This week has been largely about my coop construction, or preparation for the construction. I've successfully obtained and organized nearly all the materials necessary to build my coop. I've also bought materials for my chicks, such as a brooder lamp and a feeder, and scouted out materials with which to build the brooder in my garage. Many pictures can be seen in my past post.
I've researched some building techniques online, such as how to drive nails into wood without splitting it and how to use a circular saw. I also looked into wood stains/sealers, specifically the Behr brand, since I know they sell it at Home Depot. I've contacted the Behr company to ask them for environmental-friendly details about their product, but I have not heard back. I will continue my research elsewhere.
On an exciting note, and as my readers have seen in the past post, I tore down my old swingset to clear the area for my coop! And I've successfully cleared it! I had to clear the pea stones from the entire area I plan to build the coop in. Shoveling was a lot of work, but now I can get down to the actual building! Yay!
Starting to clear the space.
Phew! All done!
As for my Essential Question, there isn't much I've been able to figure out just from tearing down a swingset and clearing dirt and stones.But I have learned that location is an important part of determining where to put the coop. My yard is complicated--my house is on a hilly spot, with plenty of woods surrounding it. I can't put the coop on a hill, because it has to be level (and I'm not nearly and experienced-enough builder to undertake hills). I also can't put it too near the woods--I want to keep an eye on it from the house, and keep it in an open space, so it looks less attractive to predators. I also must be conscious of my neighbors. I don't want to coop blatantly out in plain sight, because I have some neighbors whom I know would object to chickens. I want to keep it out of sight. Where the swingset was is the ideal spot, because it is partially hidden by my house, mostly level ground, and is close enough to my house for both convenience and comfort. An important element of the coop is definitely where you put it. As such, clearing my area has helped me answer the part of my EQ addressing the coop construction, as this task has helped me determine a suitable location for my chicken home, so that is does fit my yard (out of sight, in a level spot) and meet my chickens' needs (safety).
Reflection
I would like to look at how to recycle some of the wood pieces from my swingset. Unfortunately, most of them are unusable, due to rusted bolts that could not be removed after a good 15 years of weathering and usage. There are certain parts, however, that I'd like to incorporate into my coop. I think I'll be changing for the coop a bit so that I can build a drawer in the henhouse floor for easy waste removal, as per my teacher Mr. Clinton's suggestion. I will have to tinker with the plans to make this compatible with the coop. I'll most likely be using a piece from one of the old floors of the swingset for this purpose. There is also a ladder structure left over from my swingset that I'd like to incorporate into the coop as well--perhaps as a direct access route to my yard (instead of the enclosed adjacent run, which will have its own access ladder regardless), but that would require some extra security measures to be taken to keep predators at bay. It is just an idea for now. On a landscaping/aesthetic note, I need to get rid of those ugly pea stones that are piling up... And seed some grass in the cleared area, maybe! The chickens would like that. But I haven't decided what to do with that space yet. I may very well lay down sand. That's another thing I need to think about--the floor I want for my run.
As for myself, I've learned that I hate digging! Just kidding--although digging is hard work. I've rekindled my love for the outdoors. I used to spend an extensive amount of my time outside, but since I've been in high school, that amount has markedly decreased. It's amazing how good a little fresh air can feel, and I'm happy to be outside again to work on this project. I've also learned that working with my hands helps me relax. When I'm working on my project, I generally think only about my project, be it what I'm doing right then, or a task I plan to undertake later. It's a great stress-reliever. In addition, I've learned that tedious tasks are easier to undertake when you have company, so I'm thankful that my friends and sister are willing to lend a helping hand on occasion.
I also have a new appreciation for landscaping crews. It hurts to hunch over a shovel or hoe, and dig and level the ground for hours. It chafes on your hands, and strains your back. So thank you to all the people who do this for a living--doing a project with it is fun, but I certainly wouldn't do it everyday! Also, giving up your childhood play space is hard. But not too hard, when you know you have little feathery friends on the way. It's been a good run, swingset.
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