trystinn | We have coopage

Josh and Kevin finished the Chickenheim coop remodel this afternoon and we've moved the two Rhodies inside for the night. The third, the Easter Egg hen, appears to be hanging out under the shed. I haven't seen her out and about since yesterday morning, so I'm a bit worried. She's ornery as all get out, something I find oddly endearing.

Today's work involved rigging a chicken door on glides to raise and lower it so they have access to the outside door, cutting then hanging the sliding chicken door and enforcing the roosts (the gals were heavier than we thought). I've placed the brooder, feeder and a few drawers filled with hay inside for possible nesting, as well as a raised platform for the waterer.

There's a few upgrades to add soon: vinyl flooring (right now we're using hay), a pulley to raise and lower the chicken door and possibly, adding nest boxes with outside access. I'm going to do more research on roost requirements, possibly need to replace the thinner ones with thicker dowels or branches.

Poor Gracie is rather put out with us. She's been putting the chickens away with the ducks, apparently. Her method is ingenious, really: first she herds them up onto the pen fence, then she uses her nose to nudge them underneath until they plop over the fence!