here comes the chicken coop (a work in progress)

26 Wednesday Nov 2014

Tags

backhoe, chicken coop, chickens, coop, recycled materials, shed

August and September were busy months here at cabinorganic. It started with a phone call from Grandpa Danser. He was bringing the backhoe and ‘chicken coop’ over from Clive (about an hour away) that weekend. I was so excited! I had spent the last few years fantasizing about having our own chickens and was waiting for the right moment to start setting up the coop. This was definitely it. Yes, it was finally time to get moving!

The process actually started a few years ago when Grandpa Danser offered to pass along this sturdy shed to us to use as a chicken coop. We were happy to put it to good use but a few things kept us from getting started right away. The first was that I was pregnant and super busy working and commuting to the city everyday. Then, once Chayton was born, there was just no spare time to start new projects.

Until now. Suddenly, the time was right.

Grandma and Grandpa Danser arrived with the backhoe and trailer early one Autumn day after a long, slow ride to Pigeon Lake. Riding behind on the trailer was the shed. It needed a little work but I could already envision happy chickens moving in and making themselves right at home.

Grandpa parked the trailer in the yard and got straight to work with his backhoe, clearing a patch of land next to the greenhouse for the coop and leveling it.

We took down quite a few trees but many were already dead or dying so it was nice to clear them out. Both Grandpa and Brian spent a few weekends cutting up the trees with the chainsaw and burning the smaller branches on a giant burn pile. We now have a gigantic wood pile for winter fires.

I brought Chayton out everyday in his blue wagon to watch the action. He loved climbing on the piles of branches and crawling through the mud. He loved visiting with Grandma while watching Grandpa and dad work.

He also especially LOVED sitting in Grandpa’s backhoe.

Once the site was ready, Grandpa unloaded the shed. Then he and grandma spent a weekend carefully removing all of the slate shingles, re-papering the exterior walls, and then putting them back on again. This was a delicate and tedious job as the slates were very fragile and kept breaking. There were some shingles missing so whatever was left was used for the front and sides of the shed while the back was covered with tin. Grandpa also installed a ‘new’ (used) window- (a larger one that can open), put tin flashing around the bottom of the shed to keep predators out, and cut a pop hole for the chickens.

Once the slate shingles were in place, Grandma carefully washed them in preparation for painting.

Next, Grandpa put in some posts for the chicken yard and later he and Brian began fastening some chain link fencing to it. The men also worked on the interior of the shed. Grandpa insulated the floor with styrofoam, laid plank flooring over that, and then put a layer of concrete over that for easy cleaning. The walls and ceiling were insulated and extra ventilation was built in.

Here’s Grandpa Danser hard at work and truly in his element. I love spending time with this creative and hard-working man.

[There’s a side story here concerning the concrete floor: When I went out to check up on Grandpa, he proudly opened the door to show me a perfectly freshly-laid concrete floor. Lucy had followed me out as we were on our way for a walk. She was so excited that she ran into the shed! She immediately knew that something was wrong and turned and ran out of the shed but not without leaving a circle of dog prints in the concrete. I cried out in horror but Grandpa Danser just laughed heartily and simply went to work, smoothing out the floor again. Later, we scratched in Chayton’s name and the date on the threshold.]

Meanwhile, Brian began painting the trim, door, posts and gate a glossy black.

He built a wooden frame above the fence posts and installed some clear plastic roofing that Grandpa Danser had rescued from being thrown away. It has some screw holes in it but we can easily cover those.

I should mention here that while Grandma, Grandpa and Brian were hard at work on the coop, I was busy taking care of Chayton and in the kitchen rustling up some hearty meals for the crew.

Here is the chicken coop as it looks today (only today it is covered in snow!). There is still some work to be done. Brian has already installed the electrical power but still needs to paint the interior and install the heat lamp, nesting boxes and roosts. We also need to finish the pop hole door, the exterior fencing (top half) and paint the exterior (a vivid deep red).

I love how almost everything about this project is made from recycled and reused materials. From the new window, the tin, the metal poles, the plastic roofing, the fencing, and even the shed itself.

I also love how our family was able to spend time together working on this project as a team. Grandma and Grandpa were able to spend quality time with their grandson and many happy memories were made. By early spring next year, this coop will welcome baby chicks who will quickly grow into happy, healthy egg-laying hens. I can’t wait!

a magical fort deep in the woods

13 Saturday Aug 2011

Posted by Delena Rose in kids, repurpose

≈ 9 Comments

Tags

fort, old lumber, recycled materials, top secret fort

Walking down this residential road in a quiet area of the lake, you would never guess that hidden just a short distance into the woods is a magical place. Even if you had heard a rumor that it existed, you probably would never find it, unless you were prepared to wade through knee deep mud and water, cross a small river and fight through five foot high stinging nettles. Even then, you still may never find it.

Four days ago, there was a knock on my door. Lucy went wild, barking and letting me know that people were here at the cabin. (We rarely get visitors.) As I opened the door, I saw five smiling faces. Glancing down, I saw five pairs of rubber-booted feet. The children introduced themselves and explained that they were building a fort. They were wondering if I had any plywood or any other materials I could donate to their project. Their request came at the perfect time as I had just begun sorting through the scrap wood I had inherited when we bought this place in order to see what I could salvage for the chicken coop. I invited them out back to show them the wood. Lucy was unsure of them at first. She barked for the first few minutes, then cautiously sniffed each child, one by one, while we pretended not to notice. A few minutes later, she had five new lifelong friends. The kids petted her, played with her, scratched her and got her to do all kinds of tricks. Lucy just soaked up the love and attention like a sponge.

Meanwhile, behind the cabin, the kids took a look at what I had and found some things that were useful for their project: two small railings, broken pieces of corrugated roofing, a small roll of discarded carpet, wood of various sizes, even a pair of crutches. They left, carrying one large piece of plywood and the roll of carpet. Then they returned with a wheel barrel and a little red wagon to haul the smaller pieces. They thanked me and said that when they were finished the fort, they would invite me over to come and see it.

Just three days later there was another knock at the door. My new friends were back and were ready to show me the fort, which they had just completed that afternoon. I grabbed my camera, jumped into my rubber boots and headed off down the road with them (leaving Lucy behind. ‘Sorry my girl, too muddy!’). I followed them down the road, then we turned off onto a trail leading into the woods. We walked, waded through deep water and mud, ducking under tree branches and tried to avoid the stinging nettles along the path.

We continued to walk, crossing a small river and as the path turned around a bend, I saw the fort and it took my breath away.

It was magnificent. The most splendid fort I have ever seen, far better than the ones I built when I was younger. The fort was two stories tall and nestled in between the thick curving branches of a tree, which added to the stability of the structure.

The lower floor has a bright green door. Inside, there is a bench and a shelf holding a bucket and soap to wash your hands. Believe it or not, this fort has running water! Rigged up above is a bucket to catch rainwater. There is even a stainer to filter the water before it flows down.

Also inside the lower floor is a small window made from a natural gap between the boards and covered with a piece of snowmobile windshield, cut perfectly to size.

There are two sets of ladders leading up to the second level, one made of lumber and the other made of tree branches. Upstairs, there are three places to hang out: the main open area, a small side area with railings (pictured below), and the roof, which is carpeted and very comfortable.

The floor of the main open area (above) also serves to shelter an area down below. There is even a handy place to hang your coat. I was invited to climb up to the second floor and was amazed at how solid and stable everything was. The kids explained that they used screws, nails and even string to hold it all together. If you look closely at the structure, you can see the resourcefulness of these builders as they used everything, from crutches and broom handles to scrap lumber and tree branches to build this fort. Many of these materials were probably headed to the landfill but instead were now put to good use in the making of this beautiful, solid, weatherproof, top secret fort.Off to one side of the fort is a bridge to cross the river (the water is low at the moment) and a length of rope serves as a handrail.

Beside this is one of three sturdy swings.

I was so impressed with their handiwork! The fort really demonstrates the creativity and problem-solving abilities of my five new friends! Even the spot they chose for the fort felt very magical, surrounded by river and woods and with a large tree wrapping around it. This tree provides shelter and a place to walk on without having to touch the muddy ground. Impressed, I complimented each of them on their building skills.

Just when I thought I had seen it all, they asked if I would like to see the dance floor. Dance floor??? Yes, this fort has it all! Very close by, propped up on (and nailed to) two saw horses was a very stable piece of plywood, just big enough for a small group of people to dance on underneath the stars.

I would like to thank my new friends, M,M, K, E and J for allowing me to contribute some materials to their amazing fort and for inviting me over to see it. (Sorry, I cannot tell you, dear readers, where it is located as I am sworn to secrecy.) It was a delight to see that my old, discarded materials were now useful, appreciated and given a new life in your fort. It was a pleasure to meet you all and spend time with you. I hope to come back again soon, take off my rubber boots, and boogie, once more, on your dance floor!