# The final countdown!



## 8hensalaying (Jun 5, 2015)

Just ordered the last of my chickies! Will be an official chicken owner by September 18th! I am still concerned they will be homeless as Hubby still hasn't started the coop/run, but he promises they will not be left to free range as hobo hens lol. I wanted 8 hens of 7 different breeds (dd is getting 2 easter eggers) so I could easily tell them apart. I wanted them all coop ready so I didn't need to worry about brooders. I wanted a variety of colors of eggs, so here is the final line up. I will be getting-----

2 Easter Eggers
1 Barred Rock
1 Golden comet
1 Buff Orpington
1 Rhode Island red
1 Cream Legbar
1 Golden laced Wyandotte

I am sooo Excited!!!! less than 3 weeks to go!


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

After all of that discussion and he hasn't started it yet? I'd tell you to do like I do, order the materials then go out there and start it yourself. If your husband is like mine, he'll take over the moment you pick up a power tool. It's worked every time for me.


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## 8hensalaying (Jun 5, 2015)

I am so clumsy, I would endanger life and limb with actual power tools, I can use a drill to hang a picture but that is about it!. Hubby's problem is he way overthinks things (something I tend to do as well lol) for some reason he is overly concerned with wind. (we don't typically have huge wind but have had a couple of tornado's nearby since he's lived here) that plus the threat of digging predators has given him the idea of using cinder block for the foundation. Now in each cinderblock hole he has the idea of driving in about 2 feet of rebar into the ground and filling the holes in with cement.... His philosophy is I need to tell him what I need, and he will figure out how to implement it. To maintain the peace we don't talk too much about how. I have told him that he is making the job way much harder on himself and expressed my concern, other than that, I trust he will at least have something for them to live in lol


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

Hope he starts building soon!


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## 8hensalaying (Jun 5, 2015)

seminolewind said:


> Hope he starts building soon!


just had the conversation, he is laying the foundation this weekend...we shall see


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## pinkmartin (Aug 11, 2015)

I was the 1st girl in my county to take woodworking. If I get out power tools, hubby just says to use what I can find cuz I can't buy new materials. If I ask, sometimes he will help.


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## pinkmartin (Aug 11, 2015)

Where we live anything with a foundation requires building permits. I don't do foundations unless I'm building on to the house


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

I have one pen that is hardware cloth on all sides including the floor. Talk about critter proof.

I have all my own tools. I reuse most of my materials over and over till they can't be used anymore. I put everything together with screws. Why? Because if I screw it up, I can unscrew it. Also, I have carpal tunnel and hammering is realy a no no. We took apart this 2 stall barn last year and stacked the wood. All treated. I intend on using it all for something else. Probably a one horse lean to and a few pens with an enclosed end.


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## pinkmartin (Aug 11, 2015)

I constantly drag home weird scraps of stuff. Hubby says I'm a hoarder but it saves us money. And keeps materials from being wasted.


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## 8hensalaying (Jun 5, 2015)

pinkmartin said:


> Where we live anything with a foundation requires building permits. I don't do foundations unless I'm building on to the house


Not an actual house type foundation, but leveling the ground and putting down the cinderblocks, and pavers, and whatever he decides for predator proofing on the ground, and so forth.


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## 8hensalaying (Jun 5, 2015)

also our county regs, is no permit needed for structures valued at less than 1000.00


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## pinkmartin (Aug 11, 2015)

But coops are priceless! Lol we used cinder blocks and 4×4s to sort of frame things out. I have a dirt floor tho for deep litter, which I love. And we buried the fence a foot or more all the way around.


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## 8hensalaying (Jun 5, 2015)

We are attaching the framing to cinderblocks with wire fencing underneath extending beyond to form an apron, then placing 16 inch pavers on top of that. Where we live it is so rocky that it will be difficult for anything to dig, but I don't want to trust that, prevention better than cure. Hardware cloth around the run, though Hubby is toying with the idea of only using hardware cloth only on the lower 3ft or so. (Not happy about that but figure we can upgrade and add hardware cloth on the upper part later on.) Right now I just need something to put them in!


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## pinkmartin (Aug 11, 2015)

Sounds good so far!


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

Well be careful with the 3 foot high hardware cloth. My silkies huddle in a corner and I'd be afraid of long arms. But my others are in pens with wire openings 2x3. But they all roost in the middle of the pen, so they can't be reached.


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## 8hensalaying (Jun 5, 2015)

seminolewind said:


> Well be careful with the 3 foot high hardware cloth. My silkies huddle in a corner and I'd be afraid of long arms. But my others are in pens with wire openings 2x3. But they all roost in the middle of the pen, so they can't be reached.


I'm not crazy about that idea, hoping he goes with the hardware cloth all around. on the plus side they will be secured in a fully enclosed coop at night and only in the run during the day, close enough to the house to (hopefully) discourage any bold daytime attacks. I would worry more about hawks and eagles in the daytime, but we are building a roofed run 8X12 coop portion is 4x8. once in a while we may let them roam the yard a little when we are out with them, otherwise they will stay secured. I know you can never plan for every contingency, but you can try your best.


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## 8hensalaying (Jun 5, 2015)

progress is being made folks, cement, cinderblocks and rebar has been purcased. My chickens may have a home yet!!!


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## Alaskan (Aug 22, 2015)

Yeah! Housing!


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

8hensalaying said:


> I'm not crazy about that idea, hoping he goes with the hardware cloth all around. on the plus side they will be secured in a fully enclosed coop at night and only in the run during the day, close enough to the house to (hopefully) discourage any bold daytime attacks. I would worry more about hawks and eagles in the daytime, but we are building a roofed run 8X12 coop portion is 4x8. once in a while we may let them roam the yard a little when we are out with them, otherwise they will stay secured. I know you can never plan for every contingency, but you can try your best.


Well that changes things. It should be fine.


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## 8hensalaying (Jun 5, 2015)

Sound the alarm folks...trenches have been dug, and cinderblocks placed...(some of them anyway) will get some pics up soon. Hubby's feet are to the fire now, only 2 weekends left to build! (I have a feeling some vacay days will be taken lol)


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## Alaskan (Aug 22, 2015)

You say trenches, I think potato cannon!


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

LOL. I am calmly waiting for the big moment...........


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## 8hensalaying (Jun 5, 2015)

seminolewind said:


> LOL. I am calmly waiting for the big moment...........


Haha! Me too!


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

8hensalaying said:


> Haha! Me too!


I'm not sure she's being entirely truthful.


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## 8hensalaying (Jun 5, 2015)

robin416 said:


> I'm not sure she's being entirely truthful.


I know, You know it's bad when I am even driving the chicken people nuts lol


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## rosco47 (Jul 6, 2015)

Just built a coop with my dad last month and currently building mine now...I can tell you, you better get on your horse. Lol its alot more work than you anticipate. Especially for one set of hands. (My dad just had knew surgery and I'm flying solo on this project t)


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Well, if he doesn't have any birds yet at least you know where you can stash yours until you get it done. 

This weekend the hubs turned my simple floating shelf in to a project bigger than I envisioned. But he's the carpenter and he was right. At least he brought what I had in my head to reality. Now on to the painting.


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## rosco47 (Jul 6, 2015)

Wife just asked me too build some of those things...one project at a time


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

How exciting. I used to stare at the eggs in the incubator starting a week before hatch date. No idea why. Just seemed to be worth a stare for no reason, LOL.


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