Alot of folks assume that we make up one’s mind to adopt chicken because we were brook from pandemic cabin fever . Our poultry plans in reality began in the spring of 2019 . But family travel and work schedules put it all on keep .
When things got shut away down in 2020 , our sentence wasat hand !
Fortunately , we research chickens in preparation for their eventual arrival and even had a “ chicken tutor”—a acquaintance with a farm , 200 - plus birds and age of experience .
We just had to reckon out where to put up our birds .
Swinging into Action
We spent hours pouring over plan , blogs and farm - supplying catalogs . We had recollective kinfolk discussions about where to put the poulet hencoop , how much to spend on it and where to get free supplies . None of us possessed carpentry skills , so we had to work out out how to build a chicken hencoop with a sturdy introduction to withstand wintertime in Vermont .
That ’s when it hit us . We already had a stout foundation in the frame of my son ’s old swing set . It had been the perfect attraction for a bambino . But for a blossom sixth grader , the splendour fatigue off , and he fain donated it to the cause .
Chicken Coop Building Day
With the frame quick to go , we swung into building . We used plywood to reconstruct the flooring of the chicken chicken coop , which hung 3 feet off the ground in the position where the swings once were . We line it with heavy hardware cloth to keep out unwanted guests .
A removable trap door was built in the trading floor with a ramp to give the girls access to their argue - in grounds below . The ceiling was made from plywood and two clear cap panels to lease in extra light .
Leftover mineral pitch shingle gave our chicken hencoop a professional flavor .
Elizabeth Craib
To eat up it off , we work up two triangle - determine doors — one at each end . The large main door allows us to get at the interior for day-to-day eating and water change . At the opposite goal , just next to the slide , we establish a low testicle doorway that gives us access to the draw close boxes .
Downstairs , we add protective fencing all around to allow the flock to get some sweet air and sunshine .
Read more : These chicken coop basics will assist you build the right henhouse for your good deal !
Elizabeth Craib
Moving In!
At the end of May , our chickens arrive : threeWyandottesand two Ameraucanas , hatched in April and paw - raised on my acquaintance ’s farm .
We ’re still in the first year of our chicken - go along risky venture . But so far our poulet chicken coop has heldup well .
Despite icy winter temperature , our lady stay snug in their wimp coop , nestled deep in their bedding . They gazed out of their fanlight , daydream of hot summertime days forward . Of naturally , we ’d change a few thing . But we embrace what has become our family ’s work - in - progress .
Maybe this summer they ’ll learn to use the slide ? !
This article was contributed byElizabeth Craib ( and family ) of Hartland , Vermont , and in the beginning seem in the May / June 2021 government issue ofChickensmagazine .
