So, it isn’t totally finished but my backyard chicken coop is a sight to behold. When I wake up in the morning, the first thing I do (after I grab my cup of thick coffee and kiss my bug) is go to our back window and stare at it.
I have mentioned that my man was less than thrilled about my dream to keep chickens. Our life is too busy to add bird livestock (can you call chickens livestock or is that just for large mammals like pigs and goats and cows?). But, it was my deal and I went for it. Because when I want something, I go for it regardless of if it is a good idea or I have time or anything rational like that. And, I’d also like to point out that he didn’t want our first cat or our second cat or our dog and he now cuddles with all three every night. I predict he’ll be hanging out with the girls before the summer is over.
The chicks grew into large birds within a month. And with our brooder in our bathroom, well, life was interesting at our house. Andy agreed to help me with the coop. We picked a spot at the back of our property under a huge maple. He is like the most thorough and skilled carpenter in Montana as far as I’m concerned, so this was a large help. He does things I would never think of like use a level. On Saturday morning, we visited Home Resource and picked up a cool orange door and and old window. I grabbed some scrap corrugated metal from a construction site near our house for the roof and he gave me the supply list for lumber and a-coop buildin’ we were.
Well, really, I gardened with bug while he built the coop but I totally tried to help. He just gets on this mission and he can do everything better anyway so I did things like hand him stuff while he was on the roof and get him water and make dinner like a good wifey.
The thing I love about our coop is that Andy did it totally for me. And, the structure is gorgeous and sturdy and interesting and creative. Just like our relationship. Yes, I am using a chicken coop as a metaphor for my marriage. But, the whole weekend, watching his strong hands swing a hammer from dawn to dusk, two days in a row, when he’d rather be biking or skiing or painting or anything else but he was building a chicken coop because I want to have chickens….well, it made this girl very grateful for her man.
He did things like trimmed it out with salvaged fir and, without knowing it, built the perfect little shelf for a martini. Ida, Clementine and Bossy made the move to their new home on Sunday night. They narrowly escaped peril. I moved the water and food first and returned to get the chickens when I noticed I hadn’t fully closed the door. My heart started racing. I lept into the bathroom and there was our fierce cat Olive sitting in the shower stall with all three chickens. She was just sitting there with a twitchy butt, staring at the girls like yeah, I own you. I scooped Olive up and the paralyzed chickens began peeping again.
We still have to side the coop and make the run but they are loving it. In other weekend poultry news, I made a chicken shirt for my friend‘s kiddo on the way.
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20 Comments
Holy moly, that is one ROCKIN’ coop, from one girl who talked her man into making a coop to another: oh yeah. Love the door especially. Heya, I’m a dork, but what are you feeding your ladies? I suddenly got frisky with the chick feed back and noticed All Those Ingredients, and am wondering about how to feed them on something I make, ’cause organic feed looks $$$. (And, if you want a reciprocal peek, here’s our coop: http://heatergirlie.blogspot.com/2008/04/chinese-new-year.html – the girls are still too little to go in, but sooooooon!)
– Heather
Whoops, that would be “chick feed bag”…
We have eight (8), and lordy, I am realizing that my eyes may have been bigger than my, er, gosh, not chicken belly, but egg belly. You can see all of their butts here: http://heatergirlie.blogspot.com/2008/04/watching-chick-tv.html…
I also meant to say that somewhere in reading through your blog (just found it), you posted a particularly insane picture of the Bossy One, and I totally laughed out loud at it – have you determined that she’s definitely not a rooster or is it too soon?
That coop is fit for a queen (3 queens). My god that thing looks hurricaine safe. I can not believe that Olive didn’t get a hold of those birds. Frightning!! If she had I guess Margot Bea would have the coolist play house on the block. I would say Andy gets to go skiing this coming weekend, or this could become a source of extra income since Missoula passed the you can have chickens ordinance. Make that suggestion to Andy and see what he says. I see beg dollars coming your way. XXOXO J
wow! I am impressed, I want an Andy too. Or maybe next time I come I can have a how-to-be-handy-like-andy workshop… so I can build cool stuff too.
Very nice. Did I ever tell you that we have a chicken coop on our property? It’s probably 130+ years old, but still standing. I would love to get some chickens.
(oh, and cute shirt)
What a sweet, funny post — and gorgeous chicken coop. Bunch of lucky girls, you are.
Great job!!
Your coop is fancy. Your husband is a doll. And your cat sounds much like mine.
Also, I like that you’re drinking in the chicken coop. Hehe…
Now I want a coop. I want a garden and I want a coop. Ha!
Email me your email address and I’ll send you directions for bigger pics on your blog. We gotta see Bug in IMAX largeness, you know?
[email protected]
That’s MY son-in-law! Those are 3 lucky chicks to have him around, or should I say there are 7 lucky chicks in the household to have him around! Good job done by all, especially Bug who I know was the cheerleader!
Here’s to the Love Coop!
xo, Mom
Oh my God, it’s gorgeous and looks like an absolute sauna when lit from within. Very Scandinavian chic. Envy the chicken kimono!
CLUCK!
Your husband sounds just like mine. If I come up with the idea, he can build it. He sometimes pretends like he doesn’t like doing it, but I can tell that he really does. As long as I don’t ask during a Nascar race!
Heather: I don’t think Bossy is a rooster. I think I would have heard crowing by now…About the food, I know what you mean. I couldn’t even find non-medicated chick feed in Missoula. If you figure anything out, let me know!
J: I’ll see if Andy is up for building coops all about Missoula. I think it would be a fab source of income as a shitty pre-fab coop is like $300. He is going skiing tomorrow.
P: I love how-to-be-hand-like-andy. That’s funny. If you come visit, I’ll make sure you get whatever workshop you little heart desires.
Lera: 130 years old! Are there chicken ghosts?
Patia: When do I start feeding the girls pea gravel or oyster shells or what have you?
Let’s Plant: Thanks!
Finny: I am thinking about having a coop cocktail party.
Kelle: Great, I’ll e mail you. thanks! Lainey would be pretty cute with chickens!
Ma: Bug was right there through the building. You can barely see her in her saucer in the one pic.
Kate: Ooh. Scandinavian Chic. Love it.
Jean: Cluck cluck.
Von: Yup. Andy isn’t too into Nascar but I just cant’ ever mess with a snow storm and subsequent skiing.
I don’t know exactly. You don’t really have to feed it to them — just make sure it’s available and they will take care of it themselves. I don’t know about pea gravel, either; that might be a bit big? Our chickens got all they needed from scratching at the ground, but it was rather sandy Santa Cruz soil. I’d think ordinary soil or maybe some creekbed sand scattered around would be fine. But you might want to check an animal husbandry guide. I can’t find my chicken book, sorry.
Those are some lucky chickens..it’s beautiful.. Thought you’d enjoy this in today’s Atlanta newspaper..
http://www.ajc.com/living/content/printedition/2008/05/03/chickens.html#
There are photos in the paper, but they don’t seem to be online. Pretty cool..
-Barbara Schindler
WOW–that’s a beautiful chicken coop! (And an adorable bug.) I would love to have that funky orange door on my house… very nice. 🙂
Love that chicken shirt! And I am so jealous of that coop. I really want one. First thing’s first–finish the garden.
Love your coop! What a great hubby to build it for you. Mine is less than thrilled about the idea of chickens, but is on board for the eggs only, HAHA!