The new coop/ day spa

I realize there are way too many photos in this post, but I have promised DETAILED photos to a few people, so here they are.

It all started in the garage. I was worried it was so big we would never get it out, but Eric assured me he built it in sections that he could take apart and put back together.

Once the wood frame was complete, he took it apart and used our suburban pickup to load the large pieces from the garage and drive them down to the new chicken yard. Yes this man needs a pick up truck.

He even used the Mule to help with some of the pieces.

Eric installed hydraulic lifts (like on the back of a mini-van door), to make sure the younger girls could lift the huge lid to the straw and food storage.

He also installed a light sensitive automatic door on the coop. This opens with the sun and closes when it gets dark. This is such a gift to me as I have been the one at the crack of dawn and dusk in my pink bathrobe and red boots opening and closing the old coop. I LOVE THIS!

All the windows open and close to keep them warm in the winter and cool in the summer.

There is a built in toilet under the nesting bars. Another gift to me as I am the one that "helps" Lucy clean out the coop.

Eric did a linoleum floor to make it easier to clean out (and it just looks cute).

Eric did the roofing, I did the painting and we moved the girls to their new house today. I thought it would take some training for them to recognize this as their new coop, but they used it right away. I know they love it because they cranked out 8 eggs on an overcast day.

Now we can see the coop and watch the chickens from our breakfast table. Love it! After almost a year I can finally eat the eggs without being a just little grossed out about where they came from.  The baby chicks we are going to move into the pink coop and put it in the garage until they are older. 

For the recored we have only had two babies die so far and even though Eric promised me he would not buy replacements, he bought 3. So we are at 15 babies so far.