Written by Heather Zubiate
onths ago, I had tried to add some more hens to
my dwindling flock by getting some chicks for my broody hen (Olive) to raise, remember? Well, that was a disaster!-- but that ill conceived attempt did give me the confidence to raise baby chicks instead of buying pullets. That is when I also decided to expand the chicken run to give the newly acquired hens more leg room. I also decided to get a few more chicks a few week later. So I was going to introduce eight new girls to the two that remained, Olive, and Blossom. I have also decided not to name the new girls, it's just too hard to keep them straight since I ordered multiples, so it's like trying to tell identical twins apart. I got two Rhode Island Reds, two Plymouth Barred Rocks, two Golden Laced Wyandottes, and two Amerucanas. That makes ten hens in all, from here on out to be known as: "The West Side Girls."
I enlisted the help of my husband, Robert, and my son, Timothy, to move Coop 2.0 behind the garage for a future project, and so I could work on expanding the fencing for the new run. It was a rather warm day, as you can see.
The pressure treated 2x4 is attached to the brick wall so I can mount the fence that I had used to separate the new girls from the older ones. That makeshift fence was used to keep the peace between the two groups until I was ready to integrate them. Waste not, want not. The barrel is holding that same fence in place over the hole left by moving the old chicken coop. See that little bump out? I got rid it, since we don't need it anymore.
I staked out the holes for the fence posts, they are now secured in place with concrete. The placement was tricky, and I had to move one or two of them after the fact. That's what I get for not measuring well. I also dug out the scraggly plants and relocated them.
On the back walls I used scrap wood cripples to secure net fencing to. In hind sight, I which I had make them longer. The umbrella was there for shade as I worked, my husband's idea. Thanks, honey!
The umbrella also helped keep the birds from flying the coop until I was finished.
The little hole in the side of the old run is where the small bump out was. At some point, I may do something whimsical with it, but I don't know yet. | The door from the dividing fence I had made fit perfectly in this spot on the long alley side of the run. I secured it in place with a scrap piece of fence board. |
After hanging the door, the only thing left to do was some sprucing up, and perhaps some netting for the top. That umbrella will not work permanently.
I placed some concrete chunks that I scored from the rail road tracks near our home to make a boarder for a planting bed in front of the new run. They kinda look like blue stone. Bricks are lined up under the fencing to keep the girls from digging their way out. We don't have any major predators, so no need for overkill. | I wanted to plant chicken friendly plants here, but first that soil needed some amending. So we put a compost pile here for quite some time until the soil was nice and soft. Then hollyhocks, basil, strawberries, borage, calendula, thyme, lemon and bee balm, and a cute daisy on the front corner were planted. |
Finally, a stone stoop and a passion flower vine finished the project off. I still have to put sand and gravel under the stepping stones, but...that can wait for a while. It looks pretty good, if I do say so myself!
Oh, I added this little touch of whimsy, a perching bar for the girls. This is where Coop 2.0 was, I put a 2 x 4 down for them to sit one, and a little awning to give them shelter from the elements. Of course none of them were using it when I wanted to take the picture. Now I'm thinking that I may also put another awning above the little door where that fenced bump out used to be.
So here it is, The West Side girls coop and expanded run! I love it, and I think they do too.
Well, there you go. You're welcome girls!