Chaumière de Poule ~

Good morning and thanks for stopping by for the Coop Tour!

We've named the coop Chaumier de Poule ~ the Hen Cottage ~ no roosters here!

The Girls enjoying some clippings from the garden

a peek through the roost window

we're free, we're free!

As a kid we had chickens and we did have fun collecting the eggs and riding them around on our bike handlebars, but for the most part I wasn't too thrilled about them. Back in March (after a friend started a flock) I got the idea to start my own. We ordered some Bantam Buff Brahmas (Pearl & Daisy) from My Pet Chicken and the rest were purchased from our local feed store - Fiona (Barred Rock,) Blue Bell & Little One (Araucana,) Buttercup (Buff Orpington,) Goldie (Golden Laced Wyandotte,) and Speckles (Speckled Sussex,) I know real original names!

they own this place

As far as chickens go we have been so lucky to have a very harmonious coop, all get along so well

nesting box & basket are in the potting shed

So for the coop ~ we were fortunate to have an existing large shed - one part is an old outhouse, now covered ove,r where we store our firewood, and the other is a small stable, I always dreamed of turning into a potting shed, but never thought it would share space with chickens! It all blends and works out so well. Aside from most of the wood and chicken wire, everything else we had on hand from my flea market adventures


The nesting box I made from an old cabinet top found on the side of the road, and after a few modifications, voila, a sweet nesting box. So far only 4 of the girls are laying - the bantams like to use the nesting box and the big girls like the basket ~ go figure!

Pearl & Daisy ~ got an egg yet?

it's so exciting ~ the first eggs

Fiona on the nesting basket

The chandelier I bought many years ago on a trip to Colorado. It really was the piece that decided the decorating direction, that and the old dark bureau ~ it's all very French Country don't you think?

cherries!

We decided to go all organic, so everything we feed the girls is pesticide free. Every day they get yogurt which they go crazy over ~ it's like ice cream to them!


From noon on I let them out to free range, after (most) have laid. I have noticed a couple of layers suddenly skipped a couple days here & there, hmm, I'm curious if they are laying in the yard - so far I have not found any hidden nests

very happy & well loved girls

One of our favorite things to do is watch "Chicken TV,' better than real TV - they are just so funny! People ask all the time if the chickens will run away (since we're only partially fenced in) funny thing about chickens are that they kind of know their parameters, once & a while they go just over the neighbors stone wall, but haven't ventured farther, and they all return to the coop to roost when the sun starts going down - it's amazing!

I hope you enjoyed visiting my coop ~ please stop by the rest of my chicken loving peeps coops ~ they're amazing!

Tiffany ~ The Fancy Farmgirl

Lorraine ~ Paper Bird

Kelly ~ Second Hand Chic

And Rosalyn-Sue is going to share some fun & interesting chicken ideas, come take a peek over at
The Patriot Girl Files

If you are looking for info about raising your own flock, or fabulous coop ideas - the help & ideas are endless over at Backyard Chickens ~ just about all I know I've learned from sweet peeps over there! Scan the various categories in the Forum, and check out the endless styles & ideas in the Coop section

If you have a coop and you missed out on this Coop Tour, please leave your link in a comment so others can come visit!

Thanks for stopping by ~
xo Heidi

Coop Tour {Postponed} ~

Hello all ~ I know you're stopping by to see the Coop Tour, and I'm sorry to say we had to postpone it. Some needed a bit more time and really wanted to be included, so rather than only show you a few, I've decided to wait because the coops are just too amazing, and I know how much work & love goes into creating them. The new date will be September 15th, so be there ~ anyone else want to join in, just let me know!

What I can show you are little snippets of our coop reno,
and I have a winner for the raffle

Hubby busy sawing and making lots of noise

When we started this whole backyard chicken project we knew we would use the shed off the back of the house. I have to give my hubby so much credit here ~ he was the muscle behind it all, not only that but he has donated 6 weekends to this project...not sure why we thought renovating would be a snap!? Thanks honey, you're a peach & a keeper!

The girls were just babies when we started

Guess that's what he gets for being my "yes" man ~ he's good like that. He does not like me to take his picture though ;) I was beside him every step of the way, a real bonding experience; nailing, painting & decorating. One thing we discovered was that we speak different building languages, in the end we realized we meant the same thing ~ it was hysterical. Finally he knows what I mean when I say I need a banger thingie, and I'm not talking about a hammer

The pen in progress

I've had this mag cover since '05, and knew someday it would be the inspiration for my potting shed, little did I know that it would also be shared with a flock of chickens!

Now that they're older we let them roam the yard a bit ~ they love it, and it's so fun to see them pecking about ~ they're great little weeders too!

Oh, I so want to show you my coop...but I will wait ~ so come back, okay!?

Now for the winner of the little giveaway is ~
Alisa Logue
She has no blog and no email ~ so Alisa if you're out there come claim your prize girl!

Thanks for stopping by and thank you for your interest in our little Coop Tour ~ trust me, it will be worth waiting for!

xo Heidi

P.S. I'll leave you with a couple of pics ~

The girls all tucked in ready for bed, they like to snuggle

The coop at night when the chandelier first went in ~ I've decided it's a bit French country

Coop Dreamin ~

With the kids almost grown I guess hubby and I still have the need to nurture ~ we're putting in a vegetable garden and getting chickens. I've been dreaming (obsessing) about chickens and coop design for months now...

Tracy Porter's coop ~ lucky ducks & chickens

My friend Clare got chicks this past fall, which made us think, maybe we'd like to raise backyard chickens too. She and I have ordered some bantams. They lay the tiniest eggs ~ perfect for decorating and projects, so by this time next year I hope to have a bunch to play with


Seems I'm not the only one who's starting up a backyard flock, check out

Heather's chicken palace "Chez Poulet", with sweet Bella guarding the flock

Jill's sweet Victorian Chicken House

Who knew there were so many decorating options for coops ~
chandeliers, teacups, wallpaper

Karin's happy little coop ~ The Omelete Hotel
She must have some very productive hens, it's just so cheery

Eleanor Mondale's Cluckingham Palace

This will likely be the main inspiration for my coop, as we are using an existing shed/stable. I wish I knew what lived in there before, maybe a pony ~ there was one tiny stall, and a small horse shoe hangs above the doors. My plan is to make it into a potting shed & coop ~ it will of course have a chandelier!

My first babies arrive any day ~ the rest I'll buy local

xo Heidi
P.S. Although I said "we" I have been fair warned that this little feathered project is mine. Hubby will of course be my #1 guy for the shed reno ~ he's good like that!