Building my Chicken Coop

I've decided that, since I hurt all the time anyway from arthritis, I may as well ignore it and get something done. And, I have baby chickies to house.

I ordered the plans last night and went to the lumber store midday and started building.

Two phone calls to my Best Friend's Husband, one call to my son's shop teacher, one visit to the neighbor for a jig saw, one (scary) excursion to our own barn for a miter saw later, we got going.

My first cut on the miter saw. Notice that impressive 60 degree angle.

And here we are with the frame and the deck. Getting the deck attached was a pain; good thing I had such good helpers.

If you want to know more about how to build such an elegant chicken ark, just follow this link for a detailed materials list and step-by-step instructions. It's not ark, as in Noah's Ark, but ark as in Ark of the Covenant, with the handles sticking out the front and back.

We did lose one baby chick today. We were not surprised as he/she had been looking poorly since morning, not moving about, or eating or drinking. I had warned the kids that this can happen. They were pretty stoic. I think that holding the funeral when we were all cold and hungry helped hold the maudlin theatrics at bay.

If you are wondering where My Gift From a Generous God is in all of this, he is studying for a big exam and I promised him he wouldn't have to build anything for the chickens.

And Mina asked about breeds: 3 Rhode Island Reds, and 4 Polish Crested (2 blond and 2 black and blond).