Tuesday, August 16, 2016

Siting the Chicken Coop

Only yesterday, did I decide exactly where to build the Chicken Coop.  Chics are in temporary quarters since we moved in a year ago.
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It's style is predestined with our ca. 1900 American farmhouse.  Two existing sheds, about as old as the house will be copied.  Strong consistent winds dictate which wall will be solid, I want a door to the run, and a door at the front.  Inside the coop I want a small 'keeping' room for supplies and a couple of chairs, and another door into the coop.
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I could say the Keeping room is for ease of caretaking, true, but it's also for me, in winter, perhaps to have lunch with my girls.  Chickens never bore me, they are too funny.  I enjoy their company.

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Pic, above, here.

Told Beloved the new Chicken Coop finally had a site.  Got that rooster look from him.  Walked him to the grand allee, for the new Chicken Coop.  Poor Rooster, he had to agree, beyond perfect.  The site is shaded, close'ish to the house, not directly under pecan tree branches, doesn't flood or retain muddy soil.

 chickens:

Pic, above, here.

I knew nothing about chickens, until Beloved gave me 8 heirloom chicks less than a week old, along with a coop/run, for my birthday 4 years ago.  Several clients had chickens, and I adored being around their chickens.  Enough 2nd hand enjoyment I knew I wanted my own.  Oddly, once I had my chics, it was totally moth to a flame.
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My collection of vintage garden books is extensive.  Finally, having chickens, I went back through them for any mention of chics, none.  How odd.  Chickens are so good for a landscape.  Mine are not free range, I scoop the poop in the coop, tossing it new somewhere each day.
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Chickens are calming, the way they walk, move their head, and their sounds.  That's their allure, to me, they are so funny, and calming.
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Garden & Be Well,    XO T
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When I realized where the new chicken coup must be sited, I thought, Duh !  When I showed Beloved, it was hilarious, he had that same look, Duh !

3 comments:

Dewena said...

"Got that rooster look from him", love it!

We miss our hens so much, they were great fun to be around. Never will forget the late afternoon when they joined us in our picnic shelter where R.H. had the radio on, the Righteous Brothers singing I've Lost That Loving Feeling. To our astonishment two of them hopped up on a bench right beside the radio and proceeded to dance and cackle as long as the song played. No joke. But now our son and future daughter-in-law who bought our house in TN are taking excellent care of them plus have added to the flock.

I'll be waiting for a picture of your lunchtime with the girls, Tara!

Ann said...

Totally agree about the chucks...will you have nesting boxes accessible from outside the coop for ease of egg collection? I have found this to be invaluable when I don't have time for a visit with my girls.

Next Will you install bee hives? Check out top bar hives if interested...very apicentric.

Cheers,

Ann

Thistle Cove Farm said...

and now, Uncle Sam, in the guise of his poor relation, Cousin Local, decrees NO chickens in subdivisions or urban areas. I've never wanted to keep chickens but I do like buying eggs.