New Chicken Coop

Last Saturday the chicken coop/barn/shed was delivered.  Before delivery we had to cut down low hanging tree limbs off many trees in the area where the building was going, and also above the entry road for the truck to drive.  It was a cold and rainy day on Saturday when the buidling was delivered.

Delivery of barn

After we got the building, we insulated the interior and put up interior walls to cover the insulation, built an interior wall to divide the chicken coop from the rest of the building, put in a door on this interior wall to enter the chicken coop area, and caulked, sealed and painted the interior.

Before insulation & walls

Interior wall going in to separate chicken coop area

Interior door going in

We then put up plastic chick separator mesh to keep the chicks we have raised so far without a mother separated from the hen which has 8 chicks.  We didn't know how the hen would deal with all the additional babies and especially with the guinea keets. 

After putting down straw, heat lamps, feeders and waterers, finally the big moment came last Tuesday evening.  My baby chicks were big enough to live in the chicken coop by themselves.  They were so excited - they ran all around and tested their wings.  They nibbled on straw and ate food from the big feeder.  It was the biggest day of their lives, and they were so happy. 

The momma hen loved the freedom, too!  Her babies were very excited to see the other babies.  At first she tried to control them by keeping them near her, but eventually she let them run near the other babies.  The mesh netting keeps them separate, but they can see each other.  Here one of her chicks gets a free ride on her back.