Green Coop

Each day we research and try new things to fix the challenge du jour.  Today was another one of those days!

The plan this morning seemed to work well.  It started with Fitz and Lou in the yard scratching about while Bill and Bruiser stayed in the coop munching on scratch and spinach.  I switched the pairs so Fitz and Lou could enjoy the coop with B & B in the yard.  Then I had no choice but to leave Fitz in the coop in the garage for the day while I was at school.  I felt terrible. but made sure she had good light and plenty of food and water.  I raced home after work to find that yes, she might have been lonely, but she laid an egg.  Wow!  I didn't see that coming.

So, the afternoon project was to cover the dog crate with green plastic fencing.  The dog crate has large gaps between its wires, wide enough for a bullying chicken to peck a molting chicken.  The task was easier than I thought.  With a pair of scissors, numerous zip ties, and carabiners, it was done in about 25 minutes.  Meanwhile, Lou and Fitz romped in the yard while the B-sisters squawked in the coop.  After switching the girls, I brought the dog crate, aka, Green Coop, into Red Door Coop.  Lou was nervous and squawky about it, but Fitz paid it no mind.

Go ahead and tell me to stop babbling and get on with the pictures.

Now Fitz will spend her days with the flock in the dog crate.  She won't be lonely and the other birds will not forget about her which will make reintegration easier when her molting comes to an end.  Most importantly, the other chickens (Bruiser, I'm looking at you) won't take advantage of Fitz's molting and aggravate her with constant pecking.  Speaking of molting, Fitz is now losing many feathers from her undersides.  

Did you notice the brown sticks leaning against the inside corner of the coop?  That was my attempt to make a little hiding place with sunflower stalks we dried from our late summer crop.  If you have sunflowers, tall ones, keep the stalks and dry them out.  They are like tree limbs--so hard they were tough to break with my knee.  We'll use them as poles for tomatoes and beans in the garden come summer.

FYI-Papa Hen is in Winnipeg this week and missing the fun at Red Door Coop.  Fun?  Maybe I should have said he is missing the adventure.  That sounds about right.  Adventure.  Anyway, we miss him.