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If I'm getting a chicken coop, you'd better believe that I'm getting chickens. So I guess my decision has been made. I've got that tell-tale glow of an urban chicken owner-to-be. It must be obvious to all those that see me. I'll be knitting little egg cozies before you know it.
Yesterday the coop arrived. I didn't know what to expect, but I did not expect what I saw on the back of that truck. This thing is built better than a shed and might be nicer than my first apartment. These guys know their chickens and their chicken housing. Granted all three of them grew up living with chickens in their home countries so this isn't the first chicken house they've been a part of, but I think this thing is amazing.
They hauled it up on cinder blocks because our house floods in the rainy season and parked it next to our big shed. This gives it some shade and puts it out of view from any anti-chicken fence-peeking evil-doers.
It's about 5 feet tall with a large side door on hinges, which should be perfect for getting in there and cleaning it out. I think we'll have to find a way to prop it open and put a little ramp up there when the girls get big enough to come in and out.
The best part of the house is the white staircase with white handrail that goes into the girls' nest boxes and sleeping quarters. Seriously - chickens with a staircase? Who does this? We do, my friends. We do. I just hope they can maneuver up it.
The back part is the sleeping quarters complete with a roost perch high up in the top for the girls to sleep undisturbed. We'll get some baskets for them to nest in once they're old enough to start laying.
Right now the boys are using it as a clubhouse and spent the afternoon using it to play super spies. I hope they're willing to give it up in a couple of months when the chickens move in…or as we'll be calling them, rare Asian Ground Parrots…wink, wink.
10 comments:
Hi Kate,
Congratulations on getting that awesome chicken coop! I loved hearing your version of the story. It would be fun to hear it from your mom's perspective. Is she great with words like you are?
I'm excited to see chicks coming to the scene.
Oh my goodness, what a great Mom with a great bunch of guys!! Can't wait to see your chickens! Come by and enter my give-a-way!
OMG, I just about sprayed my beverage out of my nose, it was the anti-chicken fence-peeking evil-doers bit that got me. I am so excited for you, can't wait to follow these new experience day by day.
So where will you be getting your asian ground parrots from? Must be a step or two up from seed shopping!!
WOW! That coop is awesome!!! How wonderful Kate!
Congratulations! Your mom must be quite a woman to get those gents to buid such a great Asian Ground Parrot dwelling. :o) Maybe in your neck of the woods they should be called Peruvian Ground Parrots though, with migratory ranges in mind and all. :o) LoL
You won't regret a day of chickie ownership! Welcome to the flock of urban chicken farmers!
P.S. When you pick up your chicks, don't forget to ask if the store has a "Roosters For Sale" book they keep. Our feed store keeps a binder full of animals that people are looking to part with for whatever reason. We were able to list our roosters in it and we made $20 and a nice Vietnamese family, who was used to killing and cleaning back home, got a couple good meals out of them. "Sexed" chicks--ha! Figure that for every 6 chick, 4 are hens and 2 are roosters (that's been from our experience and from what our farming friends have experienced in their mass chick orders over the years.)
I thought Farmer B was all no illegal chickens??
Are they just for eggs or are you gonna eat 'em too when they stop laying?
Cuz I'll keep on reading this blog if I think there might one day be a post about you geekin' a chicken.
Kate - that is a nice coop you have there! I wish someone would build something for me sometime! Ha! Hey....I just thought about something. You can print a picture of "the head" and put it in the coop with the hens. That way, the chickens will be protected by Mr. Bo Pilgrim himself...
EG
What a great coop! And what a nice mom you have! Here's our coop: http://twitpic.com/1o6o1 -- I have to say I like yours better!
Hey Kate, I found your blog via BackYardChickens. Love that site too - invaluable resource for coop building. On the topic of hot roofs, not sure if your structure would be strong enough but you might think about a green roof. You would have to build up the sides, put some sort of waterproof membrane down and make sure it's strong enough to hold soil and plants, but I hear that's a great way to keep the top cool.
I love the coop! The story makes it even better! I will be interested to hear your chicken stories in the future. How many chickens will your coop hold? Did they build it from a plan?
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