framed...

my husband was working hard on the chicken coop last weekend... not always easy when you have two little "helpers" in tow. the basic frame is up and this weekend the roof will go on and the actual house made. i know it is a challenge for him, especially as we lived in the city for so many years and he doesn't have all the tools he needs. my mania for chickens probably got the better of me and i appreciate his patience and hard work. we decided not to put them in the barn, as this is also our only storage place at the moment and it does need work (we did find out from a neighbor that a horse lived here not too long a ago!). instead we are building a new coop and attaching it to the run which already exists. we are making the garden coop, with a few modifications as we will already be at full coop capacity with eight birds. obviously, the run will be much bigger but we are also making the house slightly larger as well as putting the egg boxes on the outside wall rather than in. i will share more images with you as it starts to actually look like a coop!

the frame will be moved back to attach to the existing run

we definitely need to get things done, as the hens are growing rapidly. the older chicks are really starting to look like chickens now and the babies are feathering out quickly and imitating the older ones in behavior already. my husband made an outside box for them so they can explore in the afternoons, which they love, and give our house a little break from chicken mess!

i wish i could be more of a help with the coop. i feel kind of helpless when it comes to building. i have been busy in the yard myself though... planting flowers, herbs and some vegetables. i'm anxious to get a garden started for real. we actually have sun here! i also cleaned our front porch and made it fun to hang out on. i'm currently sitting out here while writing, and also watching a bird build a nest while my daughter builds some sort of elaborate trap to "catch" her brother in. i forgot to take pics of the porch but i will share some soon. i did take some of the downstairs bath, which i have been working on as well. i painted and made a curtain for the window... i hung some art and plants, and i need to make a skirt for the sink next.

needs to be painted but i can't decide a color, the floors will be painted grey also

sink is waiting for a pretty skirt to hide her ugly pipes

i am beginning to accept that this house will always be a work in progress. this bathroom will eventually be swapped with the laundry room, so i am just trying to make it livable for now.