Saturday encore ~ Lucy and Ethel move the chicken coop

Ever wonder why I'm building the infamous chicken palace? The story began last year about this time, when my best friend from high school came to visit. One of our adventures included moving the chicken tractor to the barn so that the hens would have a warmer place to live for the winter. Little did I know then that the winter of 2010-11 would be record-breaking cold. The hens survived, with just a little frostbite on their combs, and I was inspired to build them a warm and cozy chicken palace so they'd never be cold again. 

And call me lazy, but I didn't want to go through the whole chicken-tractor- moving thing again.

***

I'd been planning to relocate the chickens to the barn for the winter but wasn't sure how I was going to move the coop cross country by myself. Lucky for me, an unsuspecting city girl ranch hand arrived on my doorstep.

Denise: There's no way it will fit through that gate!

Carson: I measured. It will fit.

And it did...sort of...after I chiseled a little wood from the gate post.

Denise: There's no way we'll be able to cross that ditch.

Carson: No problem. I'll lift while you push.

Denise: How are we going to get it up the hill?

Carson: Brute strength.

Then the phone rang and I ran into the house to answer it.

By the time I got back outside, Denise Hercules had maneuvered the coop all the way to the barn!

I was very impressed. And Denise was very tired.

Once the coop was in place, we gathered up Lorena, Clara and Peach and escorted them to their new home.

Then we broke the news to Wynonna that she would have three roommates.

She was less than impressed at first...

...but seems to be warming up to the idea now that she's figured out there might be table scraps involved.