Chicken Construction

It seems I'm on a schedule: work really hard one day, and then require 2 days of rest to recover! Hmmm... I like the 6 and 1 thing a whole lot better--can get so much more done that way. But, I suppose growing a little person counts as work, too.

Anyhow, that chicken coop I mentioned? Well, David built it on Saturday! This is yet another one of those times when I wish my camera weren't still stuck where I can't retrieve it. He used the nest boxes that I built last summer in the new coop/stall. I hung the feeders and waterers from the beams that support the hay loft floor. He added a post, a wall, and a mighty beautiful gate! (I'm certain you just can't appreciate this gate w/o the picture, but trust me. I sit and stare at it!)

While he was doing that, I worked on the old chicken stall--cleaning it up so it can be a goat kidding pen again. More fertilizer for the garden! (that was the hard part) I removed the grit (oyster shell) feeder and put it in the new chicken coop, and hung the goat water bucket and mineral and baking soda feeder back in there. A putty knife took care of some of the chicken-soiled surfaces. New bedding (pine shavings) and voila! It's a kidding stall again. Oh! David & I removed the yukiest roost and put up fencing to the ceiling so that the chickens won't go back in and mess it up!

So.... when we build barn #2 and move the chickens there, what will become of the current chicken stall? Well, it could be a really great creep feeder area for little goat kids!

Since then, David has kept working. Sunday after church, he put the flooring down for the second hayloft (over the bucks' living space). He already had the beams up. Yesterday, he began working on the walls that will enclose the hayloft on the inside of the barn. This loft will most likely not store a great deal of hay... but other supplies. Chicken transportation cages, canning supplies, bags of bedding, other odds & ends not in use...

While he's been such a busy bee, I've been a lazy bum. Sleep, eat, a little laundry (with David's help), a little cooking (with my mom's help), a little cleaning (with David's help), and changing diapers (that helpful David again!) And diapers and diapers and diapers! Solomon has had a yuky stomach bug since Thursday night. Still, last night, he was pooping water. I can't wait for this to end! Shiphrah went to bed last night with a fever... She has yet to wake up, but I'm preparing myself for a messy day. Solomon just woke up. Time to go cuddle my boy!