Winging It! Our Hens + Chicken Coop

Our idea sprouted within the week of learning that we were able to have five hens. We had planned on having chickens once we would leave the city and we never knew that having chickens was a possibility on our city lot. I came across an article early May and once the news came to our attention we started to draft the chicken coop plan and jot down our ideas. A new idea was due; since Mallory's birth we have done mini projects here and there but nothing exciting. Plus, what makes the idea so exciting is that it was spontaneous. At times I dislike my planning personality, because there's no surprises. Do the laundry, wash the dishes, feed the dog, feed the baby, feed the husband, the list continues. A routine is nice, but at times its awesome to be able to stop and surprise yourself with a little bit of fun. Your fun might not look like ours: gaining 5 chickens with a 5 month old plus a lab that's trained to bird hunt; we enjoy a good challenge and our plate full.

Our design was inspired by an old farm's shed we have access to. This old farm is a goldmine for people like Nate and I and we even started to call it our "salvage spot." We were able to get all of our exterior materials from the salvage spot which included: wood siding, trim, metal tin roof, hinges and locks. The hunt for the old character is what I live for in any project. There is no better high for me than to find a used discounted item and incorporate it into our lives.

Nate framed up the coop and was gracious enough to put the time and effort into an extended cupola that runs the length of the coop; what it takes to win me over. The cupola has windows on both sides for ventilation and light for the chickens. We got all of our coop guidelines by reading blogs and watching tutorials. Each hen needs at least two square feet of space in the coop which resulted in our 4'x4' sized coop. We have three 1'x1' nesting boxes that the chickens lay their eggs in and also added thick branches for the chickens to sleep on. Along with the coop, we made and enclosed 4'x8' run to obtain up to five hens.

 

Our five hens, Dolly, Nugget, Loretta, Little & Butch, are roughly 4 months old and together lay 3 to 6 eggs each day. Initially, we fed the hens a grain that had 16% protein. This resulted in the hens growing rapidly yet laying membrane eggs. To harden the shells, we added cal to their diet which lead to an increase in laying as well as hardened eggs. The hens enjoy their coop and love to venture around our backyard. With having minimum knowledge, we feel our success is increasing and we are enjoying our small hobby.

Girl's Nursery feat. Charcoal Blue

Mallory's nursery is complete and will endlessly change as we reach different stages of her life. I already had all the basic decisions made and big ticket items purchased before we knew the gender of our little one. Sherwin Williams Charcoal Blue paint color was my first decision I made. I fell in love with how rich the color was and I loved the idea of playing with different pops of color. The contrast is so intense with a variety of colors that even the smallest items turn into such key statement pieces. Blue is so neutral especially when it's paired with vibrant colors. 

The neutral and basic theme continues. I added a gunmetal colored curtain rod with cream colored curtains and moved this rug from our living room to the nursery. The wood floors needed a white rug to brighten the room and to make the room feel more spacious. The photos do not lie; there is very limited space in this room. It's unique shape and size really was a challenge when trying to find all the items that fit together and flow. Finding a dresser gave me a good run. The dresser could only be so tall to be utilized as a changing table, needed an abundant amount of storage for most of the baby clothes, and had to be short in width so it would not crowd the crib's space. I scavenged the internet and thrift sales until I came across this one that would fit perfectly in our space. After some contact paper, prime and paint the dresser could be checked off the nursery checklist.  

Mallory's room consists of so many antique and thrift items along with some new items to help give it a personalized touch. I cannot pinpoint a specific theme. We definitely defied the nursery norm of Pinterest and gray walls. The mahogany colored wood accents and white accents allow the Charcoal blue paint to have so much purpose. In the beginning, I stated that Mallory's room is complete but now I think I have a great base of items and I could definitely go shopping for more fun accents of my own to add to the mix. Some fun greenery pressed wall art, boho themed accent pillows for the crib, a fun knitted poof up next to the tepee, a plant in a fun raised planter with a stand...

See how my mind wanders just like a home goods store from aisle to aisle. 

Thank you for reading and enjoy the photos of Miss Mallory's room.

XOXO