Without the whiteness.
We'll show the coop and run take their final form, the chickens doing chicken stuff in their 'natural' setting, and maybe some foodie stuff when the eggs start popping out.
Just some nice laid back chicken blogging, without the ridiculous commitment of daily photo sessions and entries.
So this is the Coop. The run isn't complete, so I'll just focus on the coop itself.
Cedar exterior, with a translucent fiberglass roof.
Egg door.
Here you can see the vent window.
Plywood interior--door mounted nest box (still to be roofed) and perch.
Screened and fenced vents with plexiglass windows for the winter.
The windows stay closed with magnets.
Look at the floor . . .
whoa, it opens up . . .
this will be the standard open chicken hatch position. Oh man, I should have stamped 4815162342 on hatch door . . .
Ramp view of the chicken hatch, with the under coop hooks for the feeder and waterer.
And of course, a picture of the girls--Noodle Soup, Salad Sandwich & Pot Pie running towards their new home.www.JoshuaJayElliott.com
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Awesome coop Joshua! Will you have acess to electricity for the winter months for additional light? When the days get shorter in the winter months egg production can stop. Add a little artificial light and your girls will be happy to continue egg production!
ReplyDeleteGreat coop! I love the last picture of the girls...they're so sweet!
ReplyDeleteThe chicken coop is BEAUTIFUL!! What is an egg door? Have the girls been inside yet? (I'm guessing not since it's still pretty clean in there.)
ReplyDeleteThere will in fact be electricity, I've got some lights already, but they won't get installed for a bit (there's plenty of light at our latitude for some time to come).
ReplyDeleteThe egg door is the door we'll use every day to collect eggs once they start producing . . . which is still three months (+/-) away.
Looks great! Only thing I would change - take out the plexiglass window covering. You'll never need to shut it, it doesn't get cold enough in Portland. I'm in Wisconsin where it gets down to -25 and my coop is always open - the birds just puff up. No need for artificial heat & you want to have lots of ventilation. In fact, you may not have enough. I would recommend putting in another window if possible.
ReplyDeleteThis would make a great children's book story. Kids would love the names and the characters......or maybe that is the kid in me who thinks this blog is really neat....good job Josh.
ReplyDeleteOh god Kristy, you're freaking me out--I can't put in another window! The plexi could go, but It can also stay latched up until (ever?) needed. The coop is located under a tree, so it's in a nice shady place--shouldn't be too hot . . .
ReplyDeleteAh, good....shady is good. I was worried, what with that corrugated transparent roofing.
ReplyDeleteIt's true that I worry more about summer heat than winter cold.
I trust you don't have an entirely secured yard and thus feel the need for the 'run'. I let my girls free range the back yard and I have much, much less than you do. My chickens have actually managed to keep my grass down (there's that little of it).
But...I do want to say "YAY!" about the new blog. I hope it will be a frequent enough venue to keep up with the "3 squares". I loved the 3CaD...and, what with Rhodies here, I've been rootin' for Pot Pie to come through.
Just wait 'til they start laying.
8^D}
Kelly
Here's a question....
ReplyDeleteCome the darkness of winter, how far will you have to go to collect your eggs, feed and water your chooks, or just to shut up your chickens for the night, and what will you have to walk through to get there?
I originally chose 'across the yard at the back fence.' That was about forty feet out and back through mucky, slippery heavy clay mud regularly watered by Puddle City puddle refills.
Not any more....now it's under the balcony (a small deck, actually) and I can secure them by stepping out the french doors from the guest bedroom, lifting the line the keeps the cage door open, let it drop into the latch, and my girls are safe for the night. The feeder hangs next to the hencondo under the balcony deck and fills through a hole in the deck...with the help of a funnel. An automatic waterer, connected to the tap on the balcony, provides abundant water. I only have to walk in the rain to collect the eggs....which are few are far between in the yucky winter months, so I can limit the number of trips each week. Otherwise, I'm dry taking care of my chooks.
Those are some lucky hens!
ReplyDeleteNice work!
I would love to see your coop up close and personal. My DH just built a coop so you are welcome to come check out ours as well. We live in NE PDX near Kennedy School. I loved your 3chixaday but you are right - the change of the chicks in the beginning is dramatic but it is beginning to slow down (although I swear Hiro doubled in size last night!).
ReplyDeleteummm, any chance posting soon, maybe a picture of Pot Pie??? I Miss them.
ReplyDeleteYes - waiting with baited breath for the next installment!
ReplyDeleteSubscribed, hoping to hear more about your chickens!! I'm just starting my backyard adventure.
ReplyDeleteI think it's great to read a blog about pet chickens,hoping these don't turn into one of their namesakes.
ReplyDeleteHave you ever had a problem with squirrels getting into the coop? It looks like there's a big enough gap between the door and the fiberglass roof. We have tonnes of squirrels in our neighborhood (Ottawa, Ontario, Canada) and they can be real pests sometimes! They're always trying to burrow into any warm space they can.
ReplyDeleteWill miss the daily shots, which were so fun as "The Girls" were grewing so amazingly fast. So pretty, too. So fluffy. Thanks for all that effort. It was worth it. (The previous commenter remarking on the makings of a children's book in all of this had a good idea, I think!)
ReplyDeleteDo you have any blueprints or lists of the materials you used for your coop?
ReplyDeleteWe're big fans and thought of you immediately when Evanston finally passed the ordinance allowing backyard chickens :)