What else is there to do on a frozen, long-lasting-winter day... but to daydream!
I credit the sky...
It was the early setting sun illuminating the shed as if to say,
"Here it is! The shell of your dreams! Prepare to commence a transformation from shed-to-chicken coop!"
Spontaneously, out comes the cell phone and snap! The moment is forever captured... to be frequently referred to back indoors where it is much cozier and warmer to dream the most excellent chicken dreams.
Armed with years of chicken advise, bookmarked blogs and websites, Pinterest and chicken catalogs... my pencil began drafting, eraser started erasing, ideas started flowing... and the Captain started groaning, so I kept much of my fancies to myself and to my scrap paper. But ahhhh, such fun! :>)
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| A page from my really terrific sketches - lol! just keeping it real... |
My thought framework:
(This may be too much info for most, but I write it out for the few who may want to know, just as I did when researching chickens.)
- Food, water, and shelter are main requirements for chickens.
- My shed is 12x8.
- Each chicken requires about 4 square feet in the coop; about 10 square feet outside in the run.
- My shed can be split in two sections: one part for my supplies, the other for the chicken enclosure.
- My local regulations require my chicken run be enclosed.
- Local beasts and varmints will be ousted by enclosing the run with hardware cloth, including floor.
- Local raccoons need besting with several lock-out latches on the run door.
- Leaves are plentiful at Birchbright and free, so that will be the main outdoor run bedding.
- A water nipple system would work well for my chicken set-up, for enduring clean water.
- A poop board under the roost would make easy clean up.
- One nesting box per 3-4 chickens is needed for laying... and use something the gals won't roost on top, making a poop mess.
- Hoping to use commercial grade sand on the indoor coop floor for easy litter scooping.
- A cute pop-up door to the run is needed so the gals can freely come and go during the day.
- Plastic. Lots of plastic items for ease of cleaning... plastic dish pans for nesting box bottoms, plastic shelving to house the nesting boxes and plastic container for poop board, plastic-type decking for the roosting bar.
- Coop inside-door that swings open away from the chicken area... so door is not pushing through bedding into the coop .
- Coop inside-door that swings to my left, not impeding the exit walkway to the outdoors (so wheelbarrow can easily go right out of coop area and out of the shed when cleaning out coop)
- Removable wood plank on floor behind indoor coop door to keep bedding from falling out when it is opened, but can be removed when cleaning out.
- Linoleum on coop floor for easier cleaning.
- Tarp on top of linoleum, for easy pulling out of floor sand or pine shavings.
- Metal garbage can to hold food, keeping mice and chipmunks and squirrels out.
- Paint the inside walls white to seal boards, providing easier cleaning surface, deterring mites from getting in boards, brighter light to encourage egg laying... and making it cute :>)
Then, of course, there is the whole cute-factor design... but I'll chat later on that.
PLEASE NOTE:
- I am a novice chicken wannabe :>)
- Best advice I read: after doing your research, decide what is best for your situation (oh boy, are there ever conflicting opinions out there!)
- I can always CHANGE what I have tried if it isn't working well for me.
I also determined that I would enjoy the process! Even if it takes a bit longer than I hope... this is to be a fun adventure.
