Which Sign Should be Mine?

As I mentioned yesterday, I want to put a tin sign on the blank wall next to the sliding hen house door. You know, here:


Dean and I have found several signs that we really like, but I'm having a hard time picking one. First, I'll show you my absolutely favorite sign and tell you why I can't have it.


This is the sign I like the best of all the ones I've seen. (I've been trying to figure out what kind of chicken that is, 'cause I sure would like one. The feathered feet keep throwing me. It looks most like the English Light Sussex, but again, I can't find any pictures of them with the feathers on the feet. And the Colombian Rock has similar patterning around the neck, but their tails are white. Oh well, I'll figure it out eventually.) Unfortunately, the colors of the sign are all wrong for the colors we used on the coop. Also, the layout of this sign is horizontal rather than vertical and it wouldn't fit in the space I had in mind. On the good side, I can still buy it! Our neighbors who built a coop after talking to us, painted theirs blue to coordinate with their house and it will make a good "coop warming" gift for them.
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This is the sign that Dean likes the best. I understand his thinking: the colors are better, the orientation is right, we will be raising the chickens for eggs, etc. But still, I'm not completely convinced. While it is definitely retro, I think it leans a leeeetle too much to the cutesy side for me to really be happy with. I have a serious aversion to all things overtly "country". But this sign is still definitely in the running.
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After the tin sign I can't have, this is the sign I like the best. I especially like the colors and the simple, yet bold design. It's definitely more my style - no unnecessary frou-frou, thank you very much. It's oriented the right way and to my mind, would be perfect for our coop. I think Dean's main objection is that we aren't planning to sell chicks, but I'll have to ask him again to be sure.
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This sign was never even under consideration, but I wanted to show it anyway. The Kewpie doll-looking kid kinda freaks me out, you know. Cutesy country strikes again!
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And boy, do I like the sentiment of this one! Maybe I should hang it inside my closet door...


So, which one of the above signs do YOU think would go best?

The Coop is Finished!

Today's post is a simple one. Oodles of pictures and not much commentary from me. So here we go!

As you can tell from the title and pictures, we did indeed finish and position the chicken coop this weekend. I love, love, love it and I have to tell you now, it physically pained me to let the wee pooping beasties loose in this pristine coop!




The roosts are made using branches we cut off the monstrously huge Magnolia Grandiflora you can see through the coop window. The nesting boxes in the back we left open only to take pictures of. They have to be covered up for the next couple of months until the girls begin to lay eggs. (You don't want chickens to get accustomed to sleeping in their nesting boxes. That's what the roosts are for!)

The floor doesn't look like that now either. Right before we added the girls, I put a 2" thick layer of pine shavings down on the tiles.

The whole face of the coop is hinged for easy clean up. Also, the bottom opposite side under the nest box (underneath the coop) will swing open so we can get in that way too.


Gracie is fascinated by the chickens and will sit and watch them endlessly.


Tilly, Elinor, Gracie and Phillip, our neighbor's son, watch the chickens settling in to their new digs.


Seriously. She'll sit there until we make her leave.


Isn't it wonderful? Dean let me have my way with picking the colors for the coop and the roof. Smart man. Fortunately, we both prefer earth-tones and our color likes and dislikes usually dovetail seamlessly.

The empty wall space next to the sliding door won't be empty for long. I want one of those reproduction advertising tin signs to hang there. I just haven't decided which one yet. I'll find a picture of each of the candidates and post them in another update later.


More magnolia branches for the steps. Dean's idea, I thought they looked perfect!


He's already gone back and added a third hinge between the two shown here.


I meant to take a picture of the nesting box open - oops!

The cord for the coop pulley is a replacement lawn mower cord Dean bought at Lowes. He's a clever, clever man!


All the windows are hinged with hardware cloth screens behind for maximum air flow-through during our sweltering southern summers.


So??? Whatcha think? I'm looking forward to reading your comments!