couple of days working on the coop. Seeing the chickens growing so fast is a good motivatior!
I am not even close to being done, but I have time. The chickens will stay inside for another 3 weeks yet.

Here is the basic location. I dug the trench where the fence will do it. You are supposed to bury it a little to discourage anything from digging under it. The frame I got from someone on Craigslist for $50. It was originally for rabbits I think.

Another View

Just back from Home depot with the FIRST load of supplies (multiple trips followed this.....)
Price Tag first trip: $119.00
Got 4 sheets outdoor Plywood cut to order, two drawer pulls, and 6 heavy duty hinges
I needed no screws because I save any random screw I come across, and I have a big ziplock bag full of various sizes :-)

Getting to work on the Coop. I have a good idea of what I want for the finished structure, but I really am clueless how to get there. One step at a time I guess and a lot of not taking myself too seriously. If it stands and protects the birds from the elements I will have succeeded.

At least I know how to use the drill. Later I'll be breaking out the jigsaw for the first time. That'll be fun.

Back and side up (the gap in the back is mostly because they don't make plywood wider that 48" - but the guy at Home Depot said they'll need ventilation anyway so..... haha). The other side part will be in two pieces - like two doors so I can open it up to clean. The "floors" are going to be able to slide out for cleaning. At least that's the plan....

Here's the side. the top already had "floor" suppor beams. The bottom didn't which is why it's always good to save the scraps from when they cut up the plywood.......