A Report from Cody’s Coop

As promised, we’ve got an update from Cody and Mike McCarthy’s father-son summer project:  raising chickens!  I sent Cody some questions and he responded and also sent along some pictures of what’s been happening with his chickens.  His mom, Michele, said Cody’s loving this project.  “He’s up at the crack of dawn for feeding…sometimes he can’t even wait to get all of his clothes on.  He sits out there with the birds in the coop talking to them and feeding them from his hands…they love him!”

10 QUESTIONS FOR CODY THE COOP MASTER

1.  The last time we talked, you said you were going to be building a chicken coop.  How is that going? Are you done?

All the guys get involved

Cody: The coop is almost done.  It’s good and big. We have a few more things to do like paint it.  I want to paint it red like a barn.

2.  Are all the birds still “with us” (alive)?

Yes all of them. I am very lucky!

[Sounds like they're lucky too!]

3. Do you keep the layers and the meat birds together in the same coop?

We separated them because the meat birds are bigger than the laying birds but some of the smaller birds can fit through the fences and get in with the meat birds.

Finishing touches on the fencing

4. What’s you schedule for taking care of them? (start with morning until they…and you…go to bed)

I have to feed them every morning (before I eat breakfast) and every night.  At night I feed them and my dad takes care of the water.

5. What are the chickens eating now? Before it was corn mash…is it something different now?

Well they are still eating mash but we are also giving them treats like corn on the cob and salad scraps like lettuce,cucumbers and broccoli.  They love watermelon rinds.

Releasing the chickens into their new home

6. How often do you move the fencing?

We have not moved the fence yet.  We might not for now because we made it really big.

7. When will the hens start laying eggs?

I’m not sure.  I have to do some reading about that.  I think they might be too little.

8.  When will the meat birds start “being meat”?

Cody holding one of his meat birds

At about 8 weeks.  We have about 4 more weeks to go.  We might have chicken for the 4th of July!

9. A lot of people read about you on our website.  Have you heard from anyone because of it?

Yes,  Aunt Lucy from Florida emailed me after she read it.  I also got phone calls from my Nana and Grammie.

10. You said you got the chickens because it was something you and you Dad could do together.  How is your Dad liking this?

Cody and his dad, Mike, working on the coop

Well, my Dad said it’s cool but it’s a lot of work.

Bonus question:

Does you mom help too?

Well, she helped with  building the coop and she saves all of the veggies from the kitchen for the chickens. The chickens need vegetables too.

Related posts:

1. CODY’S COOP – A Great Father-Son Project for the Summer
2. Transforming an old space into a new B & B — Hammertown to the Rescue!
3. Herondale Farm – Sometimes you don’t know what’s in your own backyard!
4. This year’s Early Bird Tent Sale Donations for a New Playground in Ancram

Filed Under: Home & Design, Kids, Lifestyle Blog, Local Living