Wednesday, April 15, 2009

our cute modern hen house

There seems to be some interest in the hen house I mentioned a few posts ago, so I thought I'd share the house and the story that goes along with it.

My friends are the most amazing people in the whole universe. I've been talking idly of getting chickens for years, but I talk idly of many things and shouldn't be taken entirely seriously about any of them. Except the chickens. I really do want chickens (and bees). However they probably wouldn't be coming to live with us in the next few weeks if it weren't for those friends I mentioned above. See, they gave them to us for our wedding.

BEST WEDDING PRESENT EVER!!

Right? I was in tears I was laughing so hard when we opened their present wrapped in an egg carton and full of pretty dried weeds and a book on raising chickens. Brock was pretty much horrified, but he's warmed up nicely to our new family members. My friends actually gave us a check to buy an Eglu and a handful of feathery friends. So we've been waiting for it to warm up a bit before we ordered the house and brought the chooks home.

Here's what it looks like:





Neat, right? I love that it's mobile (see the wheels in the back?) so we can push it around the yard to let the chickens have fresh grass in their run on a regular basis. I found a few farms on craigslist that are selling pretty laying hens so once the house comes, I think we'll take a trip out to Riverside to pick up our friends. While we'd love to get little baby chicks, our house is way too small to keep a box full of them inside until they're old enough to live in the Eglu. And honestly, not sure we want to wait 5 -6 months until they're ready to lay! Baby chicks will come later, when we have kids to join in the excitement of raising them.

So Sara, this probably doesn't help you with your plans to build a coop! Sorry! But if you go to Diggin' Food, she posts a round up of coops around Seattle that might provide some inspiration.

Omlet also makes a smaller Eglu that would probably fit in ANY backyard. Plus the smaller, original Eglu is ready to ship from the US. The cube has to come from the UK and seems to be limited in availability. We almost had to wait until June for ours, but we got a cancellation spot just before the shipment left. Close one.

16 comments:

Sara E. Cotner said...

Oh, I have just spent way too long browsing their site. Hooray for fun and productive procrastination! I am more and more convinced that we just need to buy one rather than make it. The easy-clean surfaces are very compelling...thanks for sharing, Kristina!

Rachel said...

Yay! Make sure you get some that lay pretty colored eggs. I love the blue ones.

g/d said...

Oh my yes! I have been thinking of getting a couple hens myself...this definitely is inspiring!

And I "gardened" yesterday (re-potted some plants). I'm moving in the right direction. I keep looking at all your shots of your pretty flowers and yummy veggies and wanting the same!

Kate said...

You have very sweet friends to lay down the "dough" for you to get your eggs. :) Totally fun present. There is a little girl in my daughter's class that has one of those and she brought some baby chicks to class at the beginning of the year. Hard act to follow, btw. Show and tell hasn't been the same.

Marty J. Christopher said...

That's so funny...my brother always talks about getting chickens and we make fun of him. Now we might have to lay off...
http://shesnotthemarryingkind.blogspot.com/

Emily said...

That is pretty much the most amazing chicken coop I have ever seen. I can't wait to hear about your chickens once they settle in.

Anonymous said...

Glad to hear you liked it! Was wondering how that went over... wish I could have seen you laugh hysterically :-) Yay for eggs every day :-)
-Vaness to the M

liz said...

way fun! it's this kind of thing that make me rue living in the city!

Unknown said...

You are too funny! Now I definitely need to come see this cornucopia of a backyard :)

mimi said...

fresh eggs from the backyard i am jealous. won't they make your lawn greener too?

It followed me home said...

That is way too cute!
I love your blog and your wedding styling is devine!

{The Perfect Palette} said...

cute! very cute.

designcuriosities said...

What a fun idea... I love the modern look too...I've never understood why animal cages must be eye sores! This one certainly is not. Have fun with the chickens!

Amanda said...

I am soooooooooooooooooo jealous. SOOOOOOO jealous. ONE DAY I will have chickens too. And beeeeeees. Have fun! Cluck!

Becky said...

yeah, that's gotta be one of the coolest things i've ever seen. i'm not overstating when i say that (yes, i am)...but, really - it's very, very, very cool. soooo cool that my husband will probably not let me get one. thanks for the dream.

{quixotic.elizabeth} said...

I just came across your blog and I am smitten. It is funny - - you've made me want chickens!!! Something I WOULD NEVER SAY!!! I grew up in rural Texas and have been around of number of chickens. From my experience it was just about the nasty-est thing ever. But your set up looks cool and the chickens look so cute. Oh god, who am I!?