Farm Work

This Spring has been a busy time at work.  So many of our projects and activities take place on the weekend, and a week of camp when school is out keeps all of us busy.

To add to that busyness is "Farm Work."

Since my daughter and her family moved to their 10.5 acres, it seems my weekends vanish!

Since mid-April until last weekend, we have been caught up in one of "her" big projects.

The first big thing Ashley wanted to have completed was a chicken coop.  She wanted to be able to buy her chickens and have a home for them before Spring was over.  She didn't have a set of plans...noooo...the whole idea of the coop was "in her head". (Just like her father!)

Of course, she called her dad and checked some of her measurements for her idea, then she headed to the lumber yard to make her initial purchase of lumber.

She even hitched up the trailer to bring her lumber, tin roof, and additional materials for the coop.

She started out digging her own holes even.

And she made some pretty good progress, but before long they borrowed the neighbors hole digger!

Once the holes were dug and the posts were up the real work begins.

After the walls went up, the roof was put on.

Next, the siding.

It's always good to have extra help!

Ashley envisioned each step in the building process.

She wanted three windows so the chickens could have fresh air.

She and her dad worked hard.  They made a good team as they talked through each step, making sure he understood just what her vision was!

The windows I picked up at various yard sales.  I usually paint on them, but she took the ones she thought worked best for the coop.

Add hardware....

More skilled help.

 

Ashley's dad, Peter, made the handles for her.

 

Before we could get out the next weekend, Ashley had the whole coop painted!

Work began inside with chicken wire on the windows.  The windows are hinged so they can be opened from the outside without entering the coop.

Peter and Ashely worked out the nesting boxes.  (They read on the Internet that the roofs should be sloped so the chickens can't get on top of them and poop...let's just say they are more sure footed and like to get up to see out the window.

They also made the roosting bars where they will sleep at night.

Next BIG step is to drive all the T-posts in preparation of putting up the fence.

The ground was pretty hard and some spots had to be watered to soften the ground.

The gate had to be built and installed.

Task...complete!

Now...the fence!

the last of the fencing is up and the chicks can be set free at last!

They were a little timid at first, but they eventually all made it out of the coop.

Ashley dotes on her chicks like they are children.

Austin thinks they're playmates.

This was a two month project (from start to finish) with the bulk of the work happening on Saturday's.  Ashley and Peter put in a lot of hard hours, with the rest of us jumping in and helping whenever there was a need.

I must say...I'm impressed.  Ashley had a vision and saw it through to completion.

I'm proud of her and her tenacity.

(Now she wants to knock a wall out inside the house!)

We have been clearing a lot of cedars from "our" side in prep for building a house...but that's for another day!

Till tomorrow...

debi