Coopin’ on Up
October 17, 2008|Comments (35)
With the addition of the chicks (remember them?), our chicken family needed more space. The rule is four birds per nesting box and we were fast approaching maxing out that standard. We decided to half that rule and have a nesting box per two birds. Keep in mind that our birds do not live out their days in those boxes. They lay their eggs in them beside wooden craft eggs from Hobby Lobby (which I wash regularly… I’m a wee mite OCD about that) and then skip off to chase bugs in the yard. The birds spend less than ten percent of their day in the nests. Lucky things.
Our friend (adopted mom), Connie, offered us a storage shed which was no longer useful thanks to rotted siding and bad roof. We were thrilled and Josh dismantled the thing like a pro. What would we do with our reclaimed shed skeleton? The answer was clear. Josh and I purchased decorative plywood siding (mock planking) and tin roofing material. The door was already fitted with white plastic siding which allowed filtered light to enter the coop.
Josh cut the chicken door (10″ wide by 13″ tall) and leaned a roost made from fallen branches against the side of the coop.
With the human door open, you can see the nesting boxes (twelve total; four measure 12″ wide by 14″ high by 12″ deep and eight measure 14″ wide by 14″ high by 12″ deep) and a few perches for the birds to roost on at night. The nesting boxes are about 20″ from the ground.
While this picture doesn’t really show it very well, there is a small perch in front of the boxes so that the birds have a landing zone. Also notice the walls. We insulated them with straw held up with chicken wire.
And the real test? Menina. Menina is our nest snob. She kept tabs on us throughout the entire process and fussed over the nesting boxes — trying out each one until she’d found the one with the million dollar view and contemporary feel.
What do you think? Reclaimed shed turned classic coop. What color do you think we should paint it?
Buttercup, In High Cotton
October 11, 2008|Comments (21)
As you may have guessed, I am completely and utterly fascinated by animal behavior. I stalk them like Marty Stauffer of Wild America. Using my very best Steve Irwin (God Bless him) voice, I attempt to charm the wild beasts into posing for the camera like couture models. It goes something like this, “Crikey, she’s a beauty!” and then I turn into a Queenie fashion photographer: “You own it, baby! That’s it! Work it!” Most of the animals have learned to tune me out. They just go on doing whatever it is that they were doing before the strange human began dancing around jabbering at them. But not Buttercup. Buttercup loves the spotlight. And attitude? Ho! Ho! Laws-a-mercy!
Apart from having perfect posture, she rocks that feather boa like nobody’s business.
“Eat your heart out, Hulk Hogan. You only dreamed of looking this good in feathers.“
Models practice for years to achieve such a distinctive walk.
“These boots are made for walkin’, y’all.”
She gets to the end of the runway
and bows gracefully.
“Like Paris Hilton to actresses with real talent.”
House, The Ladies Man
October 2, 2008|Comments (22)
I know… more than anything in the whole wide world — you want to see what’s going on with House and Menina. It’s our very own chicken soap opera. We’ll call it, As The Coop Turns. And this week? House is spotted with a mystery woman — right under Menina’s snooty little nose (We suspect she’s seen a plastic surgeon. See tabloids for details.). Spotted sunbathing in the garden of their Georgian estate, House and the mystery woman were snuggling!
Enter a gal in the buff (er.. Buff Orpington… Buffy? Oh my!), who promptly curls up next to Menina. **rubs eyes and stares in shock through camera lens** What have we here? An episode of Entourage perhaps?
Oh no! I’ve been spotted! Ack!
This just in: long-legged mystery woman spotted under House’s snugly wing attacks paparazzi with karate kicks! One would have expected this from Buffy. Who is this man-thieving mystery woman? Could it be… Angelina?
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