22. Refashioning the Inside.

This past Sunday we set to work on the inside of the coop -putting in insulation and plywood, and a much needed new roost. Since it gets dark so early now, the chickens came looking for bed at 4:30pm, which didn't give us time to finish it all... So, back to cooping-it next weekend too!

It went from this:
To this:
Nice and toasty!

21. Final Stretch for Real!

With temps getting down to 25° this week and winter around the corner, the insulation has taken preference over the roof (which is real close to getting shingles!).

Yesterday was rainy, rainy, rainy and no major work was done on the coop. Today will be a race against time to get the supplies out from the garage (finally!) and onto the interior walls.
We intend on repositioning the nesting boxes and make one long roost across the back of the coop. The hens have been sizing up each other all week and the hierarchy of the pecking order would be easier to settle if there was just one length to sit on rather than the two of different heights that we have now. (That is one of the Black Stars in the box below).
Also, since we now have 17 birds rather than the ten we built the roosts for, they need some more space!

20. What's New?

It has been super busy getting everyone ready for school, into school, home from school, getting homework completed, meals bought, prepared, cooked and cleaned up afterwards, house and dogs sustained, etc. etc. etc. We have slacked off a bit due to the major coop components being mostly finished... But here is an update! (finally!)

The exterior walls have been sided (aside from three on the back due to no more supplies!!), insulation has been put in the ceiling and most of the top vents, heavy gauge plastic sheeting hangs over the windows (except for the one over a sitting platform, they like to look out!) and a double layer of shavings covers the floor. Yup! It is time for winter!
While we still need to cut the excess roof off the sides and shingle it, there is most certainly a coop on our property! And, best of all, it holds laying chickens!!!!!
The blue/greens on top are from the Araucana chicks (also known as easter eggers), the bottom are from the white Cochins, Jersey Giants and possibly one of the Black Stars... Haven't caught them laying for sure just yet!