Intro
people
motivation

For years, Mary Dygert wanted ground-dwelling birds. We're not sure why, but we suspect that it's an evolutionary trait that served her ancestor's survivability. If a person enjoys having ground-dwelling birds, then that person will also have food in the yard.

In the interest of fulfilling Mary's dreams, Tim & I decided to build her a coop. Mary brought in her friend, Kathleen, for moral support and creative mojo. We decided that it would be built in the honor of the late, great Jerry Stratman.

Getting started
meetings
food
plans

As with any great endeavor, the key was to have great food at the meetings. Fortunately, Mary was quite capable of providing tureens full of homemade soup, casseroles, fresh bread, cobbler and ice cream. After several plates of everything that was on the table, followed by the arrival of dessert and a cup of coffee, it was time to sit back and discuss the coop.

We studied books about chickens and pondered air flow, window shading, ease of cleaning, size and materials. We drew up beautiful plans and artists renderings with grass and flowers and clouds in the background. It was a great, carefree time. The only one of us that knew anything about building was Tim, and in the end we just did what he told us to do.

Steps
clear area
base
frame
sides
roof
windows
doors

There was a perfect area for the coop. An old barn had been removed years before and the cement pad was still there. It was covered with many years worth of stuff, but an intense clearing effort made it usable for the coop and provided a nice varmint proof floor.
Finishing

Chickens
getting chicks
caring for chickens
eggs

Mary was so excited about the coop that she brought the chicks home well before the coop was done. This gave us motivation to get 'er done. When shopping for the chicks, she was so entranced by the cuteness of the ducklings, that she got a couple of them a well.

Conclusion
pleasure
results