The Coop Mahal

This chicken village is to much!

 It's been over 100 degrees here for the last week.  I keep a vigilant watch on my flock's  water, and have put up more shade cloth in the last month than I could have ever imagined.  I have 2 fans blowing from the east end of their yard.  I am really considering getting one of those small children's wading pools and putting a few inches of water in it, and see if they would splash around.  I think I am going to plant a shade tree next on the southeast corner (the only place to put one).  I imagined hot Albuquerque weather, but I never imagined how bad I would feel seeing them panting.   There's only one word for what I am experiencing: codependent. :-)

MadeABQ has the coolest chicken tractor, and in several sizes. Kenji who owns FabLab in Albuqueque is the man who does my letter laser cutting. Imagine my surprise when I walked in his shop and saw this!

My fave...amazing design!

I have been planning the final coop with nesting boxes.  Originally I was going to match our house roof line and make a mini me coop.  But now that I have lived with them in this spot, I know it has to be one I can walk in.  I don't want to bend over, or crawl on my hands and knees to clean it.  So it will be 4' x 8' and just over 7' tall.  There will be a door I can open and clean out their droppings.  The internet is full of chicken coops and plans.  Design Swan had a blog about modern coops. I put the link below.  There are some amazing ones.
http://www.designswan.com/archives/creative-modern-chicken-coop-designs.html 

Backyard poultry are common place today as they were in the depression. My Dad told me that many of his neighbors on the North side of Chicago kept chickens  for eggs mainly, but in a pinch for stew.  When I had my farm my Dad would get a lawn chair and sit and watch my chickens.  He loved their interaction.  I would catch him taking a couple of slices of bread and putting them in his pockets, and I knew he was headed out to watch my birds.  This made me happy.  As happy as when my Grandson was here, and loved watching them too.
http://localecologist.blogspot.com/2010/01/chicken-cribs-where-city-chickens-roost.html
http://www.chickencoopmaker.com/
http://www.twinlocustbarnsinc.com/coops.htm

I added a few more links of coop sights.  There are literally thousands of them on Google images. The Amish even have their own coop company.   I call it "farm porn".  I could look at these web links for hours.  $300-$10,000 per coop.  At that price you won't be saving much money on eggs. I keep chickens because I love them like pets. Our dog and cats don't lay eggs.

It will be something like this one with nesting boxes on the side.

We will build the "coop mahal" in sections and assemble the sides, and roof out in the yard.  3 or 6 nesting boxes...that is the question at the moment. I'll take some photos of the drawings.
Thanks for reading.
Each day is a gift. Open now.
xo,
Suz
 

It's A Beautiful Life

The Silkie Sisters

In spite of New Mexico's very harsh spring.  We have managed a few great days.  This week we were putting a washer and dryer in the guest house.  For Bob this means no more cutting through the shop for our tenants to do laundry.  That will give him great peace, as he doesn't like to be interrupted.  The electrician and plumbers came the same day as "Dave the Neanderthal Pool Man."  Dave opens and closes the pool every year.  However, this year he couldn't get the pilot light to stay lit. 

Frame on hinges before netting was put on.

Between the washer/dryer installation and Dave, I thought Bob would lose his mind.   What started out as a gorgeous Spring day, ended with what I call a "hemorrhage of money."  The dryer needed a bigger breaker, and there were none left in the box.  Dave left us with a cold pool, and no definite answer as to needing a new heater.  The next day Dave arrived with a new part. The guys finished the installation.  Neither of us got much work done.  Life.

Rose bushes will provide shade, and predator protection.

The morning started out with a garden work, and a chicken visit.  I was working in the garden, watering the newly planted rose bushes, and mulching strawberries.  Our tenant Karen was hanging wash outside wearing her apron.  I was feeding the chickens bread scraps.  We looked as if we had stepped back in time.  I snapped a picture of her and some of the chickens, as well as the roses, and new strawberry patch anti bird netting frame.  It's hinged, so I can lift it up the frame to harvest and work. Brilliant!

Karen hanging the wash...cutie pie.

In spite of the speed bumps we hit, I feel life is pretty wonderful.  I love my morning routine of watering and feeding.  Karen is a gardener and chicken lover. She's helped so much with yard work, and I look forward to more side by side gardening, and chickening.  It's nice to have a tenant who also feels like a neighbor.  It's a beautiful life.

Talullah being silly. 

Talullah again, what a poser.

I checked the pool, and it's warm and ready.  However it's been raining here on and off all day (not complaining), and it barely cracked 50 degrees.  Not exactly swimming weather. :-)

Thanks for reading. Each day is a gift, open now.
xo,
Suz

Chicken Fitness Program

Buddy sits where the gate will be. He will be given the task of guarding Ft. Chicken.

I can happily say "Ft. Chicken" is coming along!  The entire roof is sewn together at every seam. All walls of chicken wire are up.  The ENTIRE bottom floor has been sewn to the the walls.  I have to attach the bottom of one short wall and sew it.  But it's the smallest side of the whole run. Bob put in the threshold of the gate.  I have used every muscle, every tendon more than any trip to a gym.  I was out in the fresh air (wind) for 6 hours.  I can hardly move.  But for some reason I feel great!  Perhaps I can make a video of the "Chicken Fitness Program" that shows all the positions, muscles used, and before and after photos.  For $19.95 you can see how a chicken run and coop are built, AND get fit at the same time.  Only if you get up from the TV.   25mph winds are forecasted for this afternoon.  Here I go!

What is left?
1. Attach bottom of last wall.
2.  Put wire in "transom" areas.
3. Horse fence attached on 2 short walls.
4.  Sew horse fence (my friend Charlie is coming to do this Sunday) to chicken wire for coyote proofing.
5.  Gate.

Galvanized steel wire sewed all corners and edges together.

Oh this blogger program...it's acting up again.  Someone with more experience write to me with help.

polkadotmagpie@gmail.com.

Thanks for reading.

Each day is a gift. Open now.

xo,

Suz