I don't know WHY I like it so much but it's probably because it looks like a proper coop, rather than the shed the chickens are using at the moment.
When we first went to look at the property, the silkies were in the shed, and the rest of the hybrids were in this one, but I feel there was a security issue with the run, as one of the chickens - a rather nice Speckled Sussex went missing, and I ended up finding it's foot and body in our vegetable plot about 6' apart.
One of my ongoing projects is to make our chickens as comfortable as I can, without going over the top, so I've decided to renovate the old coop and make the runs more secure from foxes - I shall probably completely enclose them in with netting over the top.
The roof will be the first job - 4 sheets of OSB 3 should do the trick, cut to shape with felt over the top, and timber frames for the windows, which I'll use my new router for....
...so new in fact I haven't bought it yet!
While I was taking photos, Rydian seemed to have 'his' ladies round him - the pecking order is plain to see, with one of the bigger, more fluffy silkies being his main lady, and the skinniest, more matted silkies being the bottom of the group - she seems to be constantly broody - or at least she is always sitting on eggs or in the nesting box all day.
I try to push them out into the paddock when I can, but soon as an egg is laid, she's straight back in there - whether or not she is in there to hide from the abuse from the other chickens I don't know, but I'm keeping my eye on her!
4 comments:
That coop will be fabulous once you've hammered the odd bit here and there :0)
Poor ol' little Silky..aww
I've really enjoyed reading your blog. I feel much more enlightened about chicken care now! lol
What a very cool coop! You are going to have fun putting your carpentry skills to work. You'll enjoy having something old and used to put back to its original intention.
Thanks girls for your kind comments!
Yeah I'll love doing this Don - I hope I can do it justice!
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