The Ladies

I think DH is in love with another woman, well I should probably say 16 other women.  It is our flock of Buff Orpington chickens. I will say he is definitely proud of his girls. 

We bought these little fuzzballs at the local feed store in May.

They began living in the sun room in a cardboard box.  They were then moved to the chicken house, which used to be a friend's dog kennel.

It went from this.

To this.  After enclosing part of the house with 2 1/2 inch wallboard which are wood with aluminum and insulation in between, and enclosing the porch with chicken wire and creating a door for our access in and out of their house. 

Then this.  Including the chicken tunnel because we could not get the buildings to sit closer together. The girls were getting bigger and needed more exercise area. The ceiling in the chicken house has R19 insulated batting throughout. 

 Recent additions--The back portion of the chicken house has been opened up for them and is where the nesting boxes are.  A solar heater has been installed and it will help keep them toasty. 

DH found a sample window.  Yep the girls have a Pella, dual paned window which will open and close and has a screen.  Gives them some more light in the back, but also will help with air circulation when the weather is warmer. 

A coop with a view.  The window isn't very high off the floor so they can look out.  I think it needs to be washed.  I wonder if it is a tip out? 

The nesting boxes.  The girls can see outside while they lay.  The yellow grate at the top of the wall is part of the solar heater to keep varmints from intruding. 

There is lighting on timers because in order to have chickens lay they need about 12-14 hours of light per day.  The LED lights come on at 5 am and off at about 8 am.  Then come back on about 6pm and go off for the night at about 8pm.  You can also see we have the milk house heater in there suspended far above them at ceiling level.  It has grates and does not get hot.

Our girls have attitude, and shhh don't tell anyone I said this but they have big butts too!  But they are so cute when they are butt up pecking through the grass.  They average about 8 eggs a day which is great but boy can they eat!  The ladies have been a bit peckish lately so today they were allowed to free range, which meant they needed chaperones to protect them from predators. The girls got to wander.  DH cleaned up the garden picking up buckets, and tomato cages, and I carved pumpkins.

Dh says we need to paint, and maybe add some trim.  South Dakota has a Corn Palace, but Carleton, Michigan has a chicken palace.  Next they are going to want cable or satellite TV installed.