Thursday, March 10, 2011

Coop de Ville

Around 4:30 yesterday afternoon, as I was balancing on a 2x6 hanging over the tailgate of the truck, I came to the realization that we should probably invest in a couple of saw horses.

Because even with my weight to hold it down, the board still slid at an alarming angle under the power saw Chad was using to cut it in half.

Safety committee, we are not.

Somehow, we managed to cut a pile of boards for our project - The Coop de Ville - without losing an arm, finger or toe.

That's right. We're building our chicken coop. By ourselves. Without a kit. Using a diagram that I sketched out on the back on an index card and the wood we had stacked in the garage from a failed raised bed project.

Yep. We're so handy with wood and a saw that we can't even build a square foot gardening box.

That takes a special kind of talent.

But I found what I wanted - coop wise - but it was still a bit too big.  And how hard can it be? It's just a cube.

With walls.

And screen.

And a door.

And a nesting box.

And a roosting area.

And has to support the weight of a rooftop garden.

Wait? What? I didn't tell you? Oh yes. The coop I'm basing my design off is the Kippen House Coop. It has a groovy rooftop garden that will allow us to let the chickens live in our garden area without losing valuable square footage. Because I've got plans for that space. Plans that include zucchini.

Which is why I found myself balancing on a board while Chad studied the cut edge, proclaiming it, "Close enough."

This could get interesting...

18 comments:

CDG said...

Woman, if I could get jazzed about keeping chickens, I'd be all over that coop.

Come visit me in frosty New England, at the very least, my hubs is way handy with the power tools!

TamingInsanity said...

I do like interesting.

Here's hoping you keep all your fingers so you can type out some updates for us.

naomidelatorre said...

If I know the talented and brilliant Mandy, it's going to turn out just fine!!! ANd I wanna see pics when it's done!!!!

MiMi said...

I bet you are SO excited!

Mrs. Jen B said...

Well I absolutely need constant updates on this! This sounds like something my husband and I would do - right down to the "close enough" ;)

Yolanda said...

I am so impressed that you are making a coop! Now that we've adjusted a little better to having a 2nd kid, I'm finally looking into doing a little gardening again. But wow, chickens. I am obviously from southern california.
Thanks for stopping by and reading my blog! I appreciate it! =)

Jennifer Hiatt said...

Awesome! I want one!

mandyland said...

What? A pile of almost straight cut wood? lol

mandyland said...

Don't be impressed until it's actually built!

I'm technically in So Cal, but haven't you heard? Sunset Magazine is saying that chickens are the new dogs. In other words, it's hip and cool. Which means that I could potentially be hip and cool.

The universe is off kilter. lol

mandyland said...

Oh, we're documenting this "project" from start to finish. It'll be interesting how it turns out.

mandyland said...

Like dancing in my seat, oh my God it's NKOTB and I'm thirteen again excited.

mandyland said...

I'm so glad that I've got you fooled!

There will be pictures. Oh yes. There will be pictures.

mandyland said...

I was more worried about my toes. He got awful close with that power saw...

mandyland said...

Hmmm...wonder if TSA would stop me if I tried to carry a chicken coop on board...

And what do you mean you're not jazzed about chickens?! They're CHICKENS! The Girls.

Jennifer Hiatt said...

No! A Coop. And Chickens!

By the way. KMart had some decent-ish looking saw horses. They were thick plastic and collapsible. For like $12. I might get them because we need some too.

Peryl Manning said...

You guys are amazing - we have to call a handyman to change a light bulb...let us know how it goes!!

Mommy Crib Notes said...

I wish my husband would be satisfied with "close enough." Instead, many a curse word is uttered during home improvement projects.

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