This is an adorable coop.  It was on our short list of ready-made coops until we opted to up our flock to six chickens.

As I watch my ladies grow from day one...

to now 8 weeks

I'm quite certain they would not fit in the cute coop.  These ladies grew up so quickly!

Only In America

Only In America can we have Don King chickens!

Wish I would have shot the photos yesterday when the ladies were sporting an even larger Don Kind Do.

Delores, the Dominque

Lois, a 3 week old Dominque

The Never Ending Tweak

We are now just passed weekend three of the coop build.

Sunday night the finishing touches, or so I thought, went up...The metal roof panels.  My wonderful husband spent two days sawing, measuring, pounding and screwing the steel "Key West" panels into place.  The final steps...or so I thought.

Last night we "tweaked" the coop door.  Tonight I look out at our creation and I see places that require wood filler.  There is a spot that needs touch up paint.  WE FORGOT TO ATTACH the bahama shutters!

Back in my college art days I remember how difficult it was to stop painting.  So hard to realize when it was complete.  I'm having a flash back to those days.  I don't know when to stop the coop build.

Here it is to date...

Coming soon....the step by step slide show.

Week 2 - Outside adventure

At week two I am more in love with these silly little peeps.  They have been such good sports hanging out in my office and I decided it was time to let them experience the joy of a warm sunny day.  The video is of them still in their "home" but they were allowed out to free range.
Outside Peeps

 Miraculously, they had no urge to venture far from "momma hen" (me) and actually ended up jumping up on my leg to hang out.

Here are the 2 week old buffs on their first adventure.

And I couldn't have done any of this without the help and knowledge of

backyardchicken.com

Day #1 with the Baby Buff Orps

Does it get any cuter than tiny, fluffy, peeping balls of baby chicks?  For me, apparently not.

Good Friday, April 6, 2012

After work, my wonderful husband and I head of to a place called the Red Barn.  I can't even say how many weeks of research and reading and trips to scary pet shops led us to this lovely baby chick haven.

At the Red Barn, we are greeted in the chicken area by a lovely, kind woman named Betty who, no doubt, knows everything we need to know about chickens.  I want my baby chicks to feel as secure in my hands as I felt in the hands of Betty, chicken whisperer.

We ask questions, we ogle and coo over the different breed of chicks. (OK, to set the record straight, I MAY have been the only one cooing)  Who to pick?  Who to pick?   All the research from the last several weeks has launched into a black hole in my brain.  For the life of me I can't remember which breed is nice and which is naughty.  Which breed likes heat and which likes cold.  Egg-layer? Roosters? Big chickens?  Little Chickens?  Bard Rock?  Modeled Java? Foghorn Legorn? Take a deep breath, Sarah.... Do what you do best.  GOOGLE IT!

We walked out of the Red Barn with our heat lamp, pine shavings, 25 lbs of baby chick feed and this...

After their video shoot and my teary-eye proclamation that I was already in love with my new babies, we made it home to their new, temporary abode.

Chicken Chat

Who knows what possesses a person to take a certain path?  A year ago I would not have seen my path taking  me down the road to a chicken coop.  Yet, here I am.  Here we are: me, my husband, my step-son, two dogs, two cats and six baby chicks. 

Welcome to our adventure...which began on Easter weekend, 2012.  Perfect timing for Easter Peeps.

Stay tuned for photos and videos of our peeps in progress and the coop construction which will hopefully result in a Taj Mahal rather than a construction debacle.

Me and the peeps at about 2 weeks old