Breaking ground
Work was on pause for a while, but we’re finally starting to build the hospital on the spot set aside for it. Leveling the ground took time: this whole bare area used to be a mound, and we flattened it. Now we can finally build. Let’s go!
We built on a base frame, starting with the posts, while Dolly did as she pleased. This scrap is cheap lumber, so it’s really heavy, and one post had to be redone.
Part of the roof is on, at just about my height. Next comes another roof panel on this side, and then the walls. I’m tired already… but let’s keep going.
The frame goes up
Ta-da! The frame is up. This will be the isolation ward — our chicken hospital. Inside the entrance there’s a first section with its own door, where I can do jobs like setting out food, or give medicine. The next door is designed so you push the chickens back with it as you go in, so no one slips out. And since I built it to my own height, wherever a chicken tries to run, I can reach it.
Next time we’ll cover it all over with netting. That keeps the birds in and lets plenty of air through. Thank you to all the volunteers who came to help!
The finished hospital
The next day, with Dolly supervising again, we put up the netting — and we’re getting faster at it! Then the finishing touches, and the hospital is done! It’s really more of a big shed. There’s an outer door, then a second door inside, and past that is the chickens’ room. In there I can care for sick chickens, or birds that aren’t tame yet.
Just inside the entrance is a small enclosed area. I’ll use it to store feed for refilling and to keep medicine, and as a place to bring a chicken out of the room to give it medicine.
The room is about 7 feet (210 cm) one way and twice that, 14 feet (420 cm), the other. Chickens would like it taller, but I want any sick bird within arm’s reach when it’s time for medicine, so I made it almost exactly my height.
Thanks to our volunteers, we got it built safely, and almost all the materials were scrap given to us for free. We’re so grateful. We don’t really want sick chickens, but if they come, we now have a place to look after them properly. We’re ready! When new birds arrive and we use it, I’ll show it to you again.
Thank you for watching Chicken Paradise. See you in the next episode!