Decorating the chicken coop

The mobile chicken coop is almost finished.  I spent most of yesterday trying to make it comfortable for my feathered friends, installing perches and nesting boxes.  I had to shoo them out so I could work without them freaking out every time I moved here or there. 

First job was to install perches.   They have lots of choices - different heights, different sized branches for different sized feet.

Notice how it's hinged at the top.  This is so I can raise the roosts so I can clean under them or I can use the shelter for other animals in the future.  Already, mama rabbit and babies have called this home for about a month.  That's the thing about a farm - shelters serve different purposes at different times.   

I don't know if they'll use their nesting boxes for laying eggs or just sitting  atop.  I thought it was cool to used hollowed out logs but I'm not sure if they're big enough or not.  I also put a cat carrier in there in case they won't use the log nesting boxes.  Last night when I put them to bed the cat carrier was a popluar hang out.

Only 2 chickens sat on perches.  I wonder if more will explore them tonight.

I think this rooster is pretty cool looking.  He was one of the first to inspect my work.  When it gets dark tonight we'll be gathering the adult chickens and putting them in with the teenagers and they will be moved to the field tomorrow.  I hope this works. 

I'd like more of these.  It would be a great little goat shelter for the field or a milking room.