DIY'ing a new chicken coop perch...I'm the redneck artisan this time

After a chat in the "Poultry Pen" on Discord, I learned that maybe my aggravating chickens are sleeping (and prolifically pooping ugh) in their nesting box area because I don't have a higher perch for them. This afternoon, I decided to remedy that. I found a nice long (6-7 feet) fallen branch that looked thick enough for the task, and set off for the coop.

Ethel: Can I get down now? #animalphotography

I never lack for helpers!

Lovin' on Goldie

I was determined not to ask the Husband to do it, because in my opinion he should be taking better care of his newly replaced knee. In his (typical man) opinion, he can now do things like drive the ATV around...but I digress. I ventured into his workshop for a hammer and nails. Then I thought maybe a drill and screws would be better. Oh well, bring the hammer too...

Armed and dangerous

"Daddy's going to be mad at you," Pixie piped up as I sorted through screws.
"Why's that baby?"
"Because you're getting into his tools," she said, very solemnly.
LOL. Somebody has been taught well!

I very quickly discovered that holding up a 6-7 foot long branch at head level while drilling a screw at an angle into one end of it is pretty much impossible, unless you've got three arms. Somehow I managed not to brain either of the small children. Little Man found the whole process highly entertaining and kept up a running commentary on my efforts, and both of them appropriated the hammer and attempted to help me.

It occurred to me that if I drilled a screw a little way into the edge of the platform wall, I could tie up one end of the stick and then I wouldn't have to try to hold the whole thing up in the air. So I drilled the screw and then tied the stick with the twine that I had cut off the last straw bale I bought.

Now we're getting somewhere!

Goldie just hung out and watched. I think she wanted to lay an egg but we inconsiderate humans weren't letting that happen.

Then it occurred to me that instead of drilling a screw through the branch, I could drill it into the wall instead and tie the other end, too.

That's not going anywhere...

Neither is that...

Ta Da!!

At about this point, the Husband appeared in the barn. "What are you doing?" he asked.
"I made a new chicken perch!" I laughed, half proud and half joking.
He hobbled over to the coop to investigate. "Oh, Lord!" he groaned and departed, shaking his head.
I figure it's a good sign that he didn't immediately want to dismantle it.

Of course the kids clamored to put some chickens on the perch. We went out to the garden and shooed them inside, and then I caught Lucy and Ethel and set them on the perch.

Chicken conference concludes: "I told you she was crazy"

No seriously, what is up with this contraption?

Lucy: You'll be sorry for laughing, crazy lady

I'm hoping it's a good thing that Elsa and Ginger (their nesting-box-roosting partners in crime) hopped up there and started eyeballing the lofty perch option.

Putting the chickens up there showed me that half the branch is actually too thin for them to grasp properly. Tomorrow I'll go looking for a more suitable one. I'm just feeling happy right now that untying and replacing it should be relatively easy!

There's my "being resourceful and DIY'ing it" tale for the day. Tomorrow I'll post the creek walk I did with the kids afterward :)