chicken coop

One excessively rainy Saturday early this spring, Tim and I set off in muck boots and rain gear to move the chickens. The chickens cycle through the fields throughout the year, moving every few weeks to new pecking ground. Early this spring, the farm had two separate flocks. The youngest flock, about seventy chickens, lived in the Ski Coop, so called because it's mounted on skis for easy (ish) dragging around. The older flock, about twenty or so chickens, lived in the rustic gem to the left. It's been used on the farm for about a decade.

And, in this excessive downpour, I discovered that to move this coop, you have to take it all apart. Lift off the roof, cut the twine that ties the four sides together, move all the parts, and then tie them back together. Then move the racoon-proofing chicken wire and bricks. I was rather surprised that the farm has been doing this every few weeks for the last ten years--and quickly became even more excited that Tim has built a new one.

The framework takes shape on top of the boat trailer 

Meet the mobile coop!

The master builder, Tim! 

Tim was the master planner and builder behind it all and, because side projects like this always take second place to actual farming, it became our weekend pet. The coop is framed on top of an old boat trailer, so the tractor can haul it from field to field. Nesting boxes run all along one side, with little doors for easy egg access; there is enough roosting space for 120 hens, a narrow pathway down the middle for walking inside, and plenty of ventilation.

With siding, the coop looks like a little house! We were tempted to hook it up to Bertha and take off...

Tin roofing goes up

Most of the flooring is hardware cloth; this walkway is for ease of cleaning and inside access.

Matt and Steph, our star painters! 

I said "it must be red!" 

The final painted coop

My excitement is not purely selfish happiness that I never have to take apart that dreadful collapsable coop again (although that is some of it). No, most of my excitement has been watching it take shape from stacks of plywood and graph paper sketches and long, imaginative brainstorming sessions—through lengthening spring evenings of working with Tim after work to pound nails, measure chicken wire, draw up plans for nesting boxes, and battle with chicken staples—to grow into a coop. I'm honestly a little sad that it's finished, the building was so delightful.

But the chickens aren't sad: Now, about one month after its launch into the fields, the flock's egg production has reached record highs—an average of 65 eggs per day! The spike is partly due to summer, but also because the nesting space has gone from two nesting boxes to thirteen. And the farmstand still sells out!

The chickens made themselves at home right away...

The nesting box doors flip open for easy egg access; the chickens get their own door! 

The chicken palace in its first field