Chicken Coop Progress

The coop is almost done!  I spent the past week building the nesting boxes, roost and painting the inside white.  The white lightened it up wonderfully!

Here's the inside before, starting from the door and going counter clockwise around the space:

Pretty dreary huh?  It's sturdy and serviceable...read ugly!  It was also very dark inside, especially at dusk.

The plan was to white wash it with watered down paint and an old brush.  Umm...my arm would have fallen off!  I painted one end of the coop and threw in the brush.  Next, I searched out our old electric paint sprayer...it did not work...bit the dust...dead.  Story. Of. My. Life.

So I ordered a new HVLP sprayer from Harbor Freight.  It had really good reviews and was on sale.  While waiting for it to arrive, I built the nesting boxes and roost and installed them.  All by myself.  With no help from my helpful hubby.  I am woman hear me roar!

In the meantime, my helpful hubby was busy too.  He got the fencing intalled and built the gate, with a little help from me ;)  I guided the post hole digger on the back of our neighbors tractor, held the posts level while he backfilled the holes,  helped stretch some wire while he stapled the fencing on a couple corners, and held the gate while he attached it to the post.  It was a big job that he did the lions share of.  Love you honey!

The sprayer finally arrived so I painted yesterday.  After one "white wash" coat, I was underwhelmed.  There was nothing for it but to spray another coat.  The job still took several hours even with a sprayer.  I would have been painting right up until the snow flies with a brush.  That OSB board really eats paint!

So here's what it looks like inside now:

I love the Z framing on this door!

My new nesting boxes

I popped a hole in the wall for the chicken door.  I still have to make the door for it.

The new roost.  I'm starting with two rungs for now.  I may need to add a third later.  

I still have a few things to do.   There's the chicken door to cut, paint and install, a screen and glass to replace in one window.  I'm also going to change that door over the window opening in the above picture.  We are replacing a tiny window in our half bath.  If it fits, I'm going to use the old window from there, otherwise I'll staple screening over the window and build a shutter on the outside that I can close.

Then I just need to get a chicken feeder, waterer and some feed, and bring the chickens home to roost!  I'm determined to get it done this week.  I can't wait to see how they react to their new home and lots of grass to roam around on.

I've linked to these fabulous parties:

" My entry into 2805's Potpourri Friday Party is sponsored by Appliances Online."