The Coop Stoop

Okay, I admit. Hindsight being what it is, the entry stoop to access the front of the coop should have been much bigger. Due to the addition of misters (it gets hot here, you know?), the area Around the original stoop became one big mud pit when the misters were on. This may or may not have led to one of my neighbors busting her arse in the mud (and reportedly being heckled by the chickens). So............  Today was 'expand the stoop
 day'.  Since I am a cheapskate at heart and have plenty of old block and brick lying around, I used what I had.

Midway through. Unhelpful chicken is unhelpful.

The finished product. Mud free.

The Green Coop Roof.

Is on and almost done.....

prepping to frame

frame done and ready to set

Frame on and ready to start layering.

adding perlite mix

adding plants!

chicken wire for stability and plants installed!

More Chickens.

Because, lets face it, everything else that needs done in the house is on hold until the chickens are completely sorted out. Bathroom? Still gutted.  Living room wall? Still disaster. Front yard? don't want to talk about it.

So. Chickens.

The Girls Move OUT! Woot!

That's right. Despite the fact that the coop is not *totally* finished..... (more paint/finish roof/front door and don't get me started on the run that needs to be built....)..... I could not take having house chickens any longer.  So the coop got secured and the girls are even now busily FREAKING OUT at being outside. in the dark. with no sofa to sleep on.

Baby chickens live in the house. Big chickens live outside in the coop. And the "Big Chicken" line has been crossed...

MOM! Why are my chickens in the box??  Rosie worried about her chickens.

It aint pretty, but it's working.

Coop Frustrations.....

Did I mention I'm not a big fan of painting. or priming. or caulking.  This coop is beating me. Slowly but surely the coop is winning the psychological mind game. I just want the damn thing DONE! AARRGGHHHH.

more done, yet more to do.....

Almost ready to paint.

Interior caulked and primed.

Chicken exit side ready for paint.

The Girls, waiting patiently for me to get it together.

Still going......

I'd write more but I'm wiped out after work AND coop action today......

 

The Back is On! Screen in the middle.

The chicken exit

still have to finish the interior nest boxes

insulation

first interior panel is in!

More tiny, incremental progress.....

Nest boxes siding and door installed.... and the great caulk fest begins....*sigh.

CAULK.  suckers.

Door on

Guess who?

That's right. Caro decided to take flight today. Luckily she chose my shoulder rather than the top of the fence. Looks like I may have to do a temporary wing clip to make sure she stays more "grounded".....

Lunch hour coop work

Had an hour (okay, two) today to do a little more work on the coop.....

Installing hardibacker over the plywood floor.

BOTH sides of the roof base on

TCI: Tiny Chicken Inspection Committee wants to see your permits!

Tiny Chicken Inspection Crew naps on their lunch break.

And the Coop played on.....

I want a mulligan on this weekend. Yes, I got a lot done, but not nearly as much as I'd fantasized about. Thanks to my "Big Sis" and the circle drive roofing crew who were sooooo nice in helping give the coop progress a boost right when my "can do" was about to poop out completely. You guys are the best. Progress Report!

The trap door to chicken guantanamo

Big Sis leveling out the pad for the chicken ladder

The Roofing Crew

The patio and finishing the jail

Front siding on! Sis is installing her million hour door.

Nest Boxes nearly done, roof half on

And the little runts get one more week of being house chickens. dammit.

The roof and finishing the siding install are next!!. doh.

Progress, slow and steady.....

Didn't get as far as I'd hoped, but progress is progress and I'll take what I can get....

Chicken Guantanamo is now fenced in and brick floor is in place...

backside fencing

three sides done

Half brick floor in

Brick floor in, patio step dug out

Floor in, Sand in, fenced, just needs a door.....

Rafters!

Nope. Nyet.Nein.

No, I did not finish getting the coop framed out last weekend. BUT, in my defense, I was mostly lazy and half broke. So. yeah. I DID manage to get the external nest boxes framed and the center posts in. Word.

AND.... Here are some stinking cute month-old scraggly chickens to hold you over til I get the roof on. Tomorrow.