Fresh Eggs Daily

Jerrel and I have a dream. Our dream includes chickens, pigs, goats, dogs, cats, bees, gardens, and a pony...if Millie and I have our way. This spring we decided the time was right to add some chickens to our chore list. They are our first venture into livestock. 

We went back and forth, trying to decide to get chicks or find some older birds. It was decided though since we have Chester who is a nut job, bigger birds who can attempt to hold their own, was necessary. We also didn't want to wait for eggs, older birds are better fit for now. Maybe after I learn a little about grown birds I will jump in and add some chicks. I heard of a woman locally who wanted to thin out her flock. So we got to work. 

I had a rabbit when I was younger. My dad built a rabbit hutch mansion. The mansion was still at my parents and in pretty good shape. From what I was seeing for chicken coops the basics were there. Just needed a little tweaking.

My friend Abbie has a collection of pallets. I decided this kind of siding might look nice and was cheap, cheap, cheap. So the husband took the wire off the sides, took pallets apart and cut the free wood to size. He also built some doors, cut another entrance into the now nesting boxes and left some ventilation at the top of the coop.

On the inside we added a plywood floor and roosts out of a nice sized branch. Finally we added a ramp up to the coop and I attached sticks to the ramp for something for them to grasp onto. 

When it was all said and done we spent about $15 on the coop and Millie thought it was her playhouse. Little did she know we were bringing her some new playmates. 

5 layers. They are excellent babysitters.

We have a dog kennel in the backyard we aren't using. Chester can literally climb out of it. So we decided to use this for the girls. 

All six of them. Millie would hang out in there all day if we would let her.

We have fresh eggs daily, it's wonderful. The eggs aren't necessarily cheaper than the store-but that's not why we have chooks. We know our eggs come from healthy, happy, well kept birds, and that's why we want chickens. It is also important for us to teach Millie where her food comes from, to be raised around animals, and to learn about being at least somewhat self sufficient.

And we all are just pleased as punch with them.

Blessings!