Pimp My Coop

Steve and I bought a coop from North York s couple of weeks ago so that our chickens would be safe from all of the predators around our place. They aren't too happy with not being able to roam around outside all day but at least they have a small run to get some sun. When the ground gets a bit more manageable we will be putting a big run with both coop in it. As well, I am trying to get a hold of an old fish hut to turn into a coop.

The coop that we bought in North York - although it was what we immediately needed, it isn't exactly fancy. I'm sure if we had put forth a bit of thought and effort we could have easily built something just as good if not better. Anyways, I wanted to spruce it up a bit as well as make it a bit more water protected.

Also there is two areas up in the roof that the chickens can go up into and there was an access point to one of them but not to the other so if they ever layed an egg up there you actually had to crawl into the coop and reach your hand up into the roof and feel around - not nice.

Here is a before picture. You can see the access area to the one part of the roof and you can see that he started cutting into the other end but never finished it. Well when Steve was cleaning out the back shed he found an old window (several actually) and I found a bunch of shingles previously. So - I got to work.

 

First I wanted to get it shingled - the shingled are pretty old and curled up but oh well, better then nothing.

 



Next I wanted to figure out a way to access the other part of the roof.

 

 

 

We have also started to let mumma pig and babies out to roam around when we are home and she actually comes back into the barn when I call her. It was definitely risky letting her out without an enclosure for them but they stick around the barn so it's nice for them to get some time outside. So now they get a few hours everyday and they love it!