Saturday, May 3, 2014

Operation Rent-A-Chicken

Paul's Mom has a little place just up the road from us.  She comes here for a few months every year to get away from the sweltering gawdawful heat of Las Vegas.  Yes.  To Arkansas.  To get away from the heat.  Go figure.

But anyhow....

I've promised her several times that we'd find a way to get her some chickens.  Since she's only there a few months at a time, I didn't want to build anything really large or elaborate (and I'm lazy and cheap) so I planned on making a little hut with a chicken wire fenced run.  But as luck would have it, a friend of mine was getting rid of this whole setup last winter and I was able to get it for the hauling (or, for Paul's hauling):

Rhiannon, my Mom and I gathered up some basic supplies; chicken waterer, feed bowl, nesting box and a five-gallon bucket filled with chicken feed.  Oh, and four chickens.  Who were not very happy about being crammed into a small dog crate, but it's less than a mile drive up the road so I told them to zip it and deal with it.  I was able to catch one of the hens who is an obvious favorite of the roosters as the feathers on her back are almost completely missing.  I'm sure she won't mind the move to the all "chick" apartment and it should give her some time to heal.

I still need to make some modifications to the existing coop, namely a roosting pole for the gals and small door on the outside of the chicken hut so poor Grandma V. doesn't have to crawl around inside looking for eggs.  I'll put the nesting boxes on the opposite side of the door so all she'll have to do is open up the door and gather the eggs.  And hopefully not let the chickens out at the same time.  Hmmmmmm......didn't really think about that until just now.

When Grandma V. leaves for Vegas again, we'll just shove the chickens in the crate and reunite them with their flock at our place.  And when she comes back, she'll have her little mini-flock waiting for her at her Ozark home away from home.

9 comments:

  1. The next hen on the list prolly isn't gonna be too happy either.

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  2. YOU are a fabulous daughter in law. Just sayin'

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  3. Operation Rent-a-Chicken sounds like a wonderful plan -- eggs for your mother-in-law and a vacation for the hens. Win-win!

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  4. I agree with Donna totally!!!
    What a brilliant idea.

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  5. Carolyn,

    I think what you did for your MIL is just totally awesome.
    You could make a business out of this. There are so many people who live in suburban areas that can have 4 or 5 chickens max and don't know what to do but want chickens. I have seen an article on this, a family rents out chickens for periods of time, with a coop, and the general supplies. They charge a monthly fee, and everyone's happy. When the family is done with the chickens, they go back to the owner until the next family wants chickens. Just a thought!!!

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  6. What a great little setup for her! You are a very good DIL...

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  7. Well, that should take care of at least a decade of Mothers' Days! What a great idea! After spending an entire day cleaning out my chicken coop, I think a rent-a-chicken is a fabulous idea!

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  8. Well, aren't you a good daughter-in-law! What a fabulous idea! :)

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  9. PP, you know, you're probably right. Poor gal.

    Donna, naw. Just know how much fun chickens are & want to spread the "Chicken Wealth"!

    Leslie, yeah, I'm pretty sure the hens won't miss those roosters.

    DDD, A brilliant idea, just wish it didn't take me so long to get around to it. Procrastination is my FIRST name.

    Sandy, that does sound like a cool business venture, but there are too many people out her now that already have chickens (and not enough $$ for the ones who want rental-chickens to spend on it). Maybe in a bigger suburb, and I'd be all over it!

    gld, I know she's really loving it. Something so simple to us, but so much joy for her :)

    Susan, you know darn well you would never give "back" your rental chickens, so stop dreaming about it.

    Candy, I don't know if I can take credit for the idea......but who knows, maybe it was!

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