There is an ancient question puzzling thinking minds among us, “Which came first, the chicken or the egg?”
At one point my answer would have been, “Who cares? Pass the biscuits and bacon, please.”
I have now uncovered a definitive answer. Neither the chicken nor the egg arrived first. First on the scene was the coop.
My daughter, Amanda, turned thirty earlier this year and shared a single birthday wish.
“Dad, I need your help building a chicken coop.”
The wish was accompanied by this intricate 3-D model. Should I expect anything less from a consummate graphics designer, who at age twelve helped her sister make picket signs as they marched in the driveway protesting some Dad action I can no longer recall?
Coops are available from many sources, but Amanda wanted a custom design for her space and her requirements. She completed a Backyard Chicken class, invested hours studying coops and chickens, and participated in the annual Tour D’Coop here in Raleigh. Now she needed construction assistance, and I counted it a privilege to help her.
This DIY project was fun but quite involved. I would rate it as an experienced-level endeavor. Rather than post multiple articles via the blog, I’ll share a summary here and offer a link to my site where you can read the detailed description.
<Begin self-promoting pitch>
While you’re on the site, feel free to poke around. Under the BLOG tab you can register your email address for free delivery of future articles. Your time is valuable, so you get the complete text in the email rather than a snippet. No need to click a link and jump to a website unless you want to comment on a post. Also, I will not use your address for nefarious purposes nor will I disclose it to others.
<End self-promoting pitch>
The coop description on my site is accompanied my many cool photos provided by Shawn and Amanda. Take your time browsing, and follow as we progressed from the model above to…
Design planning
Component creation
Site preparation
Framing
Siding
Wrapping
Roofing
Nesting
Finishing
And finally,
Meeting the prospective tenants
Email me if you have specific questions on our coop, and I will do my best to answer.
And though I love my readers, no, I can’t help you build a coop. Sorry.
I had so much fun making the coop with you guys! THANK YOU!! Best birthday present ever! I’m putting the chicks out there for a full day today. We’ll see how they like it. :)
I hope they like their new home. This was a big project, but fun.