A Tale of Two Coops

 

 

We've had our chooks since last summer,

when a dear friend had to relocate out of state

and needed to find a home for her flock.

It's been one of the best things to happen to us,

as we enjoy caring for them

and the bounty that they bring in the form of eggs and compost.

Even our son, C, who rarely ventures outside,

has become fascinated by them and is in charge

of putting them to bed and collecting eggs.

 

We started out with a traditional wooden coop,

but soon found that it was not working out.

After some research, we landed on the Eglu coop from Omlet,

and it has turned out to be the perfect fit.

It is so easy to clean,

which at this stage of my life is paramount,

and the flock seems to be quite content.

We started out with the largest coop,

with room for up to 10 chickens

(they haven't seen our rooster Gandalf),

and three, count 'em, three nesting boxes (shown on the left side)

for cozy laying for the hens.

 

Even through the snow and frigid temperatures,

the chooks have been comfortable.

The insulated walls have done a remarkable job

of keeping the temperatures pleasant inside.

The Omlet Go

 

At some point a few months ago,

our sweet Queenie began to sit on eggs.

Unfortunately, her timing was off,

as we had no way of allowing her to continue

and keep the eggs safe from the other chooks.

You see, although there are three nesting boxes,

as is often the case, they all use the same one.

I ended up taking the eggs until we could accommodate her maternal urges.

 

The smaller Omlet Go was purchased a few weeks ago

in hopes that she would remain broody.

In this way, she could have the coop to herself

and the other chooks would be separated from the would-be momma.

The Go has only one nesting box,

but still room for up to 6 chooks.

The smaller coop was added to the yard

just to get them used to it.

There was no shortage of curiosity seekers.

This coop will double as a hospital, should it be needed.

Now that we're prepared for chicks,

Ms. Queenie is not showing signs of broodiness.

Ah well, at least we are ready in the event

that someone decides they want to be a momma.

New chicks on the homestead would be a thrill

and an especially valuable experience for C, 

who has really taken a shine to his charges.