Chicken Chores

Last weekend was devoted to chicken chores.

I have a wonderful (and now completely predator proof) coop. But it was dull and boring. I decided it needed spruced up a bit.

What better way to spruce it up than to paint it barn red?

The coop before.

I know the big door is huge. There is hardware cloth covering the windows, and the glass panes slide over to close them. There is also hardware cloth along the top of the back wall and sides for ventilation, as well as the eaves in the front. The smaller door opens and closes via a light sensor, and now has a hinge on it and a catch to stop it if anything attempts to push the door up once it is closed.

The coop after

Isn't it adorable?!? The side walls of this bay are also being painted white, and it has really brightened it up. We learned the hard way that milk crates aren't meant to be stood on.

In addition to painting the coop, I put my handy extra dog crate to use again. I wrapped the bottom of it in chicken wire.

I purchased some four week old chicks earlier this year, and had sworn I wasn't going to go through the hassle of raising day old chicks this year.

I lied.

These babies are now about 6 weeks old, and were ready to be moved outside.

They will spend a week or two in the crate inside the chicken coop, so the big girls can get used to them, before being fully integrated into the flock.

I know the big girls will still pick on them, but I am hoping to lessen the severity of it with a slow introduction. I'll let you know how it goes. Chickens can be brutal.