My New Hen House

Last summer I purchased four chickens from the local feed store. We built an adorable chicken pen for them and I eagerly waited for eggs. One morning when they were about four months old I was shocked to hear a strange sound from the coop. "Was that a crow," I asked myself. Needless to say the "sexed" chicks I purchased were not pullets. I now had two roosters and two hens. We quickly found a home for the two roosters and I was saddened to be left with only two hens.

This year I decided I would not give up my dreams of having fresh eggs. My two Barred Rock hens from last summer were doing well and laying eggs each day. I went to a different feed store with the idea of purchasing five more chicks.

 I think I might have gotten carried away. I left the feed store with five Marans, one Black Cochin, two Americauna,  and 3 Silkies. Once I got home and settled them into their brooder my husband had" the look." The look quickly passed and he said, " I guess I have to build you a new chicken pen."

After countless hours looking at other blog posts and Pinterest I had an idea. I wanted to use a storage shed. We looked at some stores in town that sold sheds but was not willing to pay that much. I was starting to give up on the idea when my husband came home with a "beautiful" shed.

"Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder"

Recently our friends had purchased a house and the previous owners had left this shed. My husband assured me he could fix it up and it would be just like new. That day we ripped off all the siding and ran to the hardware store. We purchased new siding and a few 2x4's. We had a lot of materials already at the house (paint, nails, wire, a door). 

New siding and a coat of primer

Once the shed was painted we needed to move it. My husband cleared a spot for it and moved it into place. This was very nerve wracking to watch.

Pushing the shed into its new home

Once it was in the correct spot we quickly started the fencing. On the left hand side was the chickens home.They have a spot inside the shed to lay eggs and roost. The right hand side is for Stella and Dot(my next post will introduce them). The red door was the original front door on our house when we bought it. 

My new hen house

I LOVE IT!

                 - Chelsea