Hey there, fellow DIY enthusiasts! Today, we're clucking excited (pun intended) to share our adventure in expanding our existing concrete chicken coop floor pad. We wanted to create a dedicated coop for our feathered friends, but calling in a pro wasn't in the budget. So, we decided to get our hands dirty and conquer some concrete ourselves!
Gather Your Flock (of Supplies)
Before we dove in, we enlisted a trusty crew (read: spouse and children to lend a hand). We also assembled our feathery taskmasters (because let's be honest, who else is going to supervise a DIY project?):
- Quick-Crete Mix: Our secret weapon for a manageable DIY pour.
- Wheelbarrow: Our trusty steed for transporting concrete.
- Shovels: For digging, leveling, and becoming honorary chicken wranglers (more on that later).
- Lumber: To create the frame for our new concrete masterpiece.
- Level: To ensure our coop wouldn't be a lopsided leaning tower of chickens.
- Rubber gloves and safety glasses: Because concrete and eyeballs don't mix (literally).
- Water hose: Because you can't mix concrete without it.
- Garden Ho: To mix the concrete in the wheelbarrow.
- Measurements of the metal shed frame ahead of time
The Big Dig: A Symphony of Shovels and Squawks
First things first, we marked out the extension to our existing patio and began the excavation. Now, this is where the entertainment factor came in. Our resident chickens, convinced we were unearthing a mountain of delicious worms, went absolutely berserk! We had to resort to creating a "chicken obstacle course" with fans, food, water, mealworms and an available chicken tender child to keep them safely distracted from our concrete plans.
Building the Frame: A Feathered Foreman Oversees
With the hole dug (and the chickens appeased with a post-digging snack of mealworms), it was time for the frame. We used sturdy lumber to create a neat rectangle, ensuring it was level (thanks, trusty level!). Our feathered foreman NanaRoo the inspector (aka the most persistent chicken) kept a watchful eye on our progress, occasionally attempting to "help" by pecking at the wood (thankfully, without much success). He failed our inspection on several occassions because his share of the mealworms were eaten up by his harem of ladies.
The Concrete Pour: A Race Against Time (and Curious Beaks)
Mixing the quick-crete was a workout in itself, but pouring it into the framed area felt like the grand finale. We worked in a well-coordinated shovel brigade, filling the frame and smoothing out the surface. The challenge? Keeping those curious chicken beaks away from the wet concrete! We employed a strategic deployment of fresh veggies, lettuce and blueberries by the handful to keep them occupied. We opened up the grass pad extension and let them feast on the pitiful new growth instead of having lush tall grasses to keep the busier.
The Waiting Game: When Patience Meets Poultry
After all our hard work, the hardest part began: waiting. Fresh concrete is like a siren song to curious chickens, so vigilance was key. We took turns guarding the newly poured pad, armed with the water hose (a surprisingly effective deterrent). Finally, after what felt like an eternity (but was really just a few hours), the concrete had cured enough to deter any chicken-shaped demolition attempts. We covered any tacky spots with a tarp that they quickly ran to and walked over. Fun times ya'll!
Victory Cluck-Cluck!
Our DIY concrete pad extension was a success! We learned a lot (like the surprising entertainment value of chicken wrangling during construction), and our coop is now under construction on solid ground. Sure, it wasn't easy, but the feeling of accomplishment (and the grateful clucks from our newly-housed chickens) makes it all worth it. The new larger chicken barndominium is complete and we move onto the nesting boxes!
Bonus Tip: For anyone brave enough to attempt a DIY concrete project with feathered supervisors, we highly recommend having a plentiful supply of mealworms on hand!
Leave a comment below if you enjoy mixing concrete yourself or do you budget for the pro's to come in below.
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