Beside the Stream

Two weeks ago, I found a plan for a chicken house and found I needed Bob to build it… and Bob asked Rick to help.    

The two of them used plumbing strapping to attach the cattle guard to the 2×4s,

and then pulled the two 2×4s together and screwed on some crossbars. 

I think it took Rick and Bob about an hour, but I’m not sure that it was a ton of fun. 

Then Bob built a little doorway and some supports on the ends, and I started attaching chicken wire with little zip ties.  (Here he’s putting some finish on the wood). 

I ran out of chicken wire today, so I’ll get another roll tomorrow to finish it off.  Almost done, but I thought it’d be a simple hoop house with a tarp, and it’s turned out to be a Chicken Palace. 

And the worst part is:

the chicks have been outside in a temporary pen since Thursday, and I bring them in every night.  I catch each bird by hand–they’re surprisingly tame–and they have little toddler bodies, all firm and compact and squirmy.  They are cute as can be.  They do little boy things like climbing on top of a box and flapping their wings.  They’re sprouting feathers in unlikely places.

They’re very endearing.   Oh dear.