In the End

Like most people I have more than my share of things in the works: projects that I’ve started that just don’t seem to get completed. I read an article recently that said the only thing separating people with the most important and meaningful lives from everyone else – they finish what they start. I think that’s why finishing the chicken coop was so important to me. I finished what I started. I didn’t just think “HEY! That’s something I want to do and leave it for another day” I finished it. It did take a considerable amount of time for me to plan out what I wanted. I probably looked at hundreds of chicken coop designs, spent hundreds of “work” hours researching different types of chicks and chicken, studied articles about how to take care of them and I’ve spent endless nights thinking about what this whole thing means to me. And in the end, quite simply, it means – I can finish what I start. Something I wanted to do - I made happen – using my own skill and capabilities.  This is the beginning of my whole way of looking at what's important - now I can plan and finish the next project. 


But for now, I'm going to sit back, look at the coop and think “I did this” “I made this happen and look at the ladies – happy as heck eating bugs off the ground”.

We Have EGGS!

OK - who would have thought that my ladies would be so productive, but we have five eggs now.  One Tuesday and four yesterday.  Trinity is really excited about getting the eggs everyday.  But the ladies do seem to get a little frustrated about the eggs disappearing.  So, I think I'm going to make a trip to Hobby Lobby and by a couple of wooden eggs to keep in the nesting boxes.  Not sure if it is necessary, but I think I would freak out if my eggs disappeared all the time.  Maybe I should tune into the Chicken Whisperer to see if my ladies have separation anxiety... Don't laugh there really is a Chicken Whisperer - he's on blog radio.  You can become a fan!

Still can't find my stupid camera cord... I'm going to have to tear the house upside down to find it because I have some really good pics to share FINALLY!

This morning it didn't take me long at all to fall into a maintenance routine.  It's sounds crazy but having the responsibility of taking care of the chickens is really rewarding.  We'll see what I say in January when it's a 10 below wind chill, but for now I'm enjoying it (plus it's only two days in - everything's shiny when it's new).  But the maintenance is easy.  It's a lot easier then cleaning a cat box.  Just rake the ground - throw the debris in a lawn bag - rack the inside of the coop (tip: rack the clean straw to the side, then rack up the dirty straw) - DONE.  Not too bad - well not bad for cleaning up poop anyway.

This weekend we're going to BBQ.  It will be fun showing off the ladies to friends.

We Have Chickens!

After a long planning period.
And an even longer production period.
WE HAVE CHICKENS!

Couldn't be more excited about how everything has come together.

Diamond is a wonderful dog.  Could not have asked for a better companion for my daughter.

The chickens are great. (posting without pic today because I cannot find my camera cord - will repost tomorrow with pics.).

We have Becky (named after my grandmother's chicken).

Then there's Bonnie (because she tried to break out of the coop as soon as they got there.

Then Lily (what my daughter considers the prettiest)

And last in the pecking order (more on that in a minute) Lucy.

Becky and Lucy are fancy Buff Orphingtons - they have the feathers on their feet and are almost the coloring of Rhode Island Reds to me.

The Amerucanas are Bonnie and Lily.  Bonnie laid our first egg yesterday within a couple of hours of coming to the house, which probably explains why she tried to bust out of the coop.

Each of the kids reacted differently:

• Trinity likes to go in the coop.  She goes in and just stands and watches them, but hasn't gotten up the nerve to touch them yet. 
• Tony watches them from outside the coop.  He sat in the shade yesterday with his Dr. Pepper and Sour Cream & Onion chips and watched them for a long time. 
• Diamond didn't pay much attention to them - she just sat watching them for a few minutes then took a nap next to Tony.  Later in the evening she started "playing" chase around the coop getting the ladies all riled-up but the caught on and started ignoring her.

Yesterday you could tell Becky was in charge.  She ran the others away if they found a good bug spot.  At first I thought it was because she was the biggest, but now I think it's because she's the smartest.  She has figured out I come and go from the door, so she paces back and forth by the door looking for a way out.  Then Bonnie is next in the order, only because I've seen Lily run away from her.  Then Lily and then Lucy.  The reason I think Lucy is last is because last night when all the other chickens went into the roost for the night Lucy stayed on the outside - sitting on the door.  Tried to simply get her off the door and let her go in the roost, but she was having no part of my plan.  So I had to grab her - remembering everything I've ever read, done or seen about holding birds and put her in the roost.  It actually wasn't that bad.  She really didn't give that much of a fight, but I could tell by the way she wouldn't go near the other chickens - she was low man on the totem pole.
This morning wasn't hard at all - got up, put my gold sweater on, jumped into my polka-dotted boots, picked Diamond up and took her outside with me, opened the coop, filled the feeder, cleaned out and refilled the waterer, locked the coop back up and done.  And the only reason I was done was because they didn't come out of the roost, so I couldn't clean it.  I don't know why I thought they would come right out (too many cartoons I guess), but I'll get it cleaned when I get home.

It's only been one day - but my goodness this was exactly what I planned and thought it would be.

Wait a minute - Did you see that puppy? - I want one!

OK - now that I have a definite date for the Ladies and I'm almost done with the coop, I've taken a deep breath of relief.  Of course it's raining again so I didn't take a picture of the coop, but Saturday it is suppose to be 90 degrees outside - so new pics then.

Also this Saturday I'm getting a new puppy.  Not a tiny little puppy like my Coco, but an Australian Shepherd - what I've always wanted.  I was looking online and yes I really do hate shopping on-line but was just looking so I could price compare and found beautiful mainly white shepherds here in Nebraska.  I'm sure they're really cheap because they're 6-months old and not the true color of Australian Shepherds, but they are so darn cute.  Emailed... Got a response.... Set a time to pick her up... (yes I'm getting a girl)... Picked out a name (DIAMOND).  Here's my pretty girl's web picture.

How can you say no to a face like that?

Too cute for words.

I need to stay off the Internet before my house turns into a farm.

So in the middle of getting the chicken project all done, we'll be making a farm puppy into a city dog.

The Final List

Here is a list of the things I need to finish the coop.

1. 25 1/4 x 28 7/8 piece of plywood to finish the outside door along with hinges.
2. One 2x4 with two cuts (1) 48" and (2) 21 1/4" to brace the window.  Also need a jigsaw to cut the window out.  I already have the 1x3 needed to frame the window out.
3. Plywood cut into (2) 22 x 9 pieces, (3) 12 1/2 x 9 pieces and (1) 12 1/2 x 22" piece to make the nesting box.  Need to figure out how to get all of the pieces from one piece of plywood.  That crap is expensive. Plus the hinges and fasteners.
4. Another piece of plywood 14 x 14 for the entrance door along with hinges and fasteners.
5. Water proof paint (small amount) because I'm going to put tile on the floor on the inside of the coop.
6. So that adds tile to the list.
7. Primer and paint for the outside.

That's it.
I like shopping but really can this little project get any more expensive.  But it's almost done. Next Tuesday.  Finally I have a date.  Next Tuesday the Ladies will be here.  I'm hoping they're nice and cute.  We'll see.

It really cost that much!

Building a chicken coop is a little harder than I anticipated.  I am really starting to like the way the coop is coming together.  Still no pics though...


So far I think I've spent over $300 on the supplies to get ready for the ladies to move in.
$100 - give or take on tools and little stuff like brackets, braces, door handles, chains and springs.
$101 - exactly on lumber.
$ 92.43 - exactly for feed, grit, oyster shell, poultry conditioner feed (which the guy at Tractor Supply said I needed for good egg production), a feeder, waterer and galvanized steel trash can to keep the mice out of the food.
$20 - for 6 chickens (4 this week) and maybe 2 more in two weeks.
 
That's really cut into my shopping budget for the month along with two birthday parties in two weekends.  So far, the most expensive item has been the coop and I will probably have to make "renovations" in the near future.  The least expensive are the (ladies).
 
I hate buying things sight unseen, it's like shopping on the Internet - do you really know what you are buying without touching it, but I'm trusting I was specific enough when I said, I wanted them to be cute and different colors, because like I've said before "I can't tell them apart".  But I stressed "cute" - well as cute as a chicken can get.  They should be here this weekend, I'll find out definitely tomorrow.  I'm still thinking of getting two "girlies" from Dawn, but haven't made up my mind yet.  It's kinda like everything else I do - slow and steady but I'm having fun and learning a lot about myself everyday.
Yesterday I learned - I can make damn near anything.
Today I learned - I'm thankful for the little things. Like not having to be at work everyday at 7 am.  Can't do it, can barely get here at 8ish.

"GETTER DONE"

What happens when you change your mind a thousand times? 
You never get anything done!!! That's what happens. 
So I had to get my act together and "getter done". 
So the coop is almost done - pics to come.  Changed the design a lot, but I think it's good for a starter house using my limited carpenter skills.  I'm so proud of the door - made from scratch (it's the little things in life that make me happy).  One battle wound from the chicken wire and a new chicken plan.  I am buying 4 - 18month old ladies from a friend's brother that has to sell his small flock.  And they are Ameraucanas!!!  It took some time, but it's getting there.
Just think with all of the money I've spent on the coop, plans, equipment and chickens - I could have purchased a new spring wardrobe from the clearance racks at Target and Yonkers.  The sacrifices I am making to be happy.  By the end of next week I will be able to say "One project done - ten thousand more to complete".

One word of advice: when looking at plans and trying to figure out what type of coop to build and how; reference www.backyardchickens.com.  They had the best plan information I could find.