Chickens!

Earlier this year, we decided we wanted to build a coop and raise chickens.  Mainly for their eggs.  So Here is the chronicle of our coop.

March 28th
I started getting holes for a the posts of a new chicken coop we decided we wanted to build.  The next day, We started the building!

March 29th
We took some 4x4's and cut them down and cemented them into the holes, then put one of those large pallets on it (7.5 ft x 3 ft)

Afterward, my son and I put down some plywood and then added some simple framing.

By the time we got that done, we'd basically ran out of daylight and had to wait to do anymore till the next day.

March 30th
My son and I measured and cut out the sides, and got them hung.

Later, one of my friends came over and helped me get the sheet metal installed and I was able to get a few pictures taken before dark.

April 1st
Tuesday after work, I got home and got the doors and the vents installed.  (I took pictures, but it's too dark to really mess with posting here.

April 2nd
After work again I managed to get the window and front door installed.

April 10th
There had been several things come up, so I didn't get to do much work over the weekend. I did manage to start getting things wrapped up and it was getting close to be ready for some chickens!

You can see we got the laying boxes built and I put some some chicken wire to keep them from roosting above the boxes.

I also go the roosts installed.

My grandson seems to like it.

My wife also did some painting on it

And we got the basic yard laid out.  So that would be the next step.

April 11-13th
Over the next few days, we got the yard walls up and secured with chicken wire.  We also got netting installed on the top hoping it would keep out aerial predators.

My wife did some more painting and the previous fall, we had some water barrels given to us, so we decided to install them.

April 15th
April 15th was the day we got our chickens.  We got some ISA Browns.  My wife found some on craigslist for $6/each if you get ten birds.  So one of our friends decided to split the 10 between us.
They were 14 months old, and going through a molt.  However, I thought these would be good to start with.  They're cheaper than a lot we had seen and if there was a problem with the coop or the yard, The loss would be better.  We also go our first egg that day!

April 19th
My uncle who has a guttering company came over and installed some guttering on the coop.  I really wanted to be able to collect rainwater if at all possible from the coop to be used in the garden.

April 20th
We had some tree's growing up in places I didn't really want them, so I moved three of them close to the coop to help provide shade (one day in the future).

Today (April 27th)
So far, so good.  We've done a few things that have not worked out so well, but overall, everything has been great.  We're getting between 2 to 3 eggs a day (with a max of 5).

The Coop is right by the compost bins and garden.  We're both pretty excited.