No More Chickens

   

I was excited about inheriting chickens when we bought this house. Not only did the previous owners have chickens, but a really sweet set up for them.  They had two chicken coops. and a lot of protective fencing.

After both of us got sick over winter and still had to go out and care for them on top of all the other things we had going on in our lives, we decided that if we could find a good home for them, we would let them go.  Another factor was trying to buy the food and bedding during the lockdown.  In addition, someone kindly went in to the feed store and bought all of the egg crates.  Hundreds.

   

Our daughter has a friend with a small farm nearby.  She had been planning on getting chickens, but their current coop was not fixed yet.  She was excited about getting the coop, fencing and chickens.  We waited for a few months, hoping the lockdown would be over.  As it got to be warmer, we decided it would be better to get them moved before the hot and humid weather made it dangerous for the chickens.

   

After debating methods of moving the one coop that she was taking, she decided to hire a guy who moved small buildings for a living.

   

We spent one evening moving fencing, so the chickens would have a safe place to go to.  Then a few days later we caged the chickens and took down one end of the fencing to remove the coop.  He winched the coop up, secured it and took it away.

   

Then Lee took down the rest of the fencing and took out the brush we didn't want any more.  We did save a few trees.  He used some of the excess dirt we saved from other projects to start leveling the area and filling in the holes.

   

We still have one coop.  It wasn't as nice as the one we sent with the chickens and it needs some repair.  But I think it will make a cool playhouse for the grandson we are expecting in September.  Obviously he won't use it for a few years, so we have time to fix it up.

   

The plan is to add a gutter to keep the water from splashing the from of the house and rotting the wood.

   

Then we will replace the wood on the front and paint the whole coop.

   

The top of the nesting boxes will be taken off hinges and secured as a roof with a roofing material.  Then there will be little cubbies inside for toys.

   

The roosts will be removed and the whole inside cleaned.

   

The house has lights and electricity, so it will have a bunch of options to put in fun stuff for a little boy for his "fort".  I will have plenty of time to plan for the "upgrades".  I'm open to suggestions. Also open to carpenters to do the work!!