Not such an amazing day...

So today wasn't such an amazing day...

Today we needed to finish the chicken coop by adding a nest for the hen to lay eggs in and also a perch for them to roost on at night--so since we didn't do that while we were building it yesterday we had to do it while they were already living in it--which was difficult to say the least-- Derek actually had to stick his head in the cage with the chickens! I had a long stick poking down through the chicken wire to ward off the rooster and in case things got ugly! (Man I wish I had the camera for that picture!)

So the perch and the nest turned out pretty good. But then when I went to shut them up for the night they were sleeping on the ground! Hopefully they'll give them a try tomorrow :)

After we built the perch and nest, I had the dumb idea (I thought it was really smart at the time) to poke holes in the waterer and hang it so that no matter what ground the coop is on the water would be level and also this way they might not stand on it and poop in it....well the holes broke it! Apparently there is some sort of physics to it and by poking holes in the top it made the air pressure push all the water out. So here is a picture of Derek trying to duck tape the holes back up--it didn't work...

Oh--and then there was this:

You think you move to a nice neighborhood and then the local thugs come by and tag up your chicken coop with their pink sidewalk chalk...geesh. Don't you just hate that?! ;)

And all this time we were working (it took awhile), Sarah (our australian shepherd/lab), was out and about as was Abraham, our cat (see him stalking my chickens!)

And Abraham walking around casually is kind of odd because Abby (the other watchamacallit dog) usually terrorizes him--but all during this time Abby was nowhere to be found--we figured she was just taking a nap somewhere. But no--she's gone. And I don't know where. It's late now and she hasn't come back. Our property is fenced in, but there are holes she could have gotten out of if she wanted to. But Sarah never had the desire to leave so I didn't think Abby would either. That makes me sad :( She does have a collar and tag on her. I hope she comes back--I was really growing attached to her...