Treehouse Style & a Chicken Coop Door

Woke up this morning, started worrying about finishing hanging the door to the baby-chicken coop, got tired of worrying about worrying about it again, so I did it, before coffee. And I did some other chicken-chores. Of course it was only going to take a little time. Boy was I wrong. I came in for a shower and lunch after 2pm. But I'm pretty satisfied with the results.

I grew up with a dad who did some pretty awesome furniture and fine woodworking. When you think of that style of furniture crafting, think how precise and pretty that needs to be. You measure stuff. Precisely. And allow for the kerf. I took woodshop twice in Art school, and also worked Set Design & Construction in college. I know how to do all that stuff. Half the fun of treehouse style is breaking the rules.

When we were kids, we built this awesome treehouse back in the woods from construction scraps. You see, that's "treehouse style"... a lot more eyeballing, guesswork, making it up as you go, and using the scrap that fits. Back then, we used nails, because that’s what we picked up off the ground around the construction sites. Nowadays I’m armed with 2 cordless drills - one for pilot holes and one for screws. And I’m loving this cordless circular saw!

The baby-coop is much more treehouse style, with its mash-up of old bunk-bed and swimming-pool pieces. The door is made from scraps from the bed-slats, wood scraps, and scraps of hardware cloth from the big coop. The frame of the bed is the roof, the corners are uprights from the pool, and the whole thing is wrapped in chicken wire. (I do plan to add some hardware cloth for better security).

It's all painted purple now, and it looks more cohesive!

Chainmail Chick and her gang of chicks came by several times to inspect. I think they approve? Freyr kept ducking into the baby coop to snack at the baby-chick feeder, bringing his women around one at a time, like it was some verboten date-night hang-out. (Shh... they actually serve the same food as the big house in there.)

Yesterday Freyr charmed us with some of his crowing antics. I actually had time to run in the house and get the kids to come out and see him perform. He really has improved. I hope he gets the hang of it soon. He sure has been busy pursuing the ladies. I think he’s forming a special bond with Mocha - and she seems to like him, too. But that doesn’t stop him from chasing the rest of the girls around, too.

So tonight the babies sleep in the baby coop, with a door that closes on hinges. Which I built and installed. Myself.