I Heart Decorating: Coop Progress

This photo shows the hardware cloth that has been added to the sections on the right. The very back section on the right will be covered with a wood panel...not sure what we'll use yet. The roost area will be in the back right corner. This photo also shows where we have started to dig out the dirt to lower the entire surface of the floor. This is so we can fill it with about 3" of sand.

Here is the left side with the hardware cloth & door. We made an apron with hardware cloth that extends out about 18" from the base of the wall. We will cover the wire with landscape rock. This wire apron & rock should prevent raccoons and other predators from digging underneath the coop. The back section on the left will also be covered with wood. I will put the nesting boxes in the back left corner.

We lifted up the siding and attached hardware cloth to the back wall and extended it out over the ground. This apron will also be covered with dirt & landscape rock.

Here is Jeremy breaking up the dirt so we can shovel it out. He doesn't understand why we can't just leave dirt in the coop. I explained to him that if I am the one keeping the coop & run clean and taking care of these chickens, then I want SAND! I told him to get a better attitude and pretend he was one of the 7 dwarfs from Snow White working in the diamond mine. I said "Don't be Grumpy, be Happy! Come on, sing that little song they sang. How does it go?" and He says, "You mean, 'Take this job & shove it?'" Bahhhahahah

And then we hit a big tree root that had to be dug out!

But we finally finished...a long hard day of digging & shoveling & hauling. Jeremy thinks we removed about 10 yards of dirt....so we can put back 4 yards of sand. I was so sore the next day...