# Building a winter coop

> We had a day off today, and built a winter coop for the ladies.

> 22/31 daily posts as part of [WeblogPoMo2024](https://weblog.anniegreens.lol/weblog-posting-month-2024). Expect (and forgive) more words and less editing.

Canberra winters[^winter] are beautiful. This is a typical week-ahead forecast.

<JDImage
  alt="Screenshot of my weather widget. Every day is the same: low is 0C, high is 16C, and it's sunny with perhaps a touch of cloud. Glorious."
  folder="blog"
  src="0053A-Oz_radar-1054x522@3x.jpeg"
  width={600}
  height={297}
/>

But those mornings are _cold,_ and Wendy is in a moult. They spend most mornings in 'bush 1', which is a fine bush but not a particularly warm spot.

So on our day off, we built them a winter coop. We started with a frame that we're no longer using.

<JDImage
  alt="A photo of our garden. The coop frame is in the foreground. Belinda the chicken is in the background. It's a sunny morning."
  folder="blog"
  src="0053B-Coop1-480x640.jpeg"
  width={480}
  height={640}
/>

If you're lucky, the ladies will come and 'help'.

<JDImage
  alt="A photo of the ladies 'helping', i.e. just eating dirt like usual."
  folder="blog"
  src="0053C-Ladies_helping-480x640.jpeg"
  width={480}
  height={640}
/>

Our local Bunnings – at Canberra airport – is spectacular. It's the best hardware store I've ever been in.

British people think that B&Q is a hardware store. I'm sorry, dear motherland, but no. You need to see a proper Bunnings.

<JDImage
  alt="A photo of our local Bunnings. It's a giant warehouse full of hardware stuff."
  folder="blog"
  src="0053D-Bunnings-640x480.jpeg"
  width={640}
  height={480}
/>

I wrapped the frame in 0.5mm clear PVC ($14.59/metre) to make it like a greenhouse.

<JDImage
  alt="A photo of the coop in its new spot."
  folder="blog"
  src="0053E-Coop_in_place-640x480.jpeg"
  width={640}
  height={480}
/>

Wendy, predictably, is the first to have a look. She seems to like it, but tomorrow morning will be the test.

Mealworms will be deployed.

<JDImage
  alt="A photo of Wendy in the new coop, which is now also decorated with a few plants."
  folder="blog"
  src="0053F-Wendy_having_a_look-640x480.jpeg"
  width={640}
  height={480}
/>

This is Wendy, right. Notice how her feathers, usually so splendid, look all ragged. Belinda, to the left, looks much more healthy. And that's Marie, above.

<JDImage
  alt="A photo of Wendy and Belinda from pretty low. Wendy's feathers are all ragged from her moult."
  folder="blog"
  src="0053G-Wendy-640x480.jpeg"
  width={640}
  height={480}
/>

A lovely day off on a perfect Canberra day.

[^winter]: It's not actually winter yet, I know. But with any luck this will be the weather until September.