Chicken Coop Progress Update 2

Chicken Coop Progress Update 2

Hey friend!

I wanted to give you a chicken progress update! Progress was a little slow this week due to lots of rain but we’re slowly chipping away at it!

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Roost Update

I added a sheet of plaskolite to the floor in small room that the chickens are currently using as a roost until we finish the other 30 feet of the coop. It has made cleanup SO easy! For now I’m using pine shavings for their bedding but will be switching that up once their in the big coop.

I also added a hanging feeder and waterer. This has kept their food and water much cleaner! I hung the waterer on a plant hook, which has worked wonderfully! I hung a couple out in their run too so we can move these in and out if we want. And I plan to get a waterer just for their run too.

Chicken Coop Progress Update 2

Chicken Run Progress

We also got the base parameter put on. They are loving all the room they have to run! We’ve also been letting them free range for the last week or so in the afternoons when I can supervise them! Everyone is doing great with it! The dogs and cats have learned/are learning to leave them alone too. Even our blind chicken Louisa is able to keep up with the others!

You can read more about her HERE!

Chicken Safety

I get asked a lot about the safety of our chickens so I wanted to quickly address that. We do lock them inside of the coop every night. I work from home and am in and out during the day. Also the coop is right behind the farmhouse and we have 2 large dogs that are excellent guard dogs.

We haven’t had any issues with coyotes coming up since we first moved in and had our neighbor “take care” of quite a few of them. Anytime we hear or see them we let him know. Obviously when they’re free ranging they’re more exposed, but again our dogs are very watchful. I do know that predators are sneaky and can also come from above. At this point I feel we’re doing what we need to to keep them as safe as we can, but unfortunately predators are a part of farm life.

More Plans for the Coop and Run

We’ll be adding 2x4s across the top of the run from post to post for added support. Then we can cut the posts off. Eventually we’ll be adding some sort of roof to cover the run. I’ll be making faux window frames for the windows across the top of the front of the coop too. And I do believe I’ve decided to paint the coop. If you look above the windows on the picture below you can see that it was white at one time.

Structural Issues

Then we have to figure out how to fix the coop. We’ll repair the walls, but the fact is that the structure is compromised and falling off it’s foundation. It will be a challenging project but she’s an oldie and aren’t they all?

We’ll also be putting a roof on it and new floor in it. Some of these things may be put on hold for fall or later. We just have to see how it all shakes out and what time and budget allow since we have a long list of projects that we’d like to start on in the farmhouse too soon. Did you know that Ed and I are doing all our farm and farmhouse renovations ourselves on a no debt budget? Even though it means things take longer it’s something we’re really proud of!

And no matter what these chickens are living the good life!

If you missed where we started with the chicken coop you can find it HERE!