So close!

And yet so far. I swear next weekend this coop will be done. It has to be! I expanded the indoor porta-coop, and they seem much happier, but they need to be outside, pronto.

Here they are exploring their new addition.

So, I took Friday off and got to work, starting with the front door/window thing.

Got the window in place, got the hinges working, everything is good.

The back is hinged, secured, and ready to go.

The bottom is screwed in, but that panel comes off for big cleanings.

Then the front door went on.

If you really want to look for it, there are red 2x4s holding down the edges of the linoleum.

I have almost no recollection of what went on Saturday, but this is what I came out to Sunday morning, so I must have done something.

Oh right, the frame of the run. Apparently I am not that great at judging the straightness of 2x4s, or they warp after you buy them, because some of these are real wavy. I guess it adds to the general grooviness.

Saturday night we heard something out waling around in the trees, so I went out to see what it was. Of course, as soon as I step outside I realize it could be a bear or something, but too late. I saw a reflective collar briefly, so I assume it was a dog from the campground behind our house. But it got me worried about how often campers let their dogs loose and we don’t hear it. Then Sunday morning my mother called to let me know all my uncle’s chickens got killed by a raccoon and he says electric fences are the way to go. I appreciate the advice, but at the same time my mother really knows how to set my day off into an anxiety spin.

Anyway, after that, my mother in law came by and helped out. We got a lot done.

The run is almost entirely enclosed. I added the top of a solar walkway light into the window to see how it would work.

It lights things up. I keep seeing it at night, and bask in the soft glow of my workmanship. Though, since it only shuts off when the battery drains, it may be too much light. The dark months are too dark for productive egg laying, but this may be swinging in the opposite direction. Chickens need sleep too. Unless they are in college pulling all-nighters, but the papers they write will not be as good as if they had just planned ahead and done it sooner and revised.

I added the chicken door. And when I say “chicken door,” Collin will say “Two points to Chickendoor!” and we laugh like goobers.

Anyway, it’s good that we got a lot done, because Lord Vader stopped by to make sure we were making progress.

I’m glad it was him, and not that dink Grand Moff Tarkin. He’s always telling me I overestimate the chances of predators getting in the coop, and then a minute later he gets eaten by rats.

And then finally I made a roost while waiting for lunch.

Next weekend we finish getting the hardware cloth up, and then tacking it down to discourage diggers. And I hope then move the chickens outside. Otherwise we will have to litter train them. And somehow make them not look delicious to cats.