In preparation for our balls of fuzzy that will be arriving in a couple of weeks we must build the brooding coop. This has, until recently been the home of our two silkies, Hall and Oates. It is a big shed for Hall and Oates so they have been turfed. Now we haven't just put them in with the big girls yet, that doesn't seem quite right as they are a nervous couple. So we have made our first chicken ark. We got the plans on-line with the intention of following them exactly. But, like so many well laid plans the plans weren't all that good. Small details didn't seem thought through on the plans we were following making it not make a lot of sense. It may have been us too, or the fact that the original coop would never have to stand up to snow. In the end none of it mattered though. We got through it and made something that works quite well. Of course while building it one always sees better ways of doing things, so the next one will take all of these into consideration. 

• small rounded perches for little silkie feet
• a vent/peephole in the roof
• nest box
• wheels for easy moving
• "tarp" to stay dry
• locking doors
• removable feed/water dishes