The coop is finally finished inside and out!

It's been a while since our last post, but that's not for lack of things going on at the SDF. We've been so busy with the summer season upon us, and we love it!  We have many blog posts in the works, so stay tuned.  For today....more updates to the Flocktagon -- formerly known as the Chicktagon.  As in the past, I'll keep this post mostly pictures since they tell more, and are easier for you all to get through.

While we've had the Flocktagon built for a while now, there have been a couple things that needed to be done on the inside that have just been hanging over our heads -- namely, insulating the ceiling, adding a more permanent roost for the chickens, and installing nest boxes for our ladies. We purposely left nest boxes out for a while since this is supposed to keep them from thinking the nest boxes are a good spot for sleeping.

We'll start with the insulating.  We didn't think this was such an urgent thing since we were a ways off from winter, but while doing the insulation, we were amazed at how much cooler the insulated panels were than the non-insulated panels (well, duh...).....and I was getting really tired of the insulation/wood pile under the cedar tree.

Insulation/scrap wood pile under the cedar tree (most of the wood is behind the insulation).  Olive isn't part of the supply pile, but she's often found under the cedar tree keeping tabs on the local red squirrel population.

Here's the uninsulated ceiling.  We really like the way this looks, so maybe that has something to do with our lack of motivation to insulate it as well....but the comfort of our ladies won out in the end.

When we went in to start working, we found this pile up happening.  That's our little girl, Sheila on the left, then Freckles (she's ridiculously friendly), and Nina is stretching it out. 

We've been trying to handle them as much as we can so that if we need to for injury or illness sake, they won't be difficult to work with.  It's a rough job, but someone's got to do it.

I can't believe I'm even showing this disaster.  This was our first attempt -- craptastical.  We learned a lot, and we were able to reuse a lot of the boards on the future attempts.

Looking much better -- still not perfect, but we're still in serious training here.  This was the end of day 2 -- after the first day's attempt (see above), we had to call it quits and recover with a cocktail on the deck.

The chop-saw sometimes becomes your makeshift DJ booth while rocking out.  This was the final day, on the final panel -- morale was much higher this day.  Side note -- much of that scrap wood will be our kindling for our wood stoves this year. Stacking functions.

While I was busy rocking out on the chop saw, Anna had the joyful job of cutting up and installing the insulation.  We went with a rock based insulation -- no fiberglass to contend with, and it isn't ruined if it gets wet (not that it would in our fortress of a coop).

Insulation installation station.  Like a boss.  

Lookin' good!  This is our last panel, and we couldn't be more pleased.  Pretty sure the flock was pleased as well -- they were tired of being forced to be outside.  They're just like children...you tell them they can't come inside, and all they want to do is come inside...typical.

Like a glove!  It may not be professional grade, but we're pretty happy with the outcome

YAY! We're almost done!

The finished ceiling.  Mighty fine if I do say so myself.  

Next, we wanted to add a more permanent roost.  We had a temporary roost for the chickens but they have been quickly outgrowing that makeshift roost....and one may have fallen over in the middle of the night.  Whether or not chickens were involved in the roost collapse remains a mystery, but let's just say that no one wants anything to do with that roost anymore...despite our repairs.

The new and improved roost -- it is easier for them to roost on round surfaces, so why not use a log?
Stacking functions.

The ladies enjoying their new roost.  It has been fun to watch them figure out how to get up there.  As they get bigger, it will get easier, but for now sometimes they make it just by one little toe.  PS -- check out Sheila's pantaloons...amazing and adorable (she's on the far left showing you her booty).

The ducks are pretty pleased with the new roost as well.  You can clearly see who's male and who's female here....they're all getting along fairly well so far.  Keep your fingers crossed. Here, I think they're watching the chickens on the roost to see if they're going to fall on them in the middle of the night.

The next big task for the inside of the coop is to install nest boxes and hang the feeders/waterers.  We needed nest boxes on the floor for the ducks, and raised up for the chickens.  I'm thinking nest box apartment complex. Done and done.

We were all business this day, so the only photo we have is of the end product.  It took us a couple hours, so we can't complain.  The bedding will get trampled down as the ladies come and go.

Last task -- hanging the feeders lessens the chances that the birds will perch on them and poop in them. The nest boxes double as a platform for holding the chicken watering receptacle.  Stacking functions. The ducks make a REALLY big mess of their water, and we don't want the sensitive chickens to get sick from it....unlikely, but better safe than sorry.  The orange bucket is the duck waterer -- they like to stick their entire bill in the water to clean our their noses, and the chickens don't like this waterer, so it is an easy way to separate the two waterers.

Last but certainly not least -- it is a really good thing we were about to install nest boxes.  The day before we did it...this happened.  Go Fern!  She's our only mature female, and she's a duck (on the left in the picture 3 above -- the duck without the green head).

Go Fern, go!  We are so excited.  We have fresh eggs...er, egg.  I also love that the shell is slightly green tinted. It was delicious and nutritious...the yolk was a beautiful deep yellow.  Hopefully she'll find the nest boxes for her future egg laying endeavors.